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Gov’t Moves to Implement Security Vetting Policy

January 28, 2009

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The Government is putting measures in place for the implementation of a security vetting policy, which will apply to certain sensitive posts within the public service.
The move is part of efforts to reduce and eliminate corruption and enhance accountability in Government.
Addressing a special consultation organised by the Customs Department today (Jan. 27) at the Mona Visitors’ Lodge in Kingston, as part of activities marking Customs Week from February 25-31, Prime Minister, Bruce Golding, informed that the policy, which was initially designed for the security forces and the Ministry of National Security, is to be extended across the Government service.
“It doesn’t mean that every single employee of Government is going to be subjected to the same sort of scrutiny,” said the Prime Minister, who is Chairman of the Security Council, which is implementing the policy.
“What we intend to do is to identify what we consider to be sensitive positions, and sensitive positions may either have to do with the sensitivity of the information to which that position or the whole of that position will have access, or it may have to do with resources that the person would have control over. It may have to do, simply, with the vulnerability of that person,” he explained.
“In other words, if you are putting a person in a position where they have discretion to exercise, they can (for example) decide whether to charge so much, or whether they can vary that. The screening is going to be designed to identify vulnerabilities, determine levels of security, and ensure that, at those levels, a particular layer of security vetting is applied,” he further outlined.
The Prime Minister stressed the need for the policy, when implemented, to be professionally administered by persons who are accountable, and whose integrity “command confidence”.
Mr. Golding informed that work on the policy has not yet been completed, but said that the discussions and deliberations should be concluded over the next few weeks.

Last Updated: August 30, 2013

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