Justice Minister Calls for Stronger Regional Cooperation to Fight Corruption

Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Hon. Delroy Chuck, has called for stronger regional cooperation, greater transparency and improved accountability in the fight against corruption.

He warns that the problem continues to undermine development, weaken the rule of law and divert public resources from critical services.

The Minister was speaking at a regional anti-corruption conference hosted by the Embassy of France and its Permanent Mission to the Organization of American States (OAS), held at the OAS’ Hall of the Americas in Washington DC, on October 21.

The conference was held under the theme ‘The Fight Against Corruption: Addressing a Common Threat to Society and Development’.

Addressing the topic ‘The Fight Against Corruption: Navigating a Moving Landscape’, Minister Chuck said corruption was a shared challenge that could not be effectively addressed by any single government or institution acting alone.

He argued that a coordinated approach involving governments, law-enforcement agencies, civil society, the private sector and international partners was essential to protecting public resources and ensuring that the benefits of development reached citizens rather than a privileged few.

“Crime and corruption go together,” Mr. Chuck declared, underscoring the importance of strengthening institutions and cooperation to confront the interconnected challenges.

He said corruption affected more than government finances, noting that it weakened public trust, compromised the rule of law and diverted scarce resources from essential sectors, including healthcare, education and national security.

Turning to Jamaica’s experience, Mr. Chuck acknowledged challenges relating to public trust, perceptions of corruption, the detection and prosecution of wrongdoing, public procurement and the management of public resources.

He also highlighted concerns about the reluctance of some individuals to report wrongdoing because of the fear of retaliation, emphasising the importance of strengthening protection for whistleblowers.

Minister Chuck outlined Jamaica’s legislative and institutional framework for combatting corruption, pointing to measures introduced over the past 25 years to improve accountability and strengthen oversight.

Among the measures he identified were the Corruption Prevention Act of 2000, the Independent Commission of Investigations Act of 2010, the Protected Disclosures Act of 2011, the Proceeds of Crime Act and legislation establishing the Integrity Commission.

He also highlighted the work of the Integrity Commission and the Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency (MOCA), describing their roles as important to Jamaica’s efforts to investigate wrongdoing, strengthen accountability and build public confidence.

The Integrity Commission, he noted, has responsibilities that include monitoring public officials’ statutory declarations, overseeing government procurement and investigating complaints, while MOCA investigates major organised criminal activities, including serious corruption and financial crimes.

The Minister emphasised that corruption increasingly crosses national borders, with bribery, fraud, money laundering and the movement of illicit funds often involving multiple jurisdictions.

He said countries must strengthen information-sharing, coordinate investigations and learn from one another’s experiences to address criminal activity that extends beyond their individual borders.

Such collaboration, he argued, would improve the ability of authorities to detect wrongdoing, recover assets and hold offenders accountable.

Mr. Chuck also called for greater public participation in anti-corruption efforts, maintaining that the responsibility must extend beyond a handful of institutions to become a broader national commitment.

Meanwhile, Mr. Chuck also pointed to what he described as significant reductions in murders in Jamaica over recent years, linking the country’s crime-fighting efforts to the broader importance of stronger institutions, improved investigative capacity and the use of technology.

He said technological tools were assisting law enforcement in detecting criminal activities and supporting investigations, while stressing the need to continue strengthening the country’s capacity to identify and prevent wrongdoing.

The Minister said Jamaica’s progress in addressing crime demonstrated the importance of sustained action, while acknowledging that corruption remained difficult to measure and required continued vigilance.

He urged participating countries to deepen their cooperation and share expertise in confronting the common challenge.

Mr. Chuck maintained that the fight against corruption was ultimately a fight for justice, opportunity and development, with the objective of ensuring that public resources serve the public interest and that future generations inherit societies founded on integrity and accountability.