To Download the Conference Report
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
CONFERENCE REPORT FIFTH ANNUAL COMMONWEALTH CARIBBEAN ASSOCIATION OF INTEGRITY COMMISSIONS AND ANTI-CORRUPTION BODIES CONFERENCE (CCAICACB) GRAND CAYMAN, CAYMAN ISLANDS 3-7 JUNE 2019 “TRANSFORMING WORDS INTO ACTION: REVITALISING THE FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION” PUBLICATION CREDITS WRITTEN AND PUBLISHED IN 2020 BY THE CAYMAN ISLANDS COMMISSION FOR STANDARDS IN PUBLIC LIFE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COMMONWEALTH SECRETARIAT. | PAGE | 01 CONTENTS Message from the Secretary-General 02 Conference Overview 08 Welcoming Remarks 10 CCAICACB Chairman’s Remarks 12 Opening Proclamation 15 Acronyms and Abbreviations 16 A Note About This Report 17 Opening Ceremony Agenda 18 Opening Ceremony Photos 19 Locations of Delegates 20 Day 1 21 Day 2 24 Day 3 28 Day 4 32 Day 5 33 Appendices 36 Acknowledgements 83 | MESSAGE FROM THE SECRETARY- PAGE | 02 GENERAL OF THE COMMONWEALTH MESSAGE FROM THE SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE COMMONWEALTH 3 JUNE 2019 5TH ANNUAL COMMONWEALTH CARIBBEAN ASSOCIATION OF INTEGRITY COMMISSIONS AND ANTI-CORRUPTION BODIES CONFERENCE Your Excellency, Globally, we are facing a tidal wave of honourable ministers, corruption. distinguished delegates, Commonwealth friends The IMF estimates that bribery costs roughly and colleagues…. 1.5 to 2 dollars trillion annually. With such dire social and economic We who are gathered here know only too well consequences at stake, the fight against the pernicious economic, social and political corruption has to be a priority for all our impact that is wrought by entrenched member countries. corruption in the lives of people in our communities and in the lives of our nations. In 2015, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime International organisations, development estimated that 2 to 5 per cent of global practitioners, and leaders who are sensitive to domestic product is laundered each year, the plight of their people and the wellbeing of amounting to something between 800 billion their countries, all recognise that corruption and 200 trillion dollars annually. undermines and undoes development. World Bank research has revealed that corrupt So, in our determination truly to live up to the public officials in developing countries receive meaning and ambition of our name between 20 and 40 billion dollars in bribes ‘Commonwealth’, corruption is a cancer we annually. are compelled to confront. It undermines in ways which are truly tragic So, tackling corruption has to be a priority of the ability of our countries to deliver inclusive the highest order if we are in earnest about and sustainable economic growth and social achieving the Sustainable Development Goals progress. – and we are. TWhis mhakes trhee the mwe foer o uar cornfeerence as urgent as it is appropriate: “Transforming Doing so brings multiple benefits; poverty is Words into Action: Revitalising the Fight reduced, economic stability and growth are Against Corruption”. increased, and standards of living raised. TODAY | MESSAGE FROM THE SECRETARY- PAGE | 03 GENERAL OF THE COMMONWEALTH That is why SDG 16 incorporates specific Annual meetings of the association have been targets relating to reducing corruption, opportunities to conduct training and gain bribery, and illicit financial flows. from peer-to-peer learning, and to select And the IMF has made clear that the success countries for benchmarking. of all other SDGs depends crucially on getting to grips with the corrosive cancer of An example of this was the Office of the corruption. Contractor General of Jamaica offering capacity-building support to the Grenada So, we all need to take swift and decisive Integrity Commission on procurement action to improve transparency and procedures, monitoring and investigation of accountability, and to build confidence that government contracts. our institutions and systems are corruption- free. Another was Grenada providing training That is why the Commonwealth has been centre facilities for the Commonwealth to active in providing practical technical deliver key capacity-building programmes for assistance and development support for institutions in the region. national anti-corruption agencies to build their effectiveness in dealing with corruption. Our Commonwealth anti-corruption work programme demonstrates our collective In our anti-corruption work we employ a determination to eradicate this scourge, and it three-pronged approach, which involves has achieved a global recognition, notably as research, capacity-building and networking. recipient of the 2018 International Anti- Corruption Excellence Award. This is being delivered through a strategy of establishing regional anti-corruption agency There have been many other glowing networks and training centres, facilitating testimonies from heads of Integrity closer cooperation and learning towards Commissions and Anti-Corruption Agencies: attaining SDG 16. The Prime Minister of Grenada, The Right The networks promote collaboration and the Honourable Keith Mitchell, generously exchange among member countries of best said: practice and of practitioners. “I thank the Commonwealth for the They also assist with peer review and with technical assistance it has given to measuring the capabilities of agencies against Grenada in particular and the benchmarks. Commonwealth Caribbean in general and look forward to the promotion of The Commonwealth Caribbean Association of Grenada as centre of excellence in Integrity Commissions and Anti-Corruption anticorruption work in the Caribbean.” Bodies was created by the Commonwealth Secretariat in 2015. The Grenada Minister of Communications, Works, Physical WSinceh theen, wree ha vew seeen a calearr e Development, Public Utilities, ICT & strengthening of these institutions as a result Community Development, the of the collaboration this network has Honourable Gregory Bowen, concurs encouraged and facilitated. saying: T ODAY | MESSAGE FROM THE SECRETARY- PAGE | 04 GENERAL OF THE COMMONWEALTH “The Commonwealth must be applauded financial support and expert advice in for its anti-corruption efforts under the the subject areas of public sector leadership of Commonwealth Secretary- governance and international Anti- General Patricia Scotland. This is the Corruption afforded to the association by the Commonwealth Secretariat through fourth year that Commonwealth has the sterling leadership of Dr Roger trained stakeholders, from Grenada and Koranteng, each year our association has regional participants.” grown in strength and purpose." The Chair of the Grenada Integrity “His stewardship has been and continues Commission, Lady Trotman-Joseph, to be the source of strength for the wrote: Association members and we are honour bound and owing gratitude to say Thank “The Integrity Commission of Grenada You to the Commonwealth Secretariat, we could not have done it had it not would like to express our appreciation for been for his hard work and effort.” the services Grenada has received from Commonwealth Secretariat through Dr The Chair of the Trinidad and Tobago Roger Koranteng." Integrity Commission, Justice Melville Baird, stated: "It was as a result of his inputs and guidance under the auspices of the “The Commonwealth Caribbean Commonwealth Association of Integrity Commissions and Secretariat that the Commonwealth Anti-Corruption Bodies is deeply indebted to the Commonwealth Caribbean Association of Integrity Secretariat for its unstinting assistance Commissions and Anti-Corruption Bodies and for the gift of Dr Koranteng.” (CCAICACB) held its inaugural Conference in Grenada, in 2015." “The CCAICAB is still in its nascent stage and the waters through which our ship “The Commonwealth Secretariat has must sail in its battle against corruption provided the Integrity Commission in are fundamentally uncharted. The Grenada with invaluable support and Commonwealth secretariat through Dr through his professional skills and Koranteng has been an invaluable pilot, guiding, advising, encouraging.” competencies and capacity building programmes. Grenada's Integrity The Secretary of the Saint Lucia Integrity Commission has begun to see the Commission, Ms Jean Morille, wrote: benefits of effecting synergies between all our anti-corruption agencies in “The Office of Integrity Commission of Grenada and the development of a Saint Lucia wishes to voice its National Anti-Corruption Strategic Plan.” appreciation and gratitude to the Commonwealth Secretariat for the The Chair of the Commonwealth excellent work of Dr Roger Koranteng in Caribbean Association of Integrity assisting Integrity Commissions and Anti- Corruption Bodies in the Commonwealth Commissions and Anti-Corruption in combating corruption.” WhBodeies,r Mer D irkw Haerriso na, wrritees in similar vein: “His advice and assistance of to our nation and its citizens are immeasurable “Permit me to recognize and and of great necessity.” acknowledge the exemplary facilitation, T ODAY | MESSAGE FROM THE SECRETARY- PAGE | 05 GENERAL OF THE COMMONWEALTH Those warm encomiums of praise mean a The principles and guidance are consistent great deal to us, and they encourage us to with international standards, and go further in work even harder to support all that you are covering other areas of concern not previously doing both at regional level and in your addressed. various national settings to deliver change for the people and communities you serve. Indeed, this Commonwealth package is the first document of which we are aware that In 2016, very soon after I took up the connects all the areas of public and private responsibilities of Secretary-General, which