Complete the National Anti-Corruption Strategy (JM0001)

What is the public problem that the commitment will address? In the 19 years (2002-2020) that Transparency International has been ranking Jamaica, the country has averaged a Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) score of only 37.5 out of 100. Prior to its 2017 and 2018 CPI scores of 44 Jamaica had never scored higher than 41 (2015 CPI score) while Jamaica‟s lowest CPI score ever was 30 which was recorded in 2009. A CPI score of below 50 means that a country has a serious corruption problem. In 2020 Jamaica had a CPI score of 44 and ranked 69th out of 179 countries. A 2015 USAID Final Report entitled “Combatting Corruption in Jamaica Final Performance Evaluation Caribbean Basin Security Initiative” cited a deficit in Jamaica‟s efforts as follows, “While institutional progress has been made, the Government‟s approach to corruption remains piecemeal and unfinished.” Additionally, Jamaica‟s 2014 National Security Policy estimates that 5% of GDP or nearly J$100 billion is lost to corruption annually.

What is the commitment? To complete the development of Jamaica‟s National Anti-Corruption Strategy.

How will the commitment contribute to solve the public problem? The country has specialised agencies and organisations with a range of roles which are mandated to address causes of corruption, including The Integrity Commission, The Major Organised Crime Anti-Corruption Agency (MOCA), Financial Investigations Division, Revenue Protection Division and Jamaica Customs Agency. Despite the presence of these agencies, and the promulgation of new laws and measures, the country has not had the benefit of an integrated and coordinated approach in dealing with corruption issues. The completion of the National Anti-Corruption Strategy will provide a structured framework for coordinated action among relevant agencies and stakeholders in addressing the causes and manifestations of corruption in the public and private sectors on a sustainable basis.

Why is this commitment relevant to OGP values? The completion of Jamaica‟s National Anti- Corruption Strategy (NAS) is relevant to the following OGP values: 1. Access to Information: The NAS will strengthen reporting requirements and transparency. 2. Civic Participation: The process of completion of the NAS will include extensive stakeholder consultation and the NAS will include defined roles for stakeholders in the implementation, monitoring and evaluation. 3. Public Accountability: The NAS will strengthen prevention and detection of corruption within government, public bodies and the private sector.

Additional information The completion of Jamaica‟s National Anti- Corruption Strategy (NAS)is aligned with:  Section 6 (1)(j) of the Integrity Commission Act (2017) – Co-ordinate the implementation of an anti-corruption strategy  Vision 2030 Jamaica National Development Plan – National Outcome No. 6 Effective Governance, including National Strategy 6-1 Strengthen the Process of Citizen Participation in Governance and National Strategy 6-7 Strengthen Accountability and Transparency Mechanisms  Medium Term Socio-Economic Policy Framework (MTF) for the relevant three-year period  Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions – Target 16.5 Substantially reduce corruption and bribery in all their forms  Lima Commitment, OAS VIII Summit of the Americas (2018) - Democratic Governance Against Corruption

Milestone Activity with a verifiable deliverable Start Date: End Date: Procurement of consultant to support development of Draft National Anti- Corruption Strategy December 2021 February 2022 Conduct extensive stakeholder consultations on preparation of National Anti-Corruption Strategy February 2022 April 2022 Development of Draft National Anti- Corruption Strategy April 2022 December 2022 Conduct extensive stakeholder consultations on Draft National Anti- Corruption Strategy January 2023 February 2023 Completion of National Anti-Corruption Strategy and submission to Cabinet March 2023 June 2023

Action Plan Review

Commitment 1. Complete the National Anti-Corruption Strategy

● Verifiable: Yes

● Does it have an open government lens? Yes

● Potential for results: Modest

Results Report

Commitment 1. Completing the National Anti-Corruption Strategy

This commitment aimed to engage relevant stakeholders in the prospective implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of Jamaica’s National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NAS). While there is evidence of stakeholder consultations in the form of a kick-off meeting held in April 2023, there is no evidence of final outcomes or a pending/adopted draft. The government attributed this delay to the failure in securing a consultant to assist in developing the strategy. The Integrity Commission had to rely on its in-house staff and recorded no notable results to date.