IC vows to stick to mandate despite legal challenges

Amid a rise in lawsuits filed by state actors against Jamaica’s principal anti-corruption agency over the past financial year, the leadership of the Integrity Commission (IC) says it remains undeterred and will continue to execute its mandate without fear or favour.
In its 2025-2026 annual report, IC Chairman Justice (Ret’d) Carol Lawrence-Beswick acknowledged that the courts play a vital role in safeguarding the rule of law and ensuring that public bodies operate within their legal authority.
However, she said it is equally important that the lawful execution of the commission’s mandate is not frustrated, delayed, or undermined by actions designed solely to discourage robust investigations or to inhibit the IC.
“The commission will continue to pursue its mandate fairly, independently, and without fear or favour, guided at all times by the law, the principles of justice, and the unwavering commitment to integrity, transparency, and accountability in public life,” Lawrence-Beswick said in her remarks.
The IC head stressed that the commission respects the constitutional right of every individual to approach the courts and is committed to honouring all judicial processes and determinations.  Nonetheless, she said it is important to recognise the implications of an emerging trend.
“There is a legitimate concern that the increasing resort to litigation against the commission and its officers in the execution of their lawful duties may, whether intentionally or otherwise, impede the timely discharge of the commission’s responsibilities,” she noted.
She argued that defending legal proceedings required the commitment of significant time, financial resources, and institutional capacity that might otherwise be directed towards the investigation and prevention of corruption.
increase in high-profile public-law litigation
At the same time, the increase in high-profile public-law litigation in relation to the IC’s investigative outputs also drew comments from its executive director, Craig Beresford.
He said this trend was characterised by the increasing use of interim injunctions by external parties, which served to delay or halt active investigations and defer the publication of statutory outputs.
However, he said while these complex legal proceedings required a substantial allocation of fiscal and human resources, they underscored the robust nature of the commission’s legal frameworks.
“Rather than diminishing systemic impact, navigating these sophisticated legal developments has further fortified the commission’s procedural execution and risk-mitigation strategies,” he said.
Looking ahead, Beresford said the IC remained resolute in protecting its statutory mandate, ensuring that the transparency and timing of its anti-corruption outputs are maintained in strict alignment with the public interest.
In May this year, The Gleaner reported that the Government had moved to court to prevent the IC from compelling the Ministry of Health and Wellness to produce eight employment files as part of its investigation into alleged corruption linked to the Jamaica-Cuba Eye Care Programme.
The case was filed in the Supreme Court on March 23, 2026, and it pits the attorney general and the Ministry of Health and Wellness’ permanent secretary, Errol Greene, against the IC and its director of investigations, Kevon Stephenson.
The Government is seeking permission to apply for judicial review in which the court examines whether a public authority acted lawfully and within its powers.
Also in recent times, Cabinet minister Dr Andrew Wheatley has made an application for leave to seek judicial review after the IC’s prosecutor said he should face four charges, including illicit enrichment.
The proposed charges came following an investigation that reportedly found assets disproportionate to Wheatley’s lawful earnings by more than $164 million. The director of corruption prosecution has also recommended charges relating to knowingly making false statements in statutory declarations and failing to provide requested information.
The IC has given a formal undertaking to the Supreme Court that it will not bring charges against Wheatley until the court determines his application for leave to seek judicial review. A follow-up hearing in the Supreme Court is slated for July 23.
edmond.campbell@gleanerjm.com