Letter of the Day | Speak out against corruption!

THE EDITOR, Madam:

I am writing in support of Dr Dwayne Vernon’s commentary, ‘Trust deficit: Corruption, good governance and the way forward’. His central warning is correct: corruption corrodes the institutions on which our democracy depends, and Jamaica can no longer afford half-measures.

The evidence is hard to dismiss. Jamaica’s Corruption Perceptions Index score has been stuck at 44 since 2017, below the line that signals a serious corruption problem.

The damage runs deeper than rankings. When more than J$3 trillion in spending cannot be matched to audited accounts, public confidence collapses, whether or not any money was stolen.

Voter turnout has fallen from 78 per cent in 1989 to under 40 per cent, which suggests that many citizens believe the system does not serve them. Corruption also drains funds from hospitals, schools, roads and policing, and it is the poor who suffer most.

It deters honest investors, raises the cost of doing business, and rewards connections rather than merit. No nation can build growth or security on such a foundation.

Zero tolerance must mean what it says: no official, whatever his rank or party, should stand above investigation. The law must fall as swiftly on ministers and parliamentarians as on junior public servants, because citizens notice when justice bends to rank.

Integrity Commission reports should be made public, and the commission’s powers and independence must be strengthened. INDECOM must be adequately funded and resourced, and body-worn cameras should be mandatory.

Whistleblowers need real legal protection, and public procurement must be competitive and published online. Bodies such as the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority must operate under independent board oversight, so that recovery funds reach those who lost everything.

On a positive note, Commissioner of Police Dr Kevin Blake is working to root out corruption within the Jamaica Constabulary Force, and he needs our support. Every Jamaican citizen must fearlessly unite and speak out vociferously against corruption wherever it occurs.

ROBERT DALLEY