Prime Minister P.J. Patterson yesterday called for the development of a code of conduct to address corrupt officials in the public sector.
Mr. Patterson made the call at a meeting with permanent secretaries, board chairpersons and chief executive officers in public sector entities, at the Jamaica Conference Centre, downtown Kingston.
The proposed code would be similar to the one for parliamentarians.
The meeting was called in response to recommendations made by government-monitoring agencies on how best to deal with corruption.
According to a release from the Office of the Prime Minster, the code "would bring more partners into the fight against corruption in the public sector".
swifter sanctions
Mr. Patterson has instructed each ministry and agency to appoint a senior officer who would have responsibility for monitoring the ethical behaviour of staff.
He warned that swifter sanctions would be levied against public officers who are involved in corrupt practices. The Prime Minister also announced that the powers of the commissions with responsibility for the appointment and discipline of public officers, police and local government employees will be reviewed to allow them to properly investigate and remove from office, those persons whose conduct bring the public sector into disrepute.
The Prime Minister warned that "any action that is taken to circumvent the requirements of submitting contracts for prior approval to the National Contracts Commission is forbidden and prohibited".
"No board will be appointed by the Cabinet that is not prepared to accept, understand and abide by the reporting chain that requires them to recognise the role of the permanent secretary as the accounting officer," he said. "However, where goods and services are procured on an emergency basis, the parent ministry must be notified within 24 hours."
Political Ombudsman Bishop Herro Blair, who attended the meeting, described it as "fruitful." He, however, noted that the matter should have been addressed a long time ago. "It is said that it is better late than never but I think that the Prime Minister is a visionary and he is sincere in what he is doing, and I think if we close the gap that has been identified, our nation will be the benefactor," Blair added.
"I am quite sure that with the partnership envisioned, private and public sector, the church and other NGOs (non-governmental organisations), we will be able to work on it."
