Ross Sheil, Staff Reporter

Espinola

The United Nations (UN) is leading a campaign by the donor community to tackle political corruption in Jamaica and the Caribbean.

The initiative was started by departing UN country representative, Juan Carlos Espinola, who this week urged politicians to take greater action against corruption.

The organisation is also helping to fund the new Institute of Criminal Justice at the University of the West Indies (UWI), to be launched in the new academic year and led by crime researcher Professor Anthony Harriot, who is part of a consultation process by the UN Development Fund (UNDP) involving government, law enforcement and stakeholders.

The UN then intends to form a plan of action and gather donor funding, Mr. Espinola told The Gleaner on Wednesday at the close of a two-day symposium on crime and politics held at the UWI. However, he reiterated that nothing can happen without action at the political level.

"I think the difficult thing is that it requires the Government of Jamaica to act. There is very little that can be done without them playing a lead role in fact," he said.

Corruption complaint

A concern frequently highlighted in public opinion polls, along with the country's high murder rate, corruption is most indicative of the breakdown of law and order, believes Professor Harriot.

"More than any other crime it displays the success of criminals because the leaders are highly affluent and highly visible and people know the sources of their wealth and they become literally models of success," he said. "If crime is seen as successful then people are going to see that they can get away with it."

The UN initiative comes at a time when donors to the Caribbean are increasingly concentrating their funds on crime and security issues. A recent World Bank/UN report recommended that donors increase funding and assistance to Caribbean governments to reduce the impact of crime associated with the transhipment of cocaine through the region.

ross.sheil@gleanerjm.com