Letter of the Day | What kind of leadership should we expect from parliamentarians?

This is an open letter to members of parliament of Jamaica

THE EDITOR, Madam:

As advocates for good governance, we write this open letter on behalf of many concerned citizens, taxpayers and voters in Jamaica to encourage you to provide some information about the kind of leadership we can expect from you as political representatives.

This is due to our concerns about the latest Integrity Commission (IC) Annual Report for the period April 1, 2024, to March 31. Unfortunately, it revealed that two more lawmakers are under investigation for alleged illicit enrichment. This brings the total number of parliamentarians referred for such matters, to 13 over the last seven years. Further, many parliamentarians have not signed the IC’s Code of Conduct.

This is troubling and does not instil public confidence and trust in parliamentarians and our system of governance. The IC, like all ministries and agencies of government, has institutional flaws that must be addressed. Hence, criticisms of the IC by parliamentarians that seems to undermine its credibility, especially by those who are been investigated, only furthers our distrust and concern.

In light of this, before we cast our votes in the upcoming general election, please publicly answer the following questions:

1. Have you ever been, or are you currently, under investigation for alleged illicit enrichment or for providing false information to the Integrity Commission?

2. Have you signed the Integrity Commission’s Code of Conduct?

3. If you have not, do you intend to sign any document making a clear commitment to me, as a member of the constituency you represent, that you will uphold the internationally accepted principles of ethical behaviour in government (i.e., selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty, and leadership) as the standard of behaviour we expect from you as our representative?

Transparency on these matters are important. For voters who want to make an informed decision to promote good governance, your honest answers will influence their decisions at the polls.

Thank you for your attention to these important questions.

ADVOCATES NETWORK