Byron Buckley, News Editor
PALMER
DURING THIS month, Government will commence training selected public officials as ethics officers whose role will be to alert colleagues to potentially unethical conduct or acts of corruption.
As a complementary measure, Cabinet is expected this month to authorise the drafting of legislation to punish public officials who flout Government's policy guidelines in procuring goods and services.
According to Sandra Graham, the Prime Minister's press secretary, legis-lation to amend the Public Bodies (Management and Accountability) Act will be tabled in Parliament before this legislative year ends on March 31.
A Cabinet Office progress report, supplied by Ms. Graham, shows that 12 of 16 ministries appointed ethics officers as at December 28, 2005. Seventy-three state agencies also implemented the measure - bringing to 87 the total number of ethics officers at year end. The ministries of Health, Local Government, Industry and Tourism, and the Office of the Prime Minister had not yet made appointments. In addition to the training of ethics officers, the Cabinet Office plans to develop and distribute a Public Sector Code of Ethics during the first quarter of this year.
Among ethics officers appointed are Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Justice, Carol Palmer, as well as Supreme Court judge, Justice Gloria Smith. Other personnel designated to carry out the function of ethics officers include legal officers, human resource managers, executive directors, vice-presidents, among other public sector functionaries.
ANTI-CORRUPTION MEETING
Ethics officers, whose necessity was mooted last May during an anti-corruption confab between Prime Minister P.J. Patterson and senior public officials, are expected to "give guidance and advice on the strict and proper observance of the principles and practices of ethical conduct by officers." The terms of reference for ethics officers authorise them to, among other duties, report on "the general status of ethical practice in the organisation, or on specific issues or situations - positive or negative."
The rationale for introducing ethics officers, according to the Prime Minister, is that often times ethical misconduct, wittingly or unwittingly, leads to acts of corruption; hence the need for advisers to guide public officers through the maze of laws, regulations, procedures and codes that promote transparency and accountability. Mr. Patterson has pointed to improvements in these areas as a hallmark of his administration despite the consistently poor rating that corruption watchdog Transparency International (TI) has given Jamaica annually. The latest TI corruption perceptions index gives the country a marginally improved ranking of 3.5. Ten indicates the least corrupt country.
Following the May 2005 meeting Wayne Jones, president of the Jamaica Civil Service Association, suggested that the combating of corruption in the public sector would be more effectively achieved by the enactment of a whistle blower law to protect public officials who exposed corrupt colleagues. But the Prime Minister, in opposing the proposal, has argued that the Corruption Prevention Act already empowers public sector employees to report corrupt acts.
Main duties of ethics officers
Plan and implement resolutions to ethics-related problems.
Prepare and maintain schedule for training staff in ethics and values.
Review functioning of audit, procurement, disciplinary, promotions/appointments committees.
Provide guidance regarding the interpretation/ compliance with laws/ regulations/procedures related to ethical conduct.
Assist officers to arrive at ethical decisions in borderline cases or where the rules are not clearly applicable.
Source: Public Sector Reform Unit, Cabinet Office
