This act aims to promote and strengthen measures for the Detention, Prevention, Investigation and Prosecution of corrupt conduct as well as to establish the Office of the Special Prosecutor for Corruption Prevention and Parliament Integrity of Members Commissions. The main weakness of this Act is that it omits the inclusion of the Office of the Contractor General.
This is to establish/consolidate penalties for persons who breach the Political Code of Conduct. Such breaches include intimidation, vote buying/selling, political victimization/discrimination in distribution of jobs and awarding of contracts.
A report prepared by the Electoral Commission of Jamaica on this matter was approved by the Cabinet. If passed, this law would regulate political parties’ financial reporting, mandating disclosure of their expenditure and contributions they receive.
Review and reform of government contract award procedures is necessary for increased transparency and identification of individuals associated with criminal enterprises.
The June 2011 Report of the ECJ provided for limits on what parties and candidates can spend in an election; limits on the amount that can be contributed to parties and candidates; naming ‘impermissible donors’ to campaigns, including persons with government contracts unless their identity is publicly disclosed and regular reports to the Electoral Commission of identities of donors to parties.
