House approves state board nomination, appointment regulations

The House of Representatives on Tuesday approved the Public Bodies Management and Accountability (Nomination, Selection and Appointment to Boards) Regulations.

This represents a tool by the Government to be used towards achieving improved corporate governance in respect of public bodies.

In his remarks, Finance and the Public Service Minister, Dr Nigel Clarke, said there is need for a more transparent and structured approach to the process of public body appointment.

“All citizens have a vested interest in seeing public bodies optimally meeting and fulfilling their mandates and this is with good reason,” Clarke said.

He informed that there are approximately 149 active public bodies in Jamaica, noting that their operations impact the lives of ordinary Jamaicans on a daily basis and their boards and managers have control and management of a vast amount of State resources.

Clarke said that public bodies in their entirety spend approximately $400 billion each year, as compared with the central government, which is about 20 per cent higher.

“This Government has heard and answered the cry for greater and more transparent regulation of the process of Board appointments given the implications for achieving public governance,” he noted.

He added that the regulations are in keeping with the vision laid out in the 2011 corporate governance framework which put forward a vision for how boards of public bodies ought to be appointed.

“Even though this is the general operation date for the regulations, and some provisions will come into effect on February 1, 2020 that will allow steps to be taken to operationalise the regulations, certain key components of the Regulations will be delayed,” Clarke said.

The regulations have been sent to the Senate for approval.

- JIS News

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