NIA chief: Without UWO, whistleblower protection, corruption fight will stall
Published:Wednesday | February 11, 2026 | 12:12 AMEdmond Campbell/Senior Staff Reporter
National Integrity Action (NIA) Principal Director Dr Gavin Myers wants the Government to urgently roll out critical anti-corruption legislative reforms such as the long-proposed unexplained wealth order (UWO) regime.
His call comes at a time when the country remains stuck in stagnation with a repeat score of 44 on Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index (CPI).
A score of 44 out of 100, where zero is ‘highly corrupt’ and 100 is ‘very clean’ means that Jamaica has failed to free itself from the perception of chronic levels of corruption in the public sector over the last eight years.
Noting that a score of 44 is a number Jamaicans know all too well, Myers said the country recorded similar scores for more than six years.
The NIA head said the UWO would give designated authorities the power to require public officials to account for wealth that is clearly disproportionate to their lawful income. This, he said, would help to strengthen deterrence and restore public trust.
In 2024, the Holness administration backtracked on previous commitments to introduce the UWO, citing constitutional concerns and existing laws that it says are “strong enough” to address individuals with suspicious sources of wealth.
An unexplained wealth order is a court directive that allows law enforcement to confiscate assets from individuals who cannot demonstrate that their wealth was obtained legally.
STRENGTHENING OF WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTION
Speaking at the launch of the 2025 CPI results at St Michael’s College in St Andrew, Myers said another important legislative support that is needed to help in the fight against corruption is the strengthening of whistleblower protection.
“People will not report corruption if doing so puts their livelihoods or safety at risk. Robust protections are essential to surfacing wrongdoing early,” he added.
He called for consistent investigation and prosecution where there is sufficient evidence of breaches of the Public Procurement Act. The NIA boss argued that procurement remains one of the highest risk areas for corruption, noting that enforcement is the strongest signal that the law has meaning.
Myers is also pushing for the resumption of quarterly publication of contract awards by the Integrity Commission or by the Public Procurement Commission.
Signalling that reforms can shift the needle for Jamaica on the CPI, the NIA head said improving the country’s score was not about optics but substance.
Myers also echoed previous calls for the vexed “gag clause” in the Integrity Commission Act, which imposes draconian fines on officials of the anti-corruption body who divulge information during the course of an investigation, to be scrapped.
“Oversight bodies must be able to communicate findings responsibly and transparently. Excessive silence breeds suspicion and undermines confidence,” he added.
He said the proposed reforms are not radical but practical, overdue, and evidence-based.
In a question, which formed the basis of his presentation, Myers asked: “Is Jamaica languishing in the doldrums, or are we preparing to catch the trade winds?”
He said that at first glance, one might point out that Jamaica remains above the global CPI average, which now stands at 42 out of 100.
However, he said Jamaica should not pat itself on the shoulder as the country has not improved on the CPI owing to a lack of bold, visible, or decisive anti-corruption action.
Jamaica’s ranking remains at 73 out of 182 countries in 2025, unchanged from last year, after falling four places in 2024. Two years ago, Jamaica stood at 69.
CONSISTENT PATTERN
Myers reasoned that Transparency International’s data as well as the experience in Jamaica and across the region show a consistent pattern that sustained improvements in CPI scores occur when political leaders and regulators commit to long-term legal and institutional reform.
On the other hand, the NIA principal director said persistent low scores on the CPI coincide with eroding checks and balances, politicisation of justice systems, undue influence over political processes, and a failure to protect independent oversight. Jamaica is not immune to these pressures, he warned.
Arguing that Jamaica’s integrity infrastructure was under strain, Myers said that during the past year, there have been increasing challenges to the institutions mandated to protect integrity such as the Integrity Commission and the auditor general.
He said public discourse has, at times, questioned the legitimacy, independence, and value of oversight bodies. However, he said what has also emerged is a litany of disinformation and malicious narratives, which “have gained traction, risking the creation of a dangerous perception that corruption is not only tolerated. It is defended, and normalised”.
In terms of regional comparison, Jamaica continues to trail several of its Caribbean counterparts. Countries with higher scores include Barbados (68), The Bahamas (64), St Vincent and the Grenadines (63), Dominica (60), St Lucia (59), and Grenada (56).
Caribbean countries scoring lower than Jamaica include Trinidad and Tobago (41), Guyana (40), and Haiti (16).
Denmark is ranked number one followed by Finland.