A call for urgent constitutional reform

THE EDITOR, Madam:

Jamaica faces an escalating governance crisis marked by a concerning pattern of actions from the prime minister and his administration that undermine transparency, accountability, and the rule of law.

These incidents point to systemic vulnerabilities within the nation’s democratic framework, necessitating urgent and comprehensive constitutional reform to curb autocratic tendencies and strengthen executive accountability and include:

• The prime minister’s unfulfilled promise to draft an impeachment bill.

• The prolonged status of the prime minister’s statutory declarations, which have remained uncertified for four years, raising significant questions about transparency.

• The prime minister has also been under investigation by the IC for illicit enrichment, based on concerns that his assets were disproportionate to his lawful earnings.

Adding to these concerns, while under investigation for illicit enrichment, the prime minister called for revisions to the Integrity Commission Act, arguing it is in “urgent need of revision” to prevent “politicisation”. This action is perceived as an effort to weaken the very oversight body responsible for investigating him, thereby undermining its independence and effectiveness. Independent oversight and anti-corruption efforts have also been undermined by the minister of justice controversially advising parliamentarians not to report the salaries of their spouses and children to the Integrity Commission (IC), directly contradicting the Integrity Commission Act, which explicitly requires such disclosures.

UNDENIABLE RIGHT

Most recently, the qualifications for the head of the Financial Investigations Division were reportedly altered to remove the requirement for law enforcement experience, followed by the appointment of Dennis Chung, a chartered accountant without specific investigative background.

Finally, government members, using their parliamentary majority, removed the auditor general as a commissioner of the Integrity Commission.

The cumulative effect of these incidents points towards an autocratic tendency within the executive, suggesting a preference for centralised power and a diminished regard for established checks and balances.

Jamaicans have an undeniable right to question the integrity of their prime minister and his administration. This is not about ‘bad mind’; it is fundamentally about governance, transparency, and accountability. To safeguard Jamaica’s democratic future and ensure a government truly serving its people, genuine and comprehensive constitutional reform is not merely desirable, but essential.

ANNA PERKINS

Co-chairman

Advocates Network

advocatesnet@gmail.com