Urgent action needed on corruption, says Christie

(Jamaica Gleaner) Contractor General Greg Christie has made yet another call for a more aggressive approach in the fight against corruption.

Contractor General Greg Christie.

He has urged Jamaicans to demand decisive and urgent action to that end.

Using the example of the Indian government’s recent arrest of Suresh Kalmadi, chief organiser of the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games, the Office of the Contractor General said in a release, this brought into sharp focus the failings and ineffectiveness of Jamaica’s anti-corruption institutional framework.

Kalmadi was arrested on Monday following a probe into allegations of widespread corruption into the award of contracts at the scandal-tainted event.

Common feature

On Monday, Christie, said the Indian case mirrors a common and recurring feature of public procurement and contracting in Jamaica. He said, however, “it is difficult to point to any criminal arrests being made, or prosecutions being initiated, whenever such matters have been alleged or have been referred to the relevant authorities.”

The contractor general also bemoaned the pace at which the government has been putting in place an anti-corruption framework.

He said, “Although much has been promised by the Jamaican Government to visibly and effectively advance the fight against corruption in Jamaica, to date nothing meaningful has been accomplished, save and except for the arrest of low-ranking police officers on petty corruption charges.”