- We, the Commonwealth Caribbean Association of Integrity Commissions and Anti-Corruption Bodies (“the Association”), meeting at our Ninth Annual Regional Conference convened under the auspices of the Commonwealth Secretariat and hosted by the Government of Guyana under the theme: Resetting the Anti-Corruption Agenda: Assessing Achievements and Challenges in the Commonwealth Caribbean.
- RECOGNIZING that corruption undermines the democratic foundations of society and national development.
- RECOGNIZING that the smallness of our nation states presents peculiar challenges to the fight against corruption.
AGREED AND ADOPTED the following resolutions: –
- continue to reiterate the need for Integrity Commissions and Anti-Corruption Bodies in the region to maintain their independence, impartiality, and professionalism to further enhance their effectiveness across the Caribbean region;
- make recommendations to our respective Governments to ensure that the agreed benchmarks and standards for the establishment, operationalizing, and sustaining of the national bodies are adopted to ensure that they are properly accommodated, financed, and staffed, so that effective national integrity and anti-corruption mandates can be realized in the Caribbean region;
- advocate for and encourage governments to review current legislation and where necessary enact legislation which strengthens existing legislative frameworks, to ensure: 1. the adequate criminalization of corrupt actions and practices and 2. effective investigations and prosecutions of such offenses;
- member organisations should aim to attain competencies in processes for compliance reviews of asset declarations, complaints, and investigations through capacity training of organizations’ staff and the implementation of related policies and strategies for improved effectiveness in their work;
- urge Member Governments through their Ministries of Education and in collaboration with Member Integrity Commissions to pursue initiatives for the infusion of integrity and anti-corruption principles into the national curricula;
- seek support and funding for the establishment of a Secretariat and employment of an Administrative Secretary;
- invite CARICOM and other internationally recognized organizations to collaborate with CCAICACB in anti-corruption efforts, integrity building, and capacity building;
- foster greater networking and coordination among national and regional agencies to strengthen anti-corruption work;
- encourages civil society including religious bodies to intentionally promote integrity principles values and ethics throughout the Commonwealth Caribbean;
- encourage governments to enact whistle-blower legislation with the aim of protecting those who report corrupt practices;
- BUILDING trust and the greater confidence of our Caribbean people in the fight against corruption through several creative measures and innovations of our institutions; and
- SECURE the further technical assistance and support of the Commonwealth Secretariat and other agencies for the continued provision of region-wide education.
