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The Jamaica Accountability Meter Portal (JAMP) says it is correcting a false December 2024 headline published by Nationwide News Network which claimed that JAMP “admits mistake in saying ‘unaccounted for’ in reference to $3 trillion in public funds”.

In a statement this weekend, JAMP slammed the claim as “false, misleading, and contradicted by the recording of the 36-minute-long discussion on Cliff Hughes Online on Tuesday, December 2, 2024”.

Of those 36 minutes, 21 were exclusively devoted to the reasons JAMP stands by its statements related to the outstanding financial reports. That interview is available on Nationwide’s YouTube channel. 

“At the heart of what is an ongoing representation is the notion that JAMP’s use of the word unaccounted for is the same as saying missing. It is not. Our position has been consistent and publicly stated since December 3, 2024, when we first reported on our research,” the organisation added.

What JAMP said and when

December 3, 2024 – At our media forum, where the findings were first presented, JAMP explicitly advised journalists that, “We are not saying the funds are missing.” 

December 4, 2024 – The Jamaica Gleaner front page story that broke this news had also explicitly stated that JAMP’s executive director indicated that our findings did not mean that any funds were missing.

December 11, 2024 – At a post-Cabinet press briefing, the Minister of Finance highlighted the Gleaner report by stating that “The executive director of JAMP herself said that it is not that the money is missing but the reports of the Auditor General has not been submitted by several ministries.”

December 20, 2024 – our attention was to bring back public attention to the substantive issue and JAMP’s press release of that date offered an alternative wording to prevent further confusion and distraction.

Following that release, JAMP participated in several interviews across traditional and social media reiterating that the issue concerned outstanding appropriation accounts – not missing funds. 

December 2, 2025 During the interview, JAMP’s executive director:

1.     Outlined all that is reiterated above.

2.     Clarified (again) what “unaccounted for” means in the context of financial management

3.     Pointed out (again) that the term is used in reports of the Auditor General 

Nationwide’s headline false

Nationwide’s headline is not in any way supported by the Dec 2 discussion. It contradicts the documented timeline above and completely misrepresents JAMP’s position. JAMP did not admit to any mistake, retract or revise our findings or the use of the word “unaccounted for” in that discussion. 

JAMP did not wait until after the election to clarify our research conclusions. Clarification was provided both before and afterthe public questions were raised in December 2024.

The substantive issue

The central concern of JAMP’s research remains unchanged: Financial reports from ministries, departments, and agencies remain outstanding (several in excess of 10 years), preventing the Auditor General from verifying how public funds were used. This is a governance issue, legal/compliance issue and a transparency issue. Not a claim nor an accusation of missing money. 

Call to Nationwide News

JAMP calls on Nationwide to retract the false headline, which remains on their website. A retraction and correction would demonstrate its commitment to truth and ethics in journalism.

We value Jamaica’s media landscape and the journalists who have reported accurately on this matter.

JAMP remains committed to the development of this island and to accuracy, transparency, and accountability in the use of public funds.