By Roshane Reid

Recently on Elon Musk’s social media platform, X (formerly Twitter), Great Ms Netta (@Patrice1876) shared a thought-provoking statement. She said, “something is fundamentally wrong with governance in Jamaica. We have an Integrity Commission, an Auditor General, an Accountant General, a Public Procurement Committee, & other oversight bodies & still corruption and theft are big issues”. 

Go figure! Let’s not forget that integrity begins at home. There is a deficit in values and attitudes which has led to pervasive greed, dishonesty and immorality plaguing the Jamaican society. “The get rich quick or die trying” phenomenon has fuelled the desired “influencer lifestyle”, which might be unattainable for the average person. 

The World Bank Group (2023) “considers corruption a major challenge to its twin goals of ending extreme poverty by 2030 and boosting shared prosperity for the poorest 40 per cent of people in developing countries”. Based on Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) of 2023, Jamaica was ranked seventh out of nine English-speaking countries in the Caribbean with a CPI of 44. At the other end of the spectrum, Barbados has held the title of the least corrupt country in the English-speaking Caribbean for four consecutive years, from 2020 to 2023, achieving a global country rank of 24 (out of 180) and a CPI of 69 (out of 100).

Do not be dismayed, because as Rev. Dr. Glenroy Lalor, pastor of Bethel Baptist Church in Half-Way Tree, once said “don’t close the casket on the church.” I beg to extend this statement to suggest that we should not close the casket on Jamaica. This statement is inextricably linked to the infamous quote from Sir Patrick Allen, Governor General of Jamaica, when he said “there is nothing wrong with Jamaica that cannot be fixed by what is right with Jamaica.” Glory, hallelujah, amen! This antithesis draws a parallel that underscores the optimism that the solutions to Jamaica’s challenges lie within its strengths. Yes, we are optimistic from a biblical and logical standpoint. So, I share a similar view that we have what it takes to fix Jamaica. 

INTEGRITY BEGINS AT HOME!

On Saturday, November 30, 2024, I joined day 2 of the Jamaica Baptist Union’s Mission Conference online which focused on Integrity in Missional Action. Having heard that day 1 was phenomenal and having participated in day 2, it immediately became clear to me, in a flash, that such a conference should be replicated island-wide, in partnership with the Government of Jamaica and the various integrity oversight bodies. 

The conference engaged in frank discussions and practical solutions from a Christian standpoint. However, this can be easily tailored to integrity in general. As such, I am imploring the Jamaica Baptist Union and the Jamaica Council of Churches to explore the possibility of such a partnership for the greater good of Jamaica. This partnership can be more than a one-off activity. This partnership can be so designed to usher in an entire behaviour communication campaign that promotes the message that integrity begins at home! 

Rev. Dr. Glenroy Lalor emphatically makes a point during the second worship service at the Bethel Baptist Church in Half-Way-Tree on Sunday, December 1, 2024.

WHAT IS INTEGRITY? 

Integrity in our everyday life in Jamaica refers to the consistent practice of honesty, respect, fairness, and ethical behaviour in daily interactions, whether in personal, professional, or community settings. It means making decisions and acting in ways that uphold moral values, foster trust, and contribute positively to society.

WHY INTEGRITY BEGINS AT HOME?

Integrity is the cornerstone of a thriving society. It fosters trust, accountability, and cohesion within communities and institutions. In Jamaica, cultivating integrity must be seen as not just an ideal but a practical necessity for addressing pervasive issues such as corruption, inequality, and lack of public trust. Believe it or not, these systemic issues erode confidence in institutions, discourage investment, undermine social development and fuel voter apathy. 

To reverse the tide of corruption, we must adopt a behaviour change approach, recognizing that integrity is more than a value. Integrity is a way of life that requires deliberate effort, structured approaches and methodical reinforcement in the form of interventions that influence individuals, groups and systems. This approach will not yield fast results because behaviour change takes time. However, in the long run, we can transform attitudes, norms, and actions to cultivate a culture of integrity.

THE CASE FOR INTEGRITY IN JAMAICA

Fostering integrity requires more than policies or enforcement mechanisms; it demands a transformation in attitudes and behaviours. During the second worship service at Bethel Baptist Church on Sunday, December 1, 2024, which commemorated World AIDS Day, Rev. Dr. Lalor comforted the audience with “evil will not have the last word in Jamaica.” His message during this advent season rested on the promise that the God of hope will bring order to chaos. 

A STRATEGIC APPROACH

There are several results-oriented anti-corruption strategies which exist globally. In 2023, Singapore retained its position as the fifth least corrupt country globally among 180 nations, consistent with its ranking in 2022 (Transparency International, 2024). Estonia, Finland and the UK are notable, documented examples of least corrupt countries that have clearly defined anti-corruption strategies (Norton Rose Fulbright, 2018). 

For example, Singapore’s anti-corruption measures have yielded very good results because of a culture that has been strategically created where no one is above the law, irrespective of their status. Ministers of government in Singapore have been successfully prosecuted for corruption, alongside high-profile public officers. Punishment has been and remains swift, serious and public. 

According to Quah (2017), in the journal article titled, Learning from Singapore’s effective anti-corruption strategy: Policy recommendations for South Korea, Singapore’s anti-corruption strategies have been successful because of its government’s strong political will and the adequate resources to enforce the anti-corruption laws without fear or favour. 

WAY FORWARD

On International Anti-Corruption Day, observed Monday, December 9, 2024, the Integrity Commission (IC) published a 16-page newspaper supplement commemorating the occasion. In this supplement, the IC showcased messages from several important stakeholders provided a comprehensive overview of their mandate and highlighted the agency’s accomplishments, aided by several infographics. Clearly, the IC is employing a strategic approach through the formulation of a clear roadmap and an action plan, informed by best practices and a heterogeneous mix of stakeholder groups. 

However, equally important to this strategic approach is the innate personal responsibility of every single Jamaican to engender a culture of integrity within their homes. Each one of us is required to display the highest level of transparency and accountability. To echo the powerful words of Rondell Positive:

“We are the change that we want to see, we can change the world, it takes just you and me…The answer is in the mirror, the mirror, in the mirror, oh yeah!”

Roshane Reid is a development communication practitioner with 16 years of experience in Jamaica and the Caribbean. She is also an adjunct lecturer at the University of Technology, Jamaica. Send feedback to [email protected].