Jamaicans for Justice: Legislative interpretation or possible undermining of good governance

Recent changes regarding how reports from the Auditor General's Department are presented to
Parliament has raised several concerns. Previously, these reports would be tabled directly in
Parliament. However, the new procedure involves sending the annual and special reports to the line
minister before tabling.
Another ruling also has implications for the reports from the Integrity Commission which must now
first be sent to the Integrity Commission Oversight Committee. This committee will then deliberate on
the reports before submitting them to Parliament along with their own report.
These changes have been met with criticism from organizations like the Jamaica Accountability
Meter Portal (JAMP). They argue that this extra step will delay the public's access to the findings in
the Auditor General's reports. These reports can expose important information about government
spending and potential corruption, and therefore timely access is crucial.
Recently two reports (on the Financial Services Commission and Tax Administration) were sent back
to the Auditor General's Department because they allegedly bypassed the proper procedure, some
argue this is an improper interpretation of the legislative provisions which govern same. To unravel
the provisions related to the tabling of these reports;
We are joined by:
Ms. Danielle Archer – Principal Director, National Integrity Action
Ms. Jeanette Calder – Executive Director, Jamaica Accountability Meter Portal

26th March 2024

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