Anti-Corruption Annual Conference held in Nassau, The Bahamas

The Commonwealth Caribbean Association of Integrity Commissions and Anti-Corruption Bodies (CCAICACB) concluded successful 10th Annual Conference held in Nassau, The Bahamas.

The CCAICACB held a successful conference in Nassau Bahamas during 10–14 June 2024 under the theme: “Best Practices in implementing Integrity and Anti-Corruption Laws in the Caribbean in the age of Artificial Intelligence; through sponsorship and support of the Commonwealth Secretariat’s Technical Support Fund, and the facilitation of the Bahamas Public Disclosure Commission led by Bishop Victor Cooper, with support of the Government of the Bahamas through the Ministry of Tourism and the Royal Bahamas Police Force.

The welcoming presence of the Governor-General Her Excellency Dame Cynthia Pratt at the Opening Ceremony, the keynote address was delivered by Dr Roger Koranteng; Head of Public Sector Governance of the Commonwealth Secretariat, representing Her Excellency Baroness Patricia Scotland, Secretary General; and the encouraging Remarks of the Honorable Prime Minister Phillip Davis KC at the evening Reception, on the Opening Day, were conference highlights.

The hybrid format accommodated in person and virtual delegate attendance and presenters, including Heads of Integrity Commissions, Anti-corruption bodies and independent members, from Antigua and Barbuda, Commonwealth of the Bahamas, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Nevis, St Kitts, St Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago and Turks and Caicos Islands. A delegation from the Sint Maarten Integrity Chamber evidenced the expanded regional reach of the Association. The Commonwealth Secretariat, United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime, Caricom Implementation Agency for Crime and Security” (IMPACS) and the Caribbean Institute of Forensic Accounting (CIFA) Consulting Agency were also represented.

Key presentations were made mainly by members who are subject matter experts in carrying out regional integrity, anti-corruption and security work, with a strong emphasis on collaboration and information sharing and the impacts of Artificial Intelligence on tackling corruption. These presentations were bolstered by the global and regional perspectives through the presentations of Dr Roger Koranteng of the Commonwealth Secretariat, Guglielmo Castaldo Regional Anti-Corruption Adviser of UNODC, Nadine Bushell Caricom “Implementation Agency for Crime and Security” (IMPACS) and Stephon Grey-Head of CIFA Consulting.

Chairperson Lady A Anande Trotman Joseph encouraged members to: “Collectively advocate and lobby regional governments for allocations of adequate budgetary support and resources by regional administrations to enable the full establishment of anti-corruption systems to effectively fight corruption; in tandem with enactments, and implementation of laws, policies, and international best practices and benchmarks.”

A communique was developed to establish the principles that all Integrity Commissions and Anti-Corruption Bodies should use as guiding frameworks in carrying out their mandates. Members and delegates resolved to return to their member states enthused to advocate for effectively tackling corruption, promoting interagency collaboration, networking, and gaining an understanding of the role of artificial intelligence in their work.

CCAICACB Secretary
Ercia P. Blake

Conference Communiqué of The Commonwealth Caribbean Association of Integrity Commissions and
Anti-Corruption Bodies (CCAICACB)

We, the Commonwealth Caribbean Association of Integrity Commissions and Anti-Corruption Bodies (CCAICACB), meeting at our 10th Annual Regional Conference convened in The Commonwealth of The Bahamas under the auspices of the Commonwealth Secretariat with the theme: “Best Practices in implementing Integrity and Anti-Corruption Laws in the Caribbean in the age of Artificial Intelligence.”

1. NOTING with deepest gratitude the invaluable facilitation of the Chairman, Commissioners and Staff of the Public Disclosure Commission of The Bahamas; for the warm hospitality, support and contributions of the Ministry of Tourism, of the Commissioner and ranks of the Royal Bahamas Police Force
2. RECOGNISING the attendance of Her Excellency Dame Cynthia A Pratt, ON GCMG CB CD JP, The Governor-General of The Commonwealth of The Bahamas at the Opening Ceremony of the Conference
3. APPRECIATING the encouraging remarks of The Honourable Philip Davis MP KC, Prime Minister of The Commonwealth of The Bahamas during our opening reception
4. RECOGNISING the well-received contributions of the representatives of the global and regional agencies to the conference including Dr Roger Koranteng representing the Commonwealth Secretariat, Guglielmo Castaldo representing the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC); and Nadine Bushell representing Caricom “Implementation Agency for Crime and Security” (IMPACS)
5. NOTING that the majority of the presenters, real subject matter experts, are members of the CCAICACB

 AGREED AND ADOPTED the following resolutions to:

1. Call upon Caribbean Governments to effectively implement their obligations under both the United Nations Convention Against Corruption and the Inter American Convention Against Corruption
2. Continue to lobby the Caribbean Governments for sufficient budgetary support for Integrity Commissions and Anti-Corruption Bodies in the region for their effective operationalisation
3. Call upon Caribbean Anti-Corruption stakeholders to ensure the implementation of anti-corruption benchmarks and standards
4. Pursue and foster strong in-country and regional inter-agency collaboration in programmes, knowledge, information and sharing of best practices among CCAICACB members
5. Encourage Caribbean countries to align integrity and anti-corruption legislative reforms with international best practices
6. Call on Integrity Commissions and Anti-corruption Bodies to focus more on corruption prevention by being proactive
7. Guide Member organisations to build capacities in compliance processes, review of asset declarations, complaints, and investigations
8. Engage Ministries with responsibility for education, to include integrity and anticorruption principles into their national curricula
9. Seek external support and funding for the establishment of a Secretariat and employment of an Administrative Secretary for the CCAICACB
10. Publicise activities undertaken by the Integrity Commissions and Anti-corruption Bodies; and implement a feedback mechanism where the public can share on aspects of their work needing improvement
11. Lobby Caricom, other regional and international organisations to collaborate with the
12. CCAICACB in anti-corruption efforts, integrity and capacity building
13. Encourage Governments to enact and/or implement whistle-blower legislation with the aim of protecting those who report corrupt practices
14. Build awareness and community involvement in the fight against corruption through innovative and effective public education and sensitisation campaigns in the Caribbean; and
15. Encourage Caribbean Anti-Corruption stakeholders to explore and leverage the use of emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence in the fight against Corruption.

Dated this 13^th day of June 2024.