EXECUTIVE director of new watchdog group National Integrity Action Limited (NIAL), Professor Trevor Munroe wants the two major political parties to commit to the passage of campaign finance reform legislation within 100 days of a new administration taking office.

“We call for this commitment and for more effective combat of corruption not only on NIAL’s behalf, but on the behalf of all Jamaican people,” Munroe said as he addressed the launch of NIAL on International Anti-Corruption Day on Friday.

He also called for both parties to place campaign reform in their election manifestos.

Pointing to a recent Bill Johnson poll which shows that 75 per cent of Jamaicans want full disclosure by parties and candidates on where they get their campaign funding, Prof Munroe said the recent decision by both the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and the People’s National Party (PNP) to agree to a system of campaign finance reform would not have happened without “the growth of public demand for probity and more effective combat of corruption”.

In June, the Electoral Commission of Jamaica (ECJ) produced a report recommending that there be a limit on party/candidate expenditure, that a ceiling be imposed on contributions and that some categories of donors no longer be allowed to contribute to parties, especially unregulated financial institutions and entities with contracts with the Government, unless publicly disclosed. The ECJ also recommended the partial disclosure of donors.

On Friday, Prime Minister Andrew Holness said while he is in favour of disclosure of donors plus imposing limits and transparency in campaign and party financing, the flip side should be that the state accept the responsibility of providing election funding.

“I am in favour of disclosure, and I am in favour of limits, but in accepting those two I am also in favour of state funding,” Holness said.

The public, he said, ought to be aware that the long-standing issues of transparency in campaign and party financing cannot be solved merely by disclosure, but the Government and state must provide some of the needed resources.

He said while he supports most of what is proposed in campaign and party financing reform, once Jamaica goes the route of disclosure, the argument will be placed on the table that parties will no longer be able to afford finance their own election campaigns as donors, craving anonymity, withold support.

In the meantime, a NIAL-commissioned poll has revealed that the vast majority Jamaicans believe there is little they can do to impact government and authority who betray the public trust.

But Prime Minister Holness said he is in favour of impeaching government officials, and the government is currently going through the process of refining process for impeachment.

“Wherever there is corruption, there is inefficiency, and wherever there are inefficiencies, there is inequity,” he said. noting that it is critical that Government understands the economic implications of corruption.

Meanwhile, Opposition spokesman on finance, Dr Peter Phillips, said despite the extensive range of legislative effort to change it, there is still a very strong perception in Jamaica that corrupt activity continues to grow.

“We need to examine why this is so, then fashion efforts to not only reverse perception, but the reality,” he said.

Dr Phillips argued that the best defence is effective law enforcement to ensure effective implementation of legislation.

According to him, not enough work has been done to implement the strategic review of the Jamaica Constabulary Force.

Pointing to the need to implement the justice reform programme, Phillips said the position of a PNP-led administration would be to amalgamate the Office of the Contractor General, Corruption Prevention Commission and the Parliamentary Integrity Commission.

He also expressed support for campaign finance reform and said he expects the legislation will be passed as soon as it is drafted and taken before Parliament.

Meanwhile, NIAL’s executive director said the organisation will be partnering with the Office of the Political Ombudsman in launching a public education programme to enhance citizens’ engagement in detecting, deterring and facilitating punishment for breaches of the Political Code of Conduct.

“This is one example of how we propose to motivate our people to get involved, to become more active in enhancing integrity and in strengthening our democracy,” he added.

Professor Munroe also noted that there are other NIAL objectives, including ensuring the acceleration of outstanding items on the list of proposals for legislative reform.

NIAL also plans to work to strengthen anti-corruption bodies to support the enhancement of law enforcement.

He said the group has also commissioned a national survey on Jamaicans’ perception of the performance of local anti-corruption agencies and is committing to making this an annual practice.

Speaking to the results, Munroe said among the seven anti-corruption agencies surveyed in November, the highest degree of satisfaction was expressed with the Office of the Contractor General, with 43 per cent indicating they were very satisfied or somewhat satisfied.

The Anti-Corruption Branch of the Jamaica Constabulary Force also scored well, with 42 per cent of Jamaicans being satisfied or somewhat satisfied with its performance in stemming corruption.

However, the Special Prosecutor’s Office, according to Prof Munroe, is regarded by many Jamaicans surveyed as being “only half a loaf”, since it excludes the Office of the Contractor General and therefore falls short of being the single anti-corruption agency with powers of investigation and prosecution it was expected to be.

“Obviously, those doing good must be commended… those who are not doing so good must be urged to improve,” Prof Munroe argued.

Meanwhile, some 43 per cent of those surveyed believed Jamaica’s international development partners should use a set level to measure success in fighting corruption which would help to determine the level of aid they give to the Government.

“With such supportive sentiments amongst our people, NIAL shall certainly be calling on our partners to be more active in developing systems to plug leaks from the development assistance stream, to enhance the likelihood that aid which they give reaches the people who deserve it, and to utilise our success as one criterion in helping to determine how far further increments of aid shall come,” he said.