Speaking at an anti-corruption forum held on Monday in Kingston, Golding explained that the agency will provide “a concentrated focus on the problem” and more optimal and synergistic use of the available anti-corruption resources.
The creation of this entity, he said, is in keeping with the government’s recently announced national security strategy, which focuses on going after the money and profits made from crime. This will be achieved by assembling an anti-corruption task force resourced with the required skills to effectively use the Proceeds of Crime Act and the proposed anti-gang legislation to combat organized crime and high level corruption.
“This is not going to be an agency like the many we have had in the past, which involves basically a paramilitary force used to tackle street level crime. This really is a more cerebral approach where we are trying to put together the necessary intellectual resources and experience that can really use these pieces of legislation effectively to dismantle the upper echelons of that type of crime in Jamaica,” Golding stated.
The justice minister noted however that the success of this initiative will be impacted by the efficiency and effectiveness with which cases can be prosecuted in the courts. To this end, he said, consideration is being given to the establishment of a court specialising in cases involving corruption and financial crimes.
