The Immediate Past President of the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ), Howard Mitchell is again speaking out on the issue of corruption and crime. According to him, both are linked and are affecting the overall governance of Jamaica. He believes that the real solution to corruption and crime lies in structural realignment of societal relationships. According to him, once the appropriate legislations are enforced and passed, and more resources provided to the nation’s security forces, the country will achieve some level of reduction in corruption.
He says measures such as strengthening enforcement institutions and increasing penalties for breaches of law are needed. He adds that in order to reduce corruption, there must be some level of balance among the government, civil society and the private sector. This balance, he says, must be redressed by facilitating accountability and transparency in the island.
Mitchell believes that civil society must ensure that its voice is heard in national matters and the private sector must move to assist in building a better economic future.
His comments follow the arrest and charge of former Minister of Education, Youth and Information and Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Senator, Ruel Reid and four others.
According to Mitchell, the government must act now to eliminate corruption.
KHADIJAH THOMAS
