The island’s success and ongoing commitment to fighting corruption were in the spotlight during the 11th Annual Commonwealth Caribbean Association of Integrity Commissions and Anti-Corruption Bodies (CCAICACB) Conference, held at the Landings Resort and Spa.
Lady A. Anande Trotman-Joseph, Chair of the CCAICACB, commended Saint Lucia's progress and emphasised the importance of integrity education and grassroots involvement in the fight against corruption.
“Yes, we are looking at prevention through our integrity commissions, how we can have outreaches with public officers, but likewise with the citizens of Saint Lucia and our region to say, 'we have to be ethical in our behaviour'.”
Trotman-Joseph underscored that tackling corruption must begin at the community level and is not solely the responsibility of high-ranking officials or law enforcement.
“Corruption doesn’t end at the top where we’re pointing all the fingers or in court. It starts in your homes, in the churches, and in the schools. We cannot be, as citizens, the corrupters doing the corrupting of the persons who are corrupted.”
In line with this approach, the association is working closely with Ministries of Education across the Caribbean to promote anti-corruption awareness from an early age.
“It has to start from nursery school. We are working with Ministries of Education throughout the region in some countries to make sure that we are reaching the children so that as they grow, they will also be advocates for fighting corruption,” she said.
As Saint Lucia continues to strengthen its Integrity Commission, the CCAICACB Chair reaffirmed the organisation's commitment to supporting the island with training, technical assistance, and sharing best practices from across the region.
“We are here to give the Saint Lucia Integrity Commission the assistance that they need, the cross-fertilisation, the best practices from our other jurisdictions,” Trotman-Joseph said. “We promise that we will be back with Saint Lucia, helping to make sure that there are prosecutions.”