The Commonwealth, in collaboration with the Integrity Commission of Grenada, organised a leadership and management training programme from 25 March - 1 April in the capital, St. George’s. In addition, a one-day session on the Corruption Perception Index (CPI), published by Transparency International, took place with the National Roundtable Anticorruption Mechanism. Participants discussed the implications of the CPI for Grenada.
The Commonwealth, in collaboration with the Integrity Commission of Grenada, organised a leadership and management training programme from 25 March - 1 April in the capital, St. George’s. 45 Commissioners and management staff of the Integrity Commission took part, including permanent secretaries, the Ombudsman, staff from the offices of the Accountant General, the Auditor-General, Revenue Collection Agencies, the Financial Intelligence Unit, the Department of Public Prosecutions and other Law Enforcement Agencies, plus Private Sector and Civil Society leaders. Integrity Commissioners and other Anti-Corruption personnel from Guyana, St Lucia, Dominica, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago also participated.
In addition, a one-day session on the Corruption Perception Index (CPI), published by Transparency International, took place with the National Roundtable Anticorruption Mechanism. Participants discussed the implications of the CPI for Grenada.
Grenada is hosting a training centre which has enabled the Commonwealth to build the capacity of Caribbean countries to deliver on their anti-corruption mandate. The project, named the “Virtual Centre of Excellence Series” began in 2017, when Grenada started to host training programmes in anti-corruption best practices for Grenada and the region.
This year’s programme covered topics such as public sector management systems, conflict of interest management, principles of investigations, ethics and moral conduct and corporate governance, among other topics – all in keeping with international best practice.
The lead facilitator was Roger Koranteng, Adviser in Public Sector Governance at the Commonwealth and 2018 winner of the Sheikh Tamin Bin Hamad Al Thani International Anti-Corruption Excellence Award.
Anande Trotman-Joseph, Chairperson of Grenada’s Integrity Commission, expressed her thanks to the Commonwealth and conveyed Grenada’s appreciation for the support that has been given to Grenada and its Caribbean neighbours as they implement their anti-corruption systems.
A minister in Grenada’s government, Gregory Bowen, deputised for the Prime Minister at the opening ceremony, stating: “The Commonwealth must be applauded for its anti-corruption efforts under the leadership of Secretary-General Patricia Scotland. This is the fourth year that it has trained stakeholders, from Grenadian to regional participants”.
Dr Koranteng met with Prime Minister Keith Mitchell to congratulate his government on its anti-corruption initiatives, stating: “I commend you, Dr Mitchell, for demonstrating the political will to support the Integrity Commission which has made tremendous progress since its establishment and is taking the lead in the region.”
The Prime Minister responded: “We are doing everything to put the right systems in place, we have enacted the necessary legislation and we have also taken steps to ensure that we abide by it. We have gone very far with our anti-corruption efforts and we are proud.”
Prime Minister Mitchell thanked the Commonwealth for the technical assistance it has given to Grenada in particular and the Commonwealth Caribbean in general and said he looks forward to the promotion of Grenada as centre of excellence in anti-corruption work.
