Jamaica’s opposition leader to speak at UCCI event

(CNS): Andrew Holness, the leader of the opposition in Jamaica and a former prime minister, will speak about his vision for change in our neighbouring country when he attends next week’s UCCI anti-corruption conference here in Cayman. Scheduled to appear on the morning of Friday 21 March on the ethical and anti-corruption framework of Jamaica, Holness, who is also a former education minister, will be on a discussion panel following a presentation by Tara Rivers, Cayman’s current education minister. Rivers will speak on the role and effectiveness of formal education in instilling values and ethics. With corruption widespread in the region. Holness pointed to the significant of the forum.

“Holding such a conference is very important to the Caribbean, as corruption continues to be of serious concern among many territories. Unless this changes the development of the region will continue to be at risk, as there can be no doubt that corruption is a hindrance to the positive development of Caribbean societies,” Holness said.

He expressed grave concerns about the effect of corruption on the stability of Jamaican society, adding that he continues to crusade for improvement to Jamaica’s ranking for the second consecutive year [on an international perceptions index] of 83 amongst 175 countries.

Dr Livingston Smith, the organiser and conference chair, said Jamaica’s leader of the opposition would add to the diversity of the views and to the enrichment of the discussion at the conference.

UCCI President Roy Bodden said that the attendance by the number of high-level political leaders as well as those in academia, civil society and the clergy underscored the importance of the upcoming event.

“Corruption is everybody’s business,” Bodden said. “I challenge the Cayman public, as well as our overseas guests, to show their support by attending the sessions offered at the conference and beyond that,to become involved in anti-corruption campaigns.”

In order to ensure that participants are able to take forward proposals coming from the conference, Dr Smith said that one of the end products of the conference would be a communique compiling key recommendations emerging at the conference.

Dr Trevor Munroe, Director of the National Integrity Action of Jamaican, will be leading arrangements for the drafting of the communique. The aim of the conference is to raise awareness of the potential for corruption and the decline in ethical standards across all the various sectors of society, and the consequent damaging effect on economies and social harmony. The conference will focus on strategies of various regional governments and organisations, public and private to raise sensitivity to these threats and how to curb and eliminate them.

For more information or to register to the conference which takes place at UCCI 19-21 March, visit www.UCCIconference.ky  All local teachers, school children, and seniors over age 65 will be admitted free of charge, but they will need to register as well.