The Government of Jamaica has made a policy decision to reserve its comments on any matter concerning the Integrity Commission in the public domain after months of lashing out against the entity with claims of ‘organisational bias and corruption’.

Minister with responsibility for Information, Robert Nesta Morgan, said a policy decision was taken by Cabinet that members of the Government would comment on the investigations of the organisation.

Morgan was responding to a question posed by a journalist at a post-Cabinet press briefing today (August 16), requesting to know if any of the ministers present were contacted by the Commission concerning an investigation of illicit enrichment.

“The Integrity Commission is an organisation that is independent within its investigation. We [had] taken a decision months ago that Government members will not comment on Integrity Commission matters in the public domain. We have experience of recent conversation of matters between the State and the Integrity Commission, and there was a clear policy decision that we will not comment on Integrity Commission matters,” Morgan responded.

Six parliamentarians under investigation

In the 2022-2023 Annual Report of the Commission tabled in Parliament last month, six parliamentarians were being probed for illicit enrichment by the country’s anti-corruption watchdog.

The tabled document indicated that the public officials had a significant increase in their assets and income that they could not reasonably explain.

As is customary, the lawmakers have not been named while the probe is ongoing.

The Andrew Holness-led Government and commission have been at odds in recent months, with officials publicly lashing out against an unsubstantiated ‘witch-hunt’ agenda.

Comments made by government officials about the commission have been met with heavy criticism, especially from the Opposition People’s National Party (PNP), which itself chastised the Government for its behaviour towards the entity.