As part of efforts to fight corruption internationally, the Government has agreed to far-reaching changes to Jamaican laws to satisfy the requirements of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption.

The Bruce Golding administration is now moving to ratify the convention, which was signed by the previous administration in September 2005.

Speaking Wednesday at a post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House, Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Dorothy Lightbourne, said the bank records of persons involved in what she described as international corruption would be scrutinised by the authorities.

She said a recommendation has been made for the police, under the Mutual Assistance Criminal Matters Act, to be given access to the bank records of persons involved in international corruption.

Amendments

Lightbourne told reporters that the Government has agreed to amend the country's domestic laws for the prevention and investigation of corruption, the criminalisation of corruption, international cooperation and asset recovery.

The justice minister said steps were also being taken to expand the Corruption Prevention Act to include the private sector. At present, the law only applies to public officials.

There are also plans to widen the provisions of the Mutual Assistance Criminal Matters Act to deal with corruption offences.

"Also, one of the recommendations is to look at banking records to allow banking records to be shared, notwithstanding the bank secrecy laws, when there is corruption internationally, so that will be part of what we are signing on to," the justice minister said.

Bribing officials

An offence will also be created under the Corruption Prevention Act, to punish persons who bribe officials in public international organisations.

This is one of the main provisions that the UN Convention requires Jamaica to include in its domestic laws.

The UN also wants the judiciary to complete integrity forms under the Corruption Prevention Act.

Commenting on the drafting of legislation to establish an independent authority to investigate abuses by agents of the State, Lightbourne said a provision dealing with misconduct would be included in the law. This, she said, would address corruption by agents of the state.