The Thorne Committee and Integrity
In previous weeks, members of the public were invited to attend meetings of the Thorne Committee to share their perspectives on local governance in Barbados. The Committee is founded on the principle that the precarious situation Barbados finds itself is partly due to adequate people’s involvement in the matters affecting the island. As such, the Committee is commendable attempt to improve governance through the creation of people’s assemblies comprised of representatives from various segments of Barbados to effect positive changes. Local governance can prove beneficial as people’s participation in defining, determining and agitating for their interest is a reliable way to achieve positive outcomes.
As more Barbadians begin to understand the negative impact that corruption can have on their well-being, there are increasing pressures to strengthen the island’s anti-corruption regime. Local government can potentially provide the avenue whereby these pressures can be harnessed through advocacy to meet this laudable objective.
Local governance and integrity
Yet, in order to achieve this, it is necessary that integrity matters receive greater emphasis in the Thorne Committee’s considerations and structural compositions. Conceptually, the objectives of the people’s assembles should include public education and outreach on how matters of integrity directly affect the public good and individual livelihoods. In addition, the assemblies should establish governing systems that facilitate capacity building where various personnel can advocate, develop and implement integrity policy solutions.
Furthermore, Government has made several commitments to enhance public sector integrity through hosting annual public meetings with representatives from commercial state-owned entities and the creation of an Integrity Commission and an anti-corruption unit. These commitments provide an opportunity for the Throne Committee to establish structural arrangements that can guarantee matters of integrity are prioritized. This can be accomplished through coordination with, and representation in the people’s assemblies by members from the aforementioned initiatives, the private sector and civil society groups such as IGB. Such an arrangement would create the necessary linkages between local communities, government agencies, enterprise and civil society to combat the threat of corruption.
Local assembles for change
Ultimately, if Barbados is to develop a more prosperous future through people’s participation, greater emphasis must be place on how people can get involved in the anti-corruption fight. Thus, the creation of people’s assemblies presents an opportunity to use the collective efforts of the people in accordance with anti-corruption initiatives to engender changes that can strengthen the island’s integrity regime.