KINGSTON, Jamaica – The Joint Select Committee of Parliament, which reviewed the Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) Act, has formally requested the establishment of a non-executive board to oversee the commission’s work.

In a report tabled in Parliament recently, the committee recommended the establishment of a “non-executive board within the structure of INDECOM”.

“This board would provide oversight on internal governance matters affecting the organisation, including input on policies with respect to human resources, public relations, budgeting, etcetera,” the report said.

It added that the day-to-day operations of the organisation would remain the purview of management, headed by the Commissioner of INDECOM Terrence Williams.

According to the committee, the establishment of such boards is a well-established governance mechanism for ensuring internal accountability and oversight of the management of organisations, hence the recommendation.

However, despite strong support from two Cabinet ministers – Minister of National Security, Peter Bunting and Minister of Justice, Senator Mark Golding – members of the Joint Select Committee had raised concerns about the effect of an oversight body on INDECOM fulfilling its duties.

Opposition member, Delroy Chuck, had said that he could only support an oversight board as a purely review body.

But, Bunting insisted that a submission from the director of public prosecutions pointed to the need “to hold the deliberative process to a higher standard and to heighten accountability within INDECOM”.

“Importantly, if members of the security forces conclude that engaging armed violent criminals is a ‘no win’ exercise for them, then we run the risk of facilitating criminal impunity with obvious adverse consequences to society,” Bunting added.

Balford Henry