Political Ombudsman Donna Parchment Brown is taking her crusade for increased powers for her office to the island’s political leaders.

Parchment Brown last week made a courtesy call on Opposition Leader Mark Golding and congratulated him on his new role.

She told the Jamaica Observer that she offered Golding good wishes as they discussed areas of national interest including the Agreement and Declaration on Political Conduct and the importance of having political candidates sensitised and agree to its tenets.

“The wide-ranging discussion also covered matters such as the conduct of campaigns, improved knowledge of relevant laws and protocols for candidates and the public good, systems to minimise and address breaches of the code of conduct and campaign laws,” said Parchment Brown.

“It was noted that the Political Ombudsman works closely with the general secretaries [of the political parties] and needs the party leaders to act upon her recommendations provided when investigations are completed,” added Parchment Brown.

The Political Ombudsman said Golding also offered good wishes to her office and indicated his hope for an expanded focus of the office so it may, perhaps in the future, be one of enforcement.

Parchment Brown presented Golding with a scrapbook and other materials as she continued the tradition of calling on national political leaders.

The Office of the Political Ombudsman was established as a Commission of Parliament by the Political Ombudsman (Interim) Act, 2002.

The Political Ombudsman is an official appointed by the governor general by instrument under the Broad Seal after consultation with the prime minister and the leader of the opposition.

The office has a significant degree of independence, and is charged with representing the interests of the public by investigating and addressing complaints and reports which breach laws, the code, or harm good relations between supporters of different political parties.

Parchment Brown said she has written to Prime Minister Andrew Holness indicating her interest in making a courtesy call on him.

In recent weeks Parchment Brown has been on a campaign to encourage the Parliament to give teeth to the functions of her office to enable it to apply penalties and sanctions for breaches of the code of political conduct, and to create certain offences in law.

Addressing a Observer Monday Exchange late last year, Parchment Brown argued that since the creation of the Office of the Political Ombudsman by way of interim legislation 18 years ago, no move has yet been made to give it constitutional protection, as per section three of the constitution.

“Section three of the Political Ombudsman Interim Act has directed the Parliament to give constitutional protection. That has still not been done. What that means is that any day, Parliament can just close the office,” Parchment Brown told Observer editors and reporters.

She argued that integrating the code of conduct into the legislation would also create particular offences.

“We do think there is need for certain offences, for example, using funds to unlawfully influence elections,” she argued.

Parchment Brown noted that if the Office of the Political Ombudsman uncovers a breach of the code which equates to bribery, it is currently not empowered to make a report to Director of Public Prosecutions.

“We should have that ability to identify and pass it on for prosecution,” said Parchment Brown.