IC raises statutory declaration filing threshold to $12 million -Exemptions apply to specific public officials
KINGSTON, Jamaica – Following the passage of an affirmative resolution by the House of Representatives, the Integrity Commission has announced that the prescribed threshold for filing statutory declarations has now been increased from $3.5 million to $12 million.
In a release on Tuesday, the Commission said the Total Annual Emoluments Exempt from Statutory Declaration Requirements Order 2023 was passed by the House on December 18, 2023.
“Despite the increased threshold, public officials who occupy certain positions or perform certain functions will still be required to file statutory declarations,” the statement revealed, urging public officials to view the 2023 Gazette of Positions to determine if they need to file a Statutory Declaration by March 31, 2024.
The 2023 Gazette of Positions required to file a Statutory Declaration will be sent to all Public Bodies by January 10, 2024.
In the meantime, all other public officials who have outstanding Statutory Declarations for the periods ended December 31, 2018 – December 31, 2022, must file them by March 31, 2024.
There are also new filing requirements for members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) and the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF). Only Senior JCF and JDF officers, as listed in the 2023 Gazette of Positions to file Statutory Declarations, are required to file as of December 2023, by March 31, 2024, and thereafter annually.
Other JCF and JDF personnel will file Statutory Declarations every two and three years, respectively.
“Therefore, other JCF and JDF personnel will next file Statutory Declarations as of December 31, 2025, by March 31, 2026, and as of December 31, 2026, by March 31, 2027, respectively,” the release said.
All JCF and JDF officers who have outstanding Statutory Declarations for the periods ended December 31, 2018 – December 31, 2022, must file them by March 31, 2024.
The Integrity Commission went on to share that given the increased threshold and changes to the filing requirement for the JCF and JDF, other mechanisms will be implemented to ensure that the objects of the Commission’s Act are effectively discharged, including encouraging persons to make complaints and disclosures using the Integrity Commission Act and the Protected Disclosures Act, respectively.
The release also shared that the Gazette of positions to file Statutory Declarations will be reviewed by the Commission annually, with a view to being more precise with the selection of positions.
