The OCG and the DFID Launch Youth Engagement and Awareness Programme

Kingston; November 21, 2016 – The Office of the Contractor General (OCG) in partnership with the Department for International Development (DFID) today, launched a youth engagement and awareness programme at the Mona High School, under the theme “The Fight Against Corruption Begins With You”. The ceremony was attended by several dignitaries including: His Excellency David A. Fitton, British High Commissioner, Mr. David Osborne, DFID Team Leader, the Honourable Justice Zaila McCalla, Chief Justice of Jamaica, the Honourable Fayval Williams, Minister without Portfolio, Ministry of Finance and the Public Service, members of the diplomatic corps, stakeholders within the anti-corruption framework, Heads of Agencies, NGOs, representatives of the Ministry of Education and members of the Department of Government at the University of the West Indies.

Today’s programme launch officially marks the commencement of a series of activities that will be undertaken over the 2016-2018 period, through a Memorandum of Understanding which was signed between the OCG and the DFID. As envisioned, the youth programme will educate and sensitize youth between the ages of 10 – 18 years, on core ethical issues which touch upon and concern issues of corruption, fraud and conflict of interest.  The budgetary allocation in the first year of the MOU is Eighty-Seven Thousand Pounds (£87,000). Amongst the initiatives included in the programme are:

    Education Campaigns – Preparatory, Primary and High Schools across the island will be visited by the OCG conducting presentations, of a participatory nature, on anti-corruption/ethics related issues.

    Social Media/Technology – The social media platforms will be utilized in all instances to document and highlight the level of youth engagement by the OCG and its numerous partners.

    Survey and Programme Assessment – The commissioned Survey Instrument, incorporates qualitative and quantitative tools, targeting all 197 High Schools, a select number of primary schools, community and teachers colleges. The Survey Instrument will be designed to measure views on corruption, its perception, impact, misconceptions and the realities in the Jamaican society taken from a representative sample of our primary target audience.

The findings of the commissioned survey will be used as a benchmark to measure the perception of corruption as viewed by the youth and its impact on the Jamaican society. Importantly, the OCG and DFID, and more importantly the Government of Jamaica, may utilize the results of the activities, at specified intervals, during the three (3) year programme.

    Establishment of the Anti-Corruption Youth Assembly – As the OCG moves towards engaging more youth and increasing its education campaign which is geared toward a specific audience, a desired outcome is the formation of a Youth Assembly which is composed as follows:

a.    An elected youth representative (to be selected by the school) from each High School whom epitomizes principles and characteristics which are synonymous with the anti-corruption movement;
b.   Quarterly or bi-annual meetings which are convened and chaired at the outset by leaders of the OCG in collaboration with heads of other anti-corruption partner agencies with the intent of continuing dialogue and maintaining relevance and importance of anti-corruption efforts; and
c.   The assembly becomes a focal point and a ‘think-tank’ from which the youth leaders are able to commence dialogue and make recommendation to assist in the implementation of programmes.
    Debate Competition –Through the success of the OCG’s Inaugural Fraud and Anti-Corruption Conference in March 2015 and the essay and poster competitions which formed part of our activities, the OCG would again extend an invitation to all schools to submit applications for participation in the Debate Competition. Prizes will be awarded to schools and students who place 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the Debate Competition.

    Song and Jingle Competition – Given the rich history of Jamaica in the performing arts and the vibrancy of music as a part of our culture, the OCG will launch a Song and Jingle Competition. As was previously done with the 2015 Essay and Poster Competition, the OCG will create strict eligibility guidelines, rules and evaluation criteria for the submission and judging of the Song and Jingle Competition. In doing so, the OCG will provide the themes to be addressed, inclusive of an approved tag line which must be used within the lyrics of the song/jingle.

The OCG is cognizant of the role and impact which awareness campaigns and education play in the fight against corruption, and most importantly that education campaigns are an effective means of preventing corruption through information sharing and increased awareness. We firmly believe that these interventions will have a positive impact on our youth and our society, as we seek to position young Jamaicans to become standard bearers of integrity, transparency and accountability.

Commentary

We wholeheartedly support this initiative between the Office of the Contractor General (OCG) and the Department For International Development (DFID). for launching their Youth Engagement and Awareness Programme.

If corruption is to be engrained in our society, it must begin with our youths.

It is important that we set the best examples to; “Youth and our society as we seek to position young Jamaicans to become standard bearers of integrity, transparency and accountability” as quoted from the release from the OCG.

Public education is key to improving public perception especially among the youths that fraud and greed are not appropriate behaviour as it destroys our society.

By Hopeton O’Connor-Dennie who is Senior International Correspondent & photojournalist for Vision Newspaper Canada.