IC completing probes faster although still short of investigators

The Investigation Division of the Integrity Commission (IC) is reporting that it was conducting 90 investigations as at March 31 this year.
Director of Investigations at the Integrity Commission Kevon Stephenson says the investigative arm of the IC is currently operating at 55 per cent of its established capacity, with only 12 of its approved investigator posts filled.
He indicated that the investigators carry a significant, less visible case load of preliminary enquiries. 
“Such enquiries often take months of work before a decision on disposal can be made, yet do not register in our headline completion figures,” he noted.
During a press conference yesterday to discuss the IC’s annual report, Stephenson indicated that the human resource limitation in his division had a direct bearing on the turnaround times for investigations.  
However, Stephenson said the IC was addressing these realities through system upgrades, legislative recommendations, and rigorous recruitment aimed at filling these vacancies. 
Commenting on criticisms about delays in the IC’s probes, Stephenson said some of the delays lie outside the control of the anti-corruption body. He said the reporting period saw a rise in interim injunctions and other High Court challenges that halted active investigations and deferred statutory outputs.
“Timeliness nonetheless remain a measure by which the public judges us, which is why cutting average investigation time from 2,404 to 330 days over five years is among our proudest achievements,” he said.
He also noted that the commission’s entire annual budget of under J$2 billion is a fraction of the portfolio the IC monitors. 
The IC monitored more than J$208.6 billion and US$792 million in contracts, plus a further J$370.68 billion tracked through its procurement portal.
Stephenson appealed to the public to cooperate with the agency in its investigations. He said when the commission reaches out to persons who were witnesses, complainants, or someone in possession of relevant information, they are being encouraged to engage fully with the IC.
“Should you suspect corruption, impropriety, or the misuse of public funds, including in relation to hurricane recovery efforts, I encourage you to come forward. Every report received is treated with the seriousness it deserves,” he said.
edmond.campbell@gleanerjm.com