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Background

OAS Anticorruption Mechanism visits the United States and Saint Kitts and Nevis

Unites States On Site Visit

When?

From October 16 -17, MESICIC experts will visit Washington D.C, the United States

Who are participating?

On behalf of the MESICIC:

Experts from the Office of the Public Ethics Prosecutor of Costa Rica and the Chambers of the Hon. Attorney General of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, together with legal officials from the OAS Department of Legal Cooperation, in its role as Technical Secretariat.

On behalf of US Civil Society:

• Partnership for Public Service
• Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington
• Government Accountability Project
• Public Citizen

Representing US government institutions :

• S. Office of Special Counsel
• US Justice Department
• Office of Government Ethics 

Saint Kitts and Nevis On Site Visit

When?

From October 16 -18, MESICIC experts will visit Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis

Who are participating?

On behalf of the MESICIC:

Experts from the Transitory Citizen Participation and Social Oversight Council of Ecuador and the Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Legal Affairs of The Bahamas, together with legal officials from OAS Department of Legal Cooperation, in its role as Technical Secretariat.

On behalf of Saint Kitts and Nevis Civil Society:

• Saint Kitts and Nevis Chamber of Commerce
• United Workers Union
• Saint Kitts and Nevis Bar Association
• The St. Kitts Nevis Trades and Labour Union

Representing Saint Kitts and Nevis government institutions:

• Public Service Commission
• Department of Human Resources
• Attorney General’s Chambers
• Central Purchasing Unit, Ministry of Finance
• Public Works Department

Which is the objective of the visit?

During the visit, the MESICIC experts seek to gather direct information to understand how the laws and institutions of the United States and Saint Kitts and Nevis work to prevent and fight corruption.

With the information provided by civil society organizations and government authorities, a report is prepared, which reviews the adequacy of a country’s legal framework and the institutions for preventing and fighting corruption. This report will contain a series of recommendations that the country is expected to implement in order to strengthen its legal framework and institutions for addressing corruption.

When will the reports of the United States and Saint Kitts and Nevis be published?

The Anticorruption Reports for the United States and Saint Kitts and Nevis will be published in March 2019, after their approval at the 32nd Meeting of the MESICIC Committee of Experts.

What are the topics of the Anticorruption Convention being reviewed in the United States and Saint Kitts and Nevis?

During each Round of Review, the laws and institutions of a country are reviewed in accordance with selected provisions of the Inter-American Convention against Corruption, as well as following up on recommendations made in previous Rounds of Review of the Mechanism, for the provisions selected in that Rounds, and to consider any new developments.

The MESICIC, which is currently carrying out its Fifth Round of Review, is reviewing for the first time in the United States and Saint Kitts and Nevis, the following topics:

• Preventive measures that give due consideration to the relationship between equitable remuneration and probity in public service.
• Instruction to government personnel to ensure proper understanding of their responsibilities and the ethical rules governing their activities.
• In addition, the following topics of the 2nd Round will be reviewed for the first time for Saint Kitts and Nevis, given that at that time, this country was not a State Party of the MESICIC:
  • Systems of government hiring and procurement of goods and services;
  • Systems for protecting public servants and private citizens who, in good faith, report acts of corruption; and
  • Criminalization of acts of corruption.
• New developments on the topics of the 2^nd Round will be reviewed for the United States.

About the OAS Anti-Corruption Mechanism

The Follow-Up Mechanism for the Implementation of the Inter-American Convention against Corruption (MESICIC) brings together 33 of the 34 OAS Member States.

One of its main objectives is to review national legal frameworks and institutions in the light of the Inter-American Convention against Corruption, and make recommendations to improve their effectiveness in combating corruption.

Furthermore, as a cooperation forum, the Mechanism promotes the participation of civil society and the exchange of best practices between State Parties. As a result, the best practices of one State could be of use for the challenges faced by others.

Additional information about the meeting available here.

Reference: S-046/18