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UNODC conducts the "Workshop for the Design and Implementation of Barbados' National Anticorruption Strategy", in conjunction with the Office of the Attorney General  

On 20 September 2018, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), in conjunction with the Office of the Attorney General of Barbados and withthe support of the Government of Canada, conducted the "Workshop for the Design and Development of a National Anticorruption Strategy", in Bridgetown, Barbados.

During the opening ceremony, Mr. José Vila del Castillo, Regional Representative of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) for Central America and the Caribbean, welcomed participants and highlighted the importance of having an action plan against a phenomenon that threatens the stability and security of societies, institutions and the rule of law, as well as sustainable development and the economy of our countries. 

The methodology presented by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) for this purpose, is based on the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) and consists of four main elements, namely: a preliminary diagnosis; the drafting of anti-corruption measures; ensuring effective implementation; while monitoring, evaluating and reporting.

Furthermore, Article 5 of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) imposes general requirements that State Parties: (a) develop and implement or maintain effective, coordinated anti-corruption policies; (b) establish and promote effective practices aimed at the prevention of corruption; and (c) periodically evaluate relevant legal instruments and administrative measures with a view to determining their adequacy to prevent and fight corruption.

In this sense, existing national anti-corruption strategy documents vary widely in length, detail, scope and emphasis. This is both expected and desirable. There is no "one-sizes-fits-all" approach to producing an effective strategy, particularly given that different countries have very different legal, cultural and political traditions and face very different challenges, opportunities and constraints. To date, UNODC has identified over seventy (70) countries that have issued either a single national anti-corruption strategy or a set of documents that together constitute a comprehensive, coordinated anti-corruption framework.

Through this initiative, the Government of Barbados aims at creating a blueprint for a realistic, comprehensive and integrated plan to prevent and reduce corruption at the national level.  Moreover, the objective of the meeting was not merely the drafting of a technocratic document whose implementation depends solely on the leaders' determination, but to develop and promulgate a strategy that will generate and maintain citizen demand and broad support to act effectively against corruption.

The workshop was conducted by Ms. Cristina Ritter, Legal Expert of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) for Central America and the Caribbean, and was attended by twenty (20) high level authorities of the Financial Intelligence Unit, the Direction of Public Prosecutions, the National Police, the Central Bank, the Ombudsman's Office, the Office of the Attorney General and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.