Saint Lucia is moving closer to finalising legislation to establish a formal witness protection programme.
Permanent Secretary in the Attorney General’s Chambers and Chair of the National Anti-Money Laundering Oversight Committee (NAMLOC), Juliana Alfred said the draft witness protection legislation has already been circulated for feedback, with consultations set to follow.
Alfred confirmed the development while reporting on a recent United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) review. The Attorney General’s Chambers hosted a UNCAC delegation as part of an in-depth review of Saint Lucia’s anti-corruption efforts. The review aims to strengthen the country’s legal and institutional framework while identifying opportunities for improvement in corruption prevention and asset recovery.
During the previous UNAC review in 2011, Saint Lucia developed an anti-corruption policy through collaboration with key stakeholders, including the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force, various government departments, and the Integrity Commission. Several action plans were developed, with agencies committing to specific measures aimed at strengthening transparency and accountability.
“For the part of the Attorney General’s Chambers, the issue of witness protection would have come up, and I am happy to report that the government is currently finalising that legislation. In fact, that legislation has been circulated to stakeholders for feedback, and consultation will be undertaken thereafter,” Alfred said.
The latest review was conducted by peer states Grenada and Brazil, with oversight and support from the UN Secretariat to ensure a thorough and objective evaluation.
The UNCAC review is divided into two phases: one focusing on the criminalisation of corruption and international cooperation, and the other examining corruption prevention and asset recovery.
Associate Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Officer Alberto Martinez Garcia highlighted the importance of a multi-layered approach to fighting corruption, combining enforcement with preventive strategies.
“Preventing corruption is a broad and complex task,” Garcia explained. “The convention outlines various measures that all states must comply with, from ensuring judicial independence to enforcing anti-corruption policies in areas like public procurement. This review will help determine whether Saint Lucia has fully implemented these provisions or where further efforts are needed.”
A wide range of government departments, agencies, and civil society representatives participated in the review, providing feedback on existing anti-corruption mechanisms and identifying gaps that need to be addressed.
The findings from this UNCAC review will contribute to Saint Lucia’s broader anti-corruption strategy.
