SAINT KITTS AND NEVIS MARKS INTERNATIONAL ANTI-CORRUPTION DAY, SHOWCASES STRONG GOVERNANCE REFORMS

Basseterre, Saint Kitts, December 09, 2025 (SKNIS): Saint Kitts and Nevis joined members of the global community in observing International Anti-Corruption Day on Tuesday, December 09, 2025. This year’s annual commemoration is held under the theme “Uniting with Youth Against Corruption: Shaping Tomorrow’s Integrity.”

During an address, Retired Justice Pearletta Lanns, Chairperson of the Integrity Commission, Saint Kitts, noted that corruption is a global issue that has a corrosive impact on societies as it “undermines democracy, stifles economic growth, and fuels inequality.”

She highlighted that Saint Kitts and Nevis is now a State Party to the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, having acceded to it on August 07, 2024. Retired Justice Lanns said that this demonstrates the “willingness to promote good governance, combat corruption, and foster integrity.”

Attorney-General and Minister of Justice and Legal Affairs, the Honourable Garth Wilkin, in a separate national address, expressed that the government’s vision was to eliminate the opaque, clandestine style of governance experienced in the recent past.

“Today, I am here to report on progress, to declare, loudly and clearly, for all to share: Good Governance is no longer just a vision, it is fully functional, it is operational, and it is the law of the land. Integrity in Public Life is now part of the very DNA of our society,” he stated. “We have moved beyond the days of ‘toothless’ legislation. The Integrity Commission is fully staffed, fully funded, and fully active. We have aligned the laws between Saint Kitts and Nevis to eliminate loopholes and ensure that whether you sit in Basseterre or Charlestown, the standard for integrity remains the same.”

Honourable Wilkin shared that the compliance regime is fully active. As such, many Senior Civil Servants, Parliamentarians, Ministers, and Board Chairs have filed annual declarations regarding their income, assets, and liabilities. In 2023, one hundred and sixty-one public officials filed declarations. That number increased to 174 for 2024.

Speaking specifically to the theme: “Uniting with Youth Against Corruption: Shaping Tomorrow’s Integrity,” the attorney general stated that “… Corruption is a greed-driven crime that steals directly from your (the youth’s) future. When public funds are siphoned off through bribes or kickbacks, that is money stolen from your education, your healthcare, and your infrastructure.”

“We have built the three legislative pillars of protection: the Anti-Corruption Act, the Freedom of Information Act, and the Integrity in Public Life Act. We have done the heavy lifting to clean up the system,” Attorney-General Wilkin added. “By fully operationalising the Integrity in Public Life Act today, we are protecting the treasury that will fund your education, your small business subsidies, and the sustainable economy you will inherit tomorrow.”

Retired Justice Lanns revealed that over the past four years, the Integrity Commission in Saint Kitts “has used the schools’ system to raise young people’s awareness about corruption and to enlighten them about the benefits of public integrity.” Just last month, Commission members engaged Grade Six students at the Epworth Maurice Hillier, Tucker-Clarke, Beach-Allen, Deane-Glasford, and George Moody Stuart primary schools, as well as the Immaculate Conception Catholic School.

“Only if we catch them young can we hope to change public attitudes towards corrupt behaviour. Teaching young people to speak out is crucial,” she indicated.

Similarly, Attorney-General Wilkin expressed, “We have proven that even a small nation can take a giant stand against corruption. The mechanism is working. The filings are being made. The oversight is real. Let this message ring out loudly: In Saint Kitts and Nevis, integrity is the only way forward. Good Governance is finally here. It is working. And it is here to stay,” he concluded.

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