In last week’s publication I advocated for restitution in the wake of the massive organized crime ring that robbed the treasury of millions of dollars and as was expected, it ignited a crucial and necessary national conversation. The dialogue has, among other things, been vibrant, engaging and ultimately a sign of a maturing democracy. While some have sought to politicize this novel approach, others have recognized its necessity in the face of prosecutorial limitations for recovering public funds. So thought provoking was my line of reasoning that a member of the legal fraternity could not resist being drawn into the conversation to promote what he/she saw as a looming opportunity for courtroom benefits. I welcomed the contribution, if for no other reason than its enforcement of my warning.

A pivotal question from thoughtful citizens demands an answer: ‘What’s next now that restitution has been finalized?’

This is precisely the question we must now address our collective minds. The finalization of restitution is not the finish line; it is the starting block for the real work of national repair. The return of funds, while vital, is merely a symptom of a deeper disease, a troubling reality that our country is lacking in personal responsibility and national consciousness.

This scandal, though horrifying, presents a painful but profound opportunity for a national reset. It is a chance to move from outrage to action and to finally accept our individual and collective responsibilities to the project of Antigua and Barbuda. To that end, we must undertake critical steps to review, reset and establish new guidelines to protect our public assets for generations to come. To jumpstart a deeper conversation about the next steps, I hereunder fashion the national discourse:

1. Legislative Overhaul: Building an Impenetrable Legal Fortress. We must immediately move to sengthem our suite of good governance laws. This will include a strengthened Integrity in Public Life Act with real investigative and prosecutorial teeth, a Freedom of Information Act that guarantees public transparency and a first time ever Whistleblower Protection Act that robustly shields those brave enough to expose corruption.

2. Fortifying Financial Controls: An enhanced system of checks, balances and audits. The loopholes exploited by this crime ring must be surgically identified and closed. This requires a top to bottom review of our financial management systems, mandating real time auditing of all major transactions by an independent, external body. Procurement processes must be digitized and made publicly accessible, creating a transparent trail for every dollar spent. As the Prime Minister stated, a new era begins now.

3. Cultivating a Culture of Accountability: From the Top Down

Accountability cannot be a concept reserved for the powerless. We must institutionalize a culture where every public official, from the permanent secretary to the minister, is answerable for their stewardship. This means mandatory, published performance reports and clear consequences for negligence or malfeasance. Leadership at every level of the system must exemplify this new standard, or the entire effort will fail.

4. Fostering Civic Education and National Consciousness. The “lack of national consciousness” is not an abstract failing; it is the fertile ground in which corruption grows. We must integrate civic education into our school curriculum and public discourse, teaching not just the rights of citizenship, but its profound responsibilities. We must celebrate integrity and service and relentlessly scrutinize the use of our collective resources. A vigilant and informed citizenry is the ultimate safeguard.

5. Establishing a Permanent Anti-Corruption Framework. This cannot be a one-time, scandal-driven reaction. We must establish a permanent, independent Anti-Corruption Agency with a mandate that spans prevention, investigation and public education. Its work should be ongoing, ensuring that the lessons of this scandal are woven into the very fabric of our governance, preventing such a systemic failure from ever happening again.

The path of restitution was the first step in acknowledging a grave wrong. The path forward is the harder, more enduring work of building a country where such a wrong is impossible to repeat. This is our moment to choose. Will we be defined by the scandal that shamed us or by the reforms that saved us? The reset begins now and it begins with us.