ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the institutional context of public accountability, highlighting the tensions that situate the normative values and the empirical scenarios that challenge these values. It analyzes the extent to which the Jamaica Accountability Framework (JAF) 2010 responds adequately to the accountability concerns against the backdrop of established criteria as set out. It also expounds values and principles connected with three important dimensions of accountability that collectively encapsulate the fundamental normative standards against which reforms that seek to build integrity and responsiveness in public institutions may be evaluated. The chapter presents the case study National Works Agency (NWA) and Jamaica Infrastructure Development Programme (JIDP). The National Works Agency (NWA) is responsible for implementing the Jamaican government's infrastructural development policies. By examining the prospects and challenges of accountability processes in the executive machinery of government in Jamaica, the chapter aims to build on the existing theories and practices of democratic public management in developing countries.
