Vernon Daley
The issue of election finance reform has leapt back to a prominent place on the national agenda after being shoved to the periphery over the past few months. It's a pity it has taken a scandal to bring it back to the fore, but perhaps the country would have had it no other way.
Concerns have rightly been raised about the reported $31 million, which Dutch oil-trading firm, Trafigura Beheer, paid into the coffers of the governing People's National Party (PNP), whether as a donation toward its election campaign or as part of a "commercial transaction".
The whole thing is undeniably indecent, especially when it is considered that the money was given to the party around the time the firm's contract with government came in for renewal.
There is the obvious politics surrounding the issue with the Opposition Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) extracting as much political mileage from it as possible. There is no shame in that.
However, as the more measured public commentators have argued, the critical issue here is the need to find a way to pay for the country's politics without surrendering the nation's interest to the parties' financial masters.
A big issue
It's a big issue and one which many democracies have had to grapple with, including Jamaica's Caribbean Community (CARICOM) sister states.
During the CARICOM Summit in St. Kitts and Nevis earlier this year, St. Lucia's Prime Minister, Dr. Kenny Anthony, put the issue squarely on the table when he called for the regional grouping to look at the possibility of developing legislation to govern, among other things, the financing of elections.
According to him, "The time has come, for example, to adopt community laws and principles to govern electoral practice and behaviour, campaign financing and integrity and accountability in public life."
Dr. Anthony had his own reasons for making the suggestion. He has repeatedly claimed that the opposition United Workers Party (UWP) is in the pockets of the Taiwan Government and is planning to sever diplomatic ties with China if it gets state power. The Opposition has made its own accusations against the Government, charging that tainted money has found its way into the party's treasury.
Even Barbados, which boasts one of the most stable democracies in the region, has not escaped this issue, for there are constant "off the record" comments that the two major parties are beholden to their donors and often do their bidding. Perception in politics is reality.
But putting aside, for the moment, the political crosstalk in the individual territories, the suggestion for a community approach to the election finance issue makes great sense, especially in the context of deepening integration through the CARICOM Single Market.
Developing some kind of model community law on election financing would allow member states the opportunity to benefit from each other's experiences on this issue, as well as ensure that any law adopted in a member-state does not conflict with the overall objectives of the community.
Timely legislation
Already, there is talk in Jamaica about drafting legislation based on certain recommendations coming out of talks involving election officials and the major political parties earlier this year.
As urgent as this matter is, the country should resist the temptation to rush to enact a law to deal with this matter. Our history teaches that rushed legislation usually turns out to be sloppy legislation.
The matter lends itself to some cooperation within CARICOM and regional leaders and technocrats should permit themselves some leisure in contemplating it so long as they are settled on the need for timely action. The Caribbean has waited a long time to deal with the matter, it can afford to wait a little while more to get it right.
Vernon Daley is Jamaica editor for the Caribbean Media Corporation and part-time lecturer in media law at the University of the West Indies.
