Edmond Campbell, Senior News Coordinator

MUNROE

Government Senator Professor Trevor Munroe is calling for sanctions against candidates who breach reporting requirements and other key provisions under the Representation of the People Act.

He is also pushing for action to curb the incidence of bribery and "undue influence" which characterise the Jamaican political landscape.

"Under this law, if a person goes to a bar, buys out the bar on behalf of a candidate or puts on a curry goat feed - those are breaches," he said, which could attract fines of between $20,000 and $80,000, or three years' imprisonment.

Persons in breach could also be disqualified from being a voter or candidate in Local Government or general elections for seven years.

Speaking yesterday at a Gleaner Editors' Forum, Professor Munroe said the police should carry out sting operations and charge persons who infringe the Representation of the People Act.

"If we really want to clean up let us make some examples and then shock the political system into understanding that this is a new beginning," declared Professor Munroe.

Under the act, candidates in Local Government or national elections are not allowed to spend in excess of $3 million as part of their campaign efforts.

Setting out expenditure

Each candidate is required to complete a document called 'Form 22', setting out expenditure incurred by each agent during the campaign period which, under the law, spans nomination day to election day. This is to be submitted within six weeks after the polls, to the director of elections.

Professor Munroe told journalists at yesterday's forum that two out of every three candidates in the 2002 general elections failed to make the prescribed returns to the director of elections within the stipulated time.

He said many candidates flout the law because they felt the ceiling on spending was unrealistic.

Contravention of this provision could attract a fine not exceeding $100 or imprisonment for a maximum of six months.

Director of Elections Danville Walker told The Gleaner yesterday that all successful candidates have submitted Form 22. However, the Director said no action had been taken against unsuccessful candidates who ignored the law.

Asked why sanctions were not brought against them, Mr. Walker said it was difficult to track down offenders who participate in the political process only once.

Explaining that the law only recognises a person as a candidate after he/she is nominated, Mr. Walker said there was need for amendment to the legislation to address the definition of a candidate.

According to Mr. Walker, many candidates report that they spent less than $2,000 while others say they had no expenditure.

Meanwhile, independent member of the Electoral Advisory Committee (EAC), Dorothy Pine-McLarty said all political parties as well as Citizens Action for Free and Fair Election (CAFFE) have agreed on a number of recommendations addressing campaign financing.

Some of these proposals include amendment of the Representation of the People Act to remove loop holes to facilitate enforcement of the law; increased limits of candidates' expenditure in line with inflation; increased fines for illegal practices; to revise Form 22 which is the major instrument for accounting for election expenditure.

In another development, the Senate is to debate tomorrow, the Electoral Commission (Interim) Act, which will establish an Electoral Commission to replace the EAC.

The Commission will have the mandate to approve political parties eligible to receive State funding with respect to any or all aspects of the electoral process; administer electoral funding and financial disclosure requirements and monitor election expenditure by candidates or their official agents.