Jacqueline Samuels-Brown, winner of The Gleaner's Silver Pen, and Garfield Grandison, editor-in-chief of the newspaper, share a joke after the presentation of the award at The Gleaner, 7 North Street, Kingston, yesterday. - Andrew Smith/Photography Editor

Limits should be set for the amount of money persons or entities can contribute to political parties or their representatives, Jacqueline Samuels-Brown, recipient of The Gleaner's Silver Pen Award, said yesterday.

According to Mrs. Samuels-Brown, in countries such as the United States and England, laws stipulate an upper limit for contributions based on whether it is an election to a local government body, a federal election, or whether it is an election year.

"We (Jamaica) would have to work out an upper limit based on our economy and our own people, but I do think that there must be limits," the veteran attorney told The Gleaner.

"I also think, as painful as it may be, that there must be disclosure of the sources of all funding," she added.

Mrs. Samuels-Brown, who has been practising law for the past 26 years, received The Gleaner's Silver Pen for her letter published on October 16 entitled 'Privacy of banking transactions is a myth'.

She was presented with the prestigious Silver Pen and a commemorative plaque by The Gleaner's Editor-in-Chief, Garfield Grandison, at the newspaper's North Street offices yesterday.

Trafigura Beheer scandal

The issues raised by the noted attorney were in light of the Trafigura Beheer scandal which has rocked the governing People's National Party.

In her letter, she said that the Banking Act allows a minister of government or a court to order a bank to surrender to the police as much detailed information on a customer's account.

"Under the Money Laundering Act, the banks are prohibited from telling the customers beforehand or later of the report to 'Big Brother' ... Under the Proceeds of Crime Act, every bank officer and bank teller is potentially a spy against customers," Mrs. Samuels-Brown wrote.

This, she said, makes the privacy of banking transactions a myth.

Mrs. Samuels-Brown, who operates out of offices on Barry Street, downtown Kingston, received her qualifications from the University of the West Indies, and is an alumna of the Meadowbrook High School in St. Andrew.