Deon P Green, Gleaner Writer

With a general election looming, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator Anthony Hylton is urging that a policy be put in place by both political parties to monitor and regulate funding of the parties in Jamaica.

Addressing members of the Jamaican community in London on on Tuesday, Senator Hylton said, "Since 1993 I have been speaking very clearly that there is the need for transformation of our political financing system."

Trafigura scandal

His comments were made as he attempted to clarify what had occurred during the recent Trafigura scandal which led to the resignation of former Minister of Information and Development, Colin Campbell.

According to Senator Hylton the governing People's National Party (PNP) has been calling for campaign finance reforms for a long time.

"We have been pushing this for 15 years; one hand can not clap," he said, referring to the need for a unanimous policy from both political parties on how they are funded. "In the state of politics, you cannot ask to unilaterally disarm, so you can not say the PNP must have a law for disclosure and the Jamaica Labour Party has none. It cannot work, it will not work," Mr. Hylton said.