ONE OF THE disappointments about the upcoming January 19 general election is that it will be held without campaign finance legislation in place.
It may not be on the front burner for many people, particularly die-hard partisan supporters who blindly follow party lines. The political parties will speak to the issue, even if they procrastinate on enacting such legislation.
That is why this newspaper is highlighting the need for such legislation since it is a critical component of good governance.
Holding political parties and candidates accountable after a general or by-election must go beyond what is now required by the Electoral and Boundaries Commission related to submission of personal expenditure.
Money, lots of it, is needed to put on the razzmatazz that goes with modern election campaigns. Contributions, whether in cash, sponsorship of advertisements, party paraphernalia, to pay for sound, lighting and stage management services or treating of the electorate, are needed during an election campaign.
That said, we are in a Covid-19 environment and, therefore, we are still unsure what political campaigning will look like in the upcoming election.
It is important that Barbados effectively scrutinises the influence of cash in politics, especially at a time when “the source of funds” is a “big deal” in our jurisdiction for compliance purposes.
There must be openness and accountability as to the source of all the funds to mount any planned events, which means the expenditure and income accounts of all political parties should be independently audited.
The sotto voce comments of many influential people in Barbados indicate they believe that money has too much influence in politics. The diverse views about campaign financing that abound must be replaced by facts and figures to quell the accompanying whispering and innuendo campaign that does the country no good.
As a stable democracy, Barbados must be mature enough to embrace the disclosure of political donations to political parties and candidates, whether by corporations and or individuals. Even without legislation in place governing campaign funding and the electioneering for the upcoming poll already under way, the political parties and contributors must be sent a message even at this stage.
We would expect to hear organisations like the Integrity Group Barbados and the Barbados Private Sector Association publicly address the issue of political donations.
This is not meant to be a deflection from the platform issues, nor do we believe there should be a cessation in giving to the parties and candidates. Our parliamentary democracy allows businesses and individuals to support the candidates and parties of their choice. However, those making the biggest donations must not, or even appear to, have special influence after the poll.
Until campaign finance legislation is on the books in Barbados, donors should voluntarily start disclosing their contributions within a month after the vote.
This is about doing the right thing.
—Barbados Nation
