Bunting wants full disclosure
BY GARFIELD MYERS Editor-at-Large South Central Bureau
Thursday, July 08, 2010
MANDEVILLE, Manchester – General Secretary of the People's National Party (PNP) Peter Bunting has said that the "still unexplained" payment of $US49,000 to US law firm, Manatt, Phelps and Phillips to facilitate a controversial lobbying effort by the ruling Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) is further evidence of the need for "full disclosure" on financial contributions to political parties.
"Public disclosure of financing of political parties right now, is a matter of public interest," Bunting told his Central Manchester Constituency Conference at the Manchester High School last Sunday.
"We have been working for many years on campaign finance reform, public financing of political parties -- an issue the PNP has been advocating for the last seven years.
"We have been trying to work with the JLP at the level of the electoral commission. In the interest of consensus we have been willing to hold back from full public disclosure of every donor to a political party. But the time has come where we really need to put the spotlight on where the funding for political parties is coming from," he said.
Bunting noted that while the bungled effort purportedly by the JLP to lobby the US government "against the extradition of Christopher Coke" had caused great problems for the Government, the country had not been told "who that secret donor was (that was) willing to give US$49,000 as a down payment on a contract of US$400,000".
 
|
POST A COMMENT
You must first register and then login to be able to post a comment.
HOUSE RULES
1. We welcome reader comments on the top stories of the day. Some comments may be republished on the website or in the newspaper – email addresses will not be published.
2. Please understand that comments are moderated and it is not always possible to publish all that have been submitted. We will, however, try to publish comments that are representative of all received.
3. We ask that comments are civil and free of libellous or hateful material. Also please stick to the topic under discussion.
4. Please do not write in block capitals since this makes your comment hard to read.
5. Please don't use the comments to advertise. However, our advertising department can be more than accommodating if emailed: advertising@jamaicaobserver.com.
6. If readers wish to report offensive comments, suggest a correction or share a story then please email: community@jamaicaobserver.com.
7. Lastly, read our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy, and before commenting you need to register, conveniently, by clicking the link above.
7/8/2010
Too much political party supporters are posting comments . They are narrow minded ,simplicit &* childish. They fail to see the bigger picture. While there are concerned jamaicans like myself & others who post in order to get answers to so many questions that arisen since the Coke affair. Jamaicans wake up !
7/8/2010
PL Bogle I agree with your comments. Commission of inquiries are not a means to an end and neither do they uncover the full story or truth. However, they do provide some kind of closure and as you said acountability and responsibility.
7/8/2010
We need full disclosure on these matters. Finsac and
Manatt, Phelps and Phillips. Peter Bunting want full
disclosure only when it is best for him and his Party.
7/8/2010
@ David Armstrong "Considering the magnitude of the damage that Dudus caused, I am at a loss as to how no authoritative source has initiated actions for this commisision of inquiry." Yes i agree but remember the 9/11 comission it didnt provide any real answers or comfort for families of the victims in 9/11. The comission..bias. Anyway i think that should be the first step. Towards accountability & responsibility.
7/8/2010
Politicians are so busy devising ways to cram their pockets while in office that their minds are bankrupt of ideas, while their bank accounts are hefty. Then when they are out of office twiddling their thumbs in boredom, that's when they begin to get bright ideas. I say we ignore both parties and send them out to pasture to ruminate!
7/8/2010
U.S.$49,000 downpayment to US lawyers to lobby the US to drop the charges. If the accused was to be tried in Jamaica, what would be the verdict?
Cindy Wilson
7/8/2010
I dont like Bunting.
7/8/2010
Perhaps the PNP should lead by example; or is the PNP afraid that corporate Jamaica may shun any political party that make public its donations?
JA Cynic
7/8/2010
we have a big problem. The opposition shouldn't be just asking for discloser & be left at the will of the government. There should be legislation in effect to make all Gov. dealings public. Asking for disclosure without legislative changes will put Jamaica no where. There are no laws governing politicians conduct & that is why they are so corrupt. Laws are needed to hold politicians accountable. u notice all Greg Christie can do is make a loud noise & that is it.
7/8/2010
The only thing that will force the government or the JLP party to provide this disclosure is legal action or a commission of inquiry. The commission of inquiry is a better option as it will address a broader range of issues related to the Dudus case. Considering the magnitude of the damage that Dudus caused, I am at a loss as to how no authoritative source has initiated actions for this commisision of inquiry. This is the only way to get to the truth.
7/8/2010
Please, Mr Bunting, there is no law/legislation to force any individual or group to disclose such information. If the PNP was serious about campaign financing, they would have passed legislation during its 18 years as governing party. How convenient!! Good ideas only come when in opposition.
Three years ago the PNP was cold toward campaign financing legislation. How quickly you forgot Trafigura. Why didn't the PNP draft legislation then, when they were the government?
Don't play us for fools
7/8/2010
the pnp has to be given credit for keeping this matter in the spotlight for so long despite all else gonig on in the country.no nine day wonder here.of course with the media campaigning for them it wasnt that hard.pity the media wasnt interested keeping trafigura in the spotlight so long too so ALL could be disclosed.i guess we all have our axes to gring but it would be better if the observer didnt let its political bias be so obvious.
7/8/2010
It is clear that Jamaica needs a third party because none of the two existing can't be trusted to do the right thing for the country.IN my opinion, a lot of the politicians now in gov. should be in prison .It is a disgrace that the country is allowed to be taken over by criminals while politicians look the other way. There is no mention of cleaning up the wharf nor increasing coastguard patrol to prevent drugs and guns from entering the country.People wake up.
7/8/2010
Remember now, this is a Regime that came to "clean up corruption and to be a beacon of hope".
Well, they have turned out to be a bunch of coniving lackeys who lacks the integrity, morality and the capacity to even speak the truth, or hold people accountable.
At this stage of governance, the taxpayers of this country should carefully monitor how, where and for what monies is being spent and contracts given.
Other Stories
RSS Feeds
