The Opposition Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) yesterday revealed that it has spent $32.5 million on its road campaign and public relations blitz over the last 20 months.

Deputy treasurer Daryl Vaz, who presented the treasurer’s report on behalf of Chris Bovell at yesterday’s business session of the party’s 63rd annual conference at the National Arena in Kingston, disclosed that the sum accounted for almost 80 per cent of the party’s total expenditure up to the end of October.

Vaz, who said he was pleased with the party’s financial status, despite the challenges fund-raising presented, promised that the JLP will today stage the “grannie” of all conferences, without “Trafigura money”.

His declaration was a clear response to the ruling People’s National Party (PNP) which in September declared its 68th annual conference “the mother of all conferences”.

However, a few weeks later, the PNP was plunged into controversy as the JLP revealed that the conference was staged with money donated by Dutch oil trader Trafigura Beheer, which has a contract with the Jamaican Government to lift and sell Nigerian crude for Jamaica.

It was obvious yesterday that JLP officials are eager to fill the arena today, to equal or surpass the massive crowd that attended the PNP conference.

To date, JLP officials have been coy about the cost of their conference, or even how much the party has budgeted. However, Vaz, in his report, said the JLP has expenditure of $39.749 million up to October 31 this year, but received $39 million in donations between January and October.

That figure is an increase from the $26.4 million collected in the same period in 2005.

Vaz said that the funds came mainly from fixed contributions from members of parliament, councillors, paying members and corporate donations.

However, the fixed sum paid was not immediately ascertained.

The report showed that utilities, salaries and wages accounted for $5 million, while other administrative costs totalled $881,000; distress aid, $466,000 and what was termed ‘standard’ expenditure totalled $753,000.

The total expenditure of the party in 2005 was just over $17 million, the majority of which – $9.7 million – was conference expenses.

The treasurer’s report expressed pleasure that the issue of campaign financing was now receiving attention.

It also made recommendations, including limitation on spending by a political party in the last two weeks before a general election; limitation on spending at the constituency level; reporting of the parties’ audited accounts to the Electoral Advisory Committee; state funding of political parties; and the use of state agencies to fund political parties’ public relations campaigns.

Meanwhile, the roll call of constituencies provided much excitement among the delegates who roared with shouts of “Shower” when their constituencies were identified.

However, the moment was not without gaffes, which sent the media, delegates and supporters alike into fits of laughter.

The biggest gaffe was made by deputy leader Joel Williams, who referred to one constituency as “North South St Ann”.

Moments before, chairman Dr Ken Baugh said the day’s proceedings would be streamed live on the website ww.firestream.tv. He repeated the website, again omitting the first w, at which one senior Labourite remarked, “You coulda search fi dat (expletive) Sunday, yuh can’t find dat.”