People National Party (PNP) Deputy General Secretary Julian Robinson says that while the party faces challenges in financing this year’s annual conference and possible local government elections, it is hopeful that its targets will be met.

Speaking with the

Jamaica Observer yesterday, Robinson admitted that there are challenges, “as there always are after losing a general election”. However, he said that the situation should become much clearer after next month’s annual conference, and the end of the current “period of introspection and reviews”.

Robinson was responding to issues raised in a report to the party’s powerful National Executive Council in July by its treasurer, Norman Horne, disclosing “mounting objective concern” that the party would not be able to meet its budgetary target for the local government elections due by December.

Horne’s report alleged that “considerable sums” contributed to the failed February 25, 2016 General Election campaign by the private sector were misused by distinct individuals, when they could have helped finance a win for the party if formally utilised.

He urged “all of the comrades who collected funds from private sector and other entities to make full, transparent and confidential accounting of all of the funds received to the treasury and other officers of the party” by July 29.

Horne said it was in the party’s interest that the balance of these funds be transferred to its central account, “so that it can be applied to all outstanding debt and the balance thereof to the budget for the running of the parish council election”.

“Let us restore the health and integrity of the movement, by placing its interest before our own,” he insisted.

Robinson refused yesterday to go into the details of Horne’s report, which was leaked to the press, insisting that he was not the officer responsible for those matters.

He confirmed that some new funds had flowed into the party’s chest since the election loss, which he described as a promising sign. However, he would not comment on issues such as allegations that over $1 billion was lost to the party during the election campaign, or whether friendly foreign governments had contributed some of the funding.

But Robinson noted that the financial challenge was also to the party’s annual conference scheduled to be held in September.

He also pointed out that while some 70 per cent of the party’s divisional (local government divisions) conferences have been held, there is a cost to the completion of those meetings prior to the annual conference which would have to be met.

Currently, there is no legislation against foreign entities contributing to local parties during elections, but this will not be permissible when the new campaign financing legislation, which is already passed by Parliament, is implemented.