Dear Editor,

The following is an open letter to the Office of the Prime Minister, Office of the Leader of the Opposition, and the Electoral Commission of Jamaica:

This letter is in response to the Jamaica Observer front page story published on December 27, 2017, headlined ‘It’s official! — Registration of political parties starts January 2 . These are my concerns on the amended Representation of the People Act:

1. When is the deadline for registration?

2. It says a party must have 500 members in good financial standings. What is that nonsense all about?

3. What is the purpose of submitting the names and addresses of leaders/presidents, general secretaries, and party officers?

4. One constraint is that party registrations can be rejected if names are similar or offensive; offensive or similar in whose eyes, Babylon?

5. The regulations stipulate that only 40 per cent of income will be State funding. The problem with that is third parties will always be at a disadvantage due to the small budget. So, for example, a third party’s budget is about $10 million and a major political party’s budget is $500 million, you all see who stands to benefit more from the State?

Teddylee Gray

Ocho Rios, St Ann

teddylee.gray@gmail.com