KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Electoral Commission of Jamaica (ECJ) is urging election candidates and contributors to observe campaign financings laws as failure to do so may land them in legal troubles.

ECJ advised that election campaign financing and the reporting of campaign expenditure for all future national elections (including by-elections) will be regulated by the Representation of the People (Amendment) Act, 2016, and the Election Campaign Financing Regulations, 2017.

Both pieces of legislation, it said, are intended to govern the funding of election campaigns and prescribe the manner in which contributions may be sourced and subsequently reported.

The call by the ECJ comes against the background of accusations levied against the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) administration by the Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) that it is using public resources in East Portland to influence the upcoming by election.

In a statement on Wednesday, PNP General Secretary Julian Robinson said there have been scores of JLP supporters in green t-shirts have been engaged in de-bushing activities along the main road, leading into Port Antonio.

Robinson said the party would again be writing the Political Ombudsman seeking her intervention on the spending and calls on the watchdog groups to ensure fairness in the election process.

A date for the election has not yet been announced.