Lee, left, and Henry-Wilson
Erica Virtue, Staff Reporter
THREE of the political parties contesting the up-coming general election have asked the police to investigate the backgrounds of some candidates who have offered to run on their ticket.
Fearing possible criminal connections, the parties say the findings of the police have led to some being rejected.
Leader of the governing People's National Party (PNP), Prime Minister P. J. Patterson, said a few weeks ago that they had rejected five potential candidates because of concerns by the leadership over their alleged links with drug dealers.
General Secretary Maxine Henry-Wilson said the party is taking no chances.
"We were cautioned by members of the security forces in the case of two of the five persons. They shared with us their concerns and we did not want to take the risk of including them, and finding out afterwards. So we rejected them," she said last week.
According to her, information from different levels in communities, combined with that from the police, were factored in the party's decision to reject them. She said the PNP had to ensure that those offering themselves were credible in the party's eyes, and also in the eyes of the public.
She added, that, "we have not checked the backgrounds of all candidates. I don't think the security forces would acquiesce to all requests and you don't want to appear to be running a Gestapo service."
She made it clear however, that, "the party would not hesitate to ask the police to investigate those about whom we have suspicions."
The Opposition Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) said it, too, had gone to the police.
While stating that there were minimum standards which must be met, General Secretary, Dr. Ken Baugh, said the process often goes further.
"We can vouch for the credibility of our candidates because we have a process of selection. And we have been very strict with that process. If we find, or if we hear rumours, it may become necessary that we check with the police. And we have done so," Dr. Baugh said, in an interview with The Sunday Gleaner.
According to him, "We are satisfied that as far as is humanly possible, we have done all the necessary groundwork to make sure that those who offer themselves are free from anything "shadowy or shady that will cause embarrassment for the party."
Ensuring credibility
The National Democratic Movement (NDM) is also operating in a similar vein as the two major parties.
"We usually go to the highest level. The police might not have anything criminal, but we do find that in some cases, they are able to say quite a lot...," Brasco Lee, NDM's spokesman on Agriculture said.
"We have found that (going to the police) has been quite useful in the selection process. That, in addition to the other things," Mr. Lee said.
However, not all parties go out on a limb to ensure candidates credibility.
Antonette Haughton-Cardenas of the United People's Party (UPP) said it would be stupid for the party to vouch for the absolute credibility of anyone.
"Anyone who would want to do that is an ass," she said in an interview. "What you can do is make a judgment on what you know. People make choices based on what they know. I do not know who may be living a double life. I do not know who is abusing his or her spouse. I don't live in a person's bedroom. So we don't say we vouch for the absolute integrity of anyone on earth, only Jesus Christ," she explained.
Cover themselves
But former NDM President, Bruce Golding, says the parties are only trying to cover themselves.
"If it is something that is not likely to become public, they tend not to be as rigid about it, and secondly, political parties don't normally concern themselves with (associations)," he said in an interview.
Mr. Golding believes the parties were primarily concerned with what was publicly known, and what could be exposed.
While it is unclear if the newly-formed Jamaica Alliance for National Unity (JANU) will be contesting the next elections, it said it would be examining all candidates, and make public those it believed were eligible.
They will endorse candidates who have disowned tribal politics, don-manship and violence and who have integrity in their public and private lives and a personal track record of love and service to others at a national, regional, local or community level.
Staff reporter Omar Anderson also contributed to this story.
