HOW MANY of our 60 elected Members of Parliament owe their seats, at least in part, to the financial support of drug dealers? And what will these members of the House be obliged to give back in return as political favours?
At last, the menacing matter of the link between drugs and politics has been placed squarely on the agenda of the Parliament itself. The matter was first raised by Government MP Donald Buchanan, Member for South-West St Elizabeth, during his contribution to the debate on the Report of the EAC to Parliament last week. According to the honourable Member, there are drug traders in Jamaica who are attempting to use their power to control political candidates. What Mr. Buchanan alleges is to be expected. The real question is how successful the expected infiltration of politics by drug money has been and how far it will progress.
In the charges and counter-charges which Mr. Buchanan's contribution unleashed between the two parties in the House, he claimed that there was an influx of $5 million into the South West St. Elizabeth constituency three days before the elections, from unnamed sources, to support the campaign of his political opponents.
In his contribution to the debate, National Security Minister, Dr. Peter Phillips said that there is a clear and present danger to our political process of being corrupted by drug dealers and other persons involved in illegal activities who are attempting to put a death grip on the country's politics. The Minister's own allegation suggests that the death grip is not some future prospect but is a current reality; the question being just how tight it is.
Member for North-East Manchester, Audley Shaw, noted that the international community, including creditors, has expressed serious concerns about the link between drug money and local politics. He further charged that the process of awarding Government contracts is already being contaminated by drug money.
Jamaica has become a major trans-shipment point in the cocaine trade; and we already have our own well developed ganja trade. There are many street-level allegations of the active involvement of elements of Government and of the security forces in the drug trade, quite apart from political campaigns accepting drug money.
Jamaica is not unique in the infiltration of drug money into politics to buy protection and influence for dealers. But unsavoury elements of our politics, particularly the links to gangs and dons and the garrisonisation of communities, substantially increase our vulnerability.
The risks are not only in the selling of favours to drug dealers but are in resistance as well. For once the thin edge of the wedge gets in those who refuse to co-operate will find themselves targets for elimination. There is indeed a clear and present danger to the political system from the infiltration of drug money and influence, a danger which transcends cass-cass and finger-pointing across party lines.
THE OPINIONS ON THIS PAGE, EXCEPT FOR THE ABOVE, DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE VIEWS OF THE GLEANER.
