WE SHARE the concern of Mr. Danville Walker, the director of elections, about the potential effect of private money on Jamaican politics, including the prospect of people buying their way to power - either directly or by proxy.
This danger is, of course, not new. It has long been so, that big, and even thuggish capital, will find its way into the political process and influence the outcome of elections and, ultimately, the quality of the country's governance.
The efforts in recent years to reform Jamaica's voting system in particular, and electoral system in general, may have lessened the most vulgar manifestation of electoral malfeasance. The brutes may no longer run off with ballot boxes and overnight determination of the outcome of elections by the stuffing of the boxes, is no longer the norm. But as Mr. Walker, who is in a great position to observe, has suggested, the fraud these days is far more subtle. Big money just buys out the process, or parts thereof, thereby determining the agenda of political parties or the posture of individual candidates.
The dangers, for small, weak states, such as Jamaica's, are obvious even if we do not always take them as seriously as we should. The most immediate of these threats is the possibility of criminal enterprises gaining toeholds, and eventually control, of our governments.
The signs are already there. In Jamaica there are the too well known cases of drug 'dons' and extortionists and assorted hoodlums - some of whom operate on the periphery, if not at the centre, of political parties - having gained influence in communities, often flexing muscle against the State. The international terrorists, who may similarly control vast resources, may not be far behind. Soon, they, or their proxies, may be in Jamaica House, Gordon House and King's House.
Indeed, it is widely believed that in recent races for top positions in Jamaica's political parties, these characters were not far away, seeking to grease the process with their dirty and perhaps laundered cash.
However, the democracy, in its fullest sense, is threatened not only by such base souls. It is also possible to get the best democracy that money can buy - one that pays scant regard to the wider interests of the vast majority of people. In this circumstance, the process is responsive primarily to big money and leadership dances to the tune of capital.
We suspect that these are the points to which Mr. Walker alluded to in a speech Saturday night at the long service awards of Capital and Credit Merchant Bank. The Director of Elections, though, did carry the argument to its logic conclusion.
It is not enough, we think, only to point to these dangers. We have to talk about solutions. In the first instance, changing course demand strong, moral leadership. Those at the helm of our political parties have to turn their faces hard against the goons, badmen, influence peddlers and contract seekers and be willing to chuck them out of their organisations - as difficult as that process may be. The question is whether they have the will. As a corollary to all this we have to place seriously on the table the matter of how we finance political parties and agree that in this there has to be a role for the State.
It is time, we think, for serious and rigorous debate on the matter.
THE OPINIONS ON THIS PAGE, EXCEPT FOR THE ABOVE, DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE VIEWS OF THE GLEANER.
