Beverley Anderson Manley

The Electoral Office of Jamaica commissioned Don Anderson's Market Research Services Limited to carry out a survey to provide them with data that can assist them in their discussions on political campaign financing in Jamaica. Some of these findings were published in Thursday's Gleaner of last week.

Perhaps the most interesting finding is that 71 per cent of persons polled want the political parties to receive some kind of financing from Government. However, "52 per cent of those interviewed, contend that the parties should still make an effort to raise funds on their own". These funds must come from existing budgetary allocation - not from additional taxes. In addition, participants in the survey want the process of financing of political parties to be transparent.

The question of political campaign financing has been on and off the political agenda for decades - the question is not whether Jamaica can afford to have public financing of political parties but more importantly - can Jamaica afford not to have it. It is said that "he who pays the piper, calls the tune". Hence, it is hardly surprising that another finding in this survey reveals that 63 per cent of Jamaicans believe that individuals give financial assistance to parties because they want to obtain "favours" if their party wins the election, or to seek to influence the awarding of contracts.

Selling the Vote

So, at one level, big donors contribute to the political parties for favours. At the level of the 'grass roots' voters, there is a certain amount of clarity about the way they use their votes for immediate gain. Some persons are very upfront with the candidates. The candidate needs their vote to win so he or she must be willing to 'let off' something - e.g. cash, house repairs or whatever the immediate needs are. This kind of voter wants something immediately as they don't think they are likely to interact with the candidate again. "You give me something for my vote and in turn, I will help you realise your personal dream to be a Member of Parliament or a Cabinet minister." One hand washes the other. In keeping with this, "25 per cent(of those polled) would accept a direct monetary reward, 17 per cent gifts and 15 per cent something else".

It is not surprising, therefore, that the perception about political parties is that they are corrupt - "77 per cent believe that there is corruption in the People's National Party (PNP) and 73 per cent believe that the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) is corrupt".

Taken together, these findings are confirmatory of how an increasing number of Jamaicans view the political landscape. For sometime now upwards of 40 per cent of voters are alienated from the political process. Constituents have lost respect for political representatives and their capacity to represent them. From the early 1990s Carl Stone cautioned that Members of Parliament were becoming an endangered species.

Creating Possibilities

As with any organisation, political parties need to begin the process of reinventing themselves and enhance the process whereby Government plays a role in their financing. This reinvention must take place with a programme of fundamental constitutional reform that includes issues of transparency, accountability and recall. The so-called 'uncom-mitted' voters who have been sitting in the balcony watching the parade go by may then be encouraged to place themselves firmly on the court. In this way, we could avoid the democratic process being derailed by the 'diehards' of both political parties.

The findings of this survey and the current realities of Jamaican life provide us with opportunities for individual and systemic change through participation and genuine dialogue. There is an urgent need for us to look again at ourselves and the systems that govern us. This must be the vision - to put Jamaica beyond the evil of tribal polities and thereby create the space within which our people can have confidence in themselves; confidence in our representatives and confidence in our systems of governance.