Politics money - Five firms give $69m to parties

Tyrone Reid, Senior Staff Reporter

For the first time in Jamaica, six corporate titans have revealed that they have donated millions to fund the two major political parties.

In the absence of long-awaited legislation on campaign financing mandating public declarations, the corporate giants have voluntarily stated how much each has contributed to the campaigns of the two major political parties - the Jamaica Labour Party and the People's National Party (PNP).

The five organisations - Sagicor Life Jamaica Group, Scotia Group Jamaica Limited, ICD Group, GraceKennedy and the JMMB Group - have donated a total of $69.5 million to the political process.

The PNP and the JLP share the funds equally from each of the entities.

• 
  
  For clean and fair elections

Michael Ranglin, CEO of GK Foods - a division of GraceKennedy Ltd - said his company decided to break the silence that has attended political contributions because it "benefits Jamaica and our democracy.

"We think it is important to insist on transparency as it relates to the funding of the political process in our country. It is also important to do what needs to be done as part of our corporate social responsibility, he told The Sunday Gleaner.

• 
  
  Transparency critical

Joseph M. Matalon, chairman of ICD Group Limited and president of the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica, told The Sunday Gleaner that he was closely involved in the consultation process leading up to the ECJ's recommendations on campaign finance reform.

"I believe that transparency in political campaign financing is critically important in ensuring the integrity of our national democratic process and in guarding against the real danger of state capture by special interests, or worse, by criminal elements," Matalon reasoned.

"I hope it will signal to our political leaders that the private sector, as a part of broader civil society, is serious about its demands for higher standards of governance and greater transparency in the political process."

• 
  
  Public declaration important

Richard Byles, president and CEO of the Sagicor Life Jamaica Group, told The Sunday Gleaner that the public declaration was "very important" to his company because it was a demonstration of its "commitment to transparency and a signal to the political parties that we expect them to do the same in the governance of the country".

"We believe that transparency in political campaign financing is vital to protecting the integrity of the Jamaican democratic process," said Byles.

• 
  
  In support of democracy

Bruce Bowen, president and CEO of Scotia Group Jamaica Limited, said his company answered the call for transparency in campaign financing because the bank is fully supportive of the democratic process and firmly holds to the principles of good governance.

He added: "Scotiabank is fully supportive of the democratic process, and over the years has made equal contributions to both of the main political parties (PNP and JLP) in order to help facilitate their campaign activities and allow for presentations to the public on their goals, plans and priorities for the economy and overall country."

• 
  
  Full disclosure important

Sandra Glasgow, chief executive officer (CEO) of the PSOJ, noted that the PSOJ has been one of the voices in the wilderness calling "for full disclosure of donations to political parties". Glasgow also said that the PSOJ has encouraged its members to publicly declare their donations.

• 
  
  To support clean system

Chairman of the board of JMMB, Dr Noel Lyon, told our news team that the financial institution decided in 2006, that as a publicly listed company, it would make equal contributions to the two main political parties during the period of election campaigning to support a clean democratic process, and ultimately better governance.

"JMMB believes in democratic representation which reflects the desires of the majority and not a few. However, we are aware that the nexus between campaign financing and undue influence on the party that wins elections and forms the Government was, and still is, a global and local challenge," said Lyon.