The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

Campaign financing is spending money to influence a political vote for a candidate or a referendum. Political parties and candidates need money to publish their platform, offer incentives to vote, and inflate their suitableness for political position. The aphorism whoever has the gold makes the rule is normative, globally and locally. To limit the influence of money to dictate the decision making process for who gets elected and what they do when in power is paramount.

If the public knows who is financing political parties or candidates it will increase confidence in the political process. A campaign financing system that will promote accountability and further provide transparency in the outline of partnerships will assist democracy.

A suggestion is a political party or candidate should be given no more than 60 days to submit a campaign financing report for the election period. A long time makes the whole process opaque. It makes it more likely fabricated information is submitted because more time is given for falsification. Politicians are not known to be impeccably honest. The financing report is less relevant and will have less public scrutiny if too much time has elapsed since election.

The election financing of candidates and political parties should be published in the newspapers and other media, especially for a general election. If meaningful campaign financing is not implemented the legitimacy of any elected official in the Bahamas will eventually come into question. Is the Bahamas running a Mickey Mouse democracy?

BRIAN E PLUMMER

Nassau,

January 18, 2020.