The issue of comprehensive campaign finance reform is – like constitutional reform – one that has been given lip service particularly on the principle of it but one in which, deliberately, no significant step is taken towards actually putting in place.  The Carter Center report on the 2015 elections highlighted both the need for campaign finance reform as well Guyana’s current obligations under international conventions to put in place adequate measures, noting that:

“Guyana is obliged to take measures to prevent corruption, particularly in the context of campaign financing, as it has signed and ratified both the U.N. Convention Against Corruption and the Inter-American Convention Against Corruption.”

It is not that campaign finance legislation does not exist in Guyana.  It is simply that the current laws are scattered, without practical thresholds on spending, and not enforced by the responsible authorities.  For example, political parties are required by law to submit their campaign financial records no later than 35 days after an election.  No one adheres to that law and no one is penalised for it.

An absence of adequate campaign finance legislation and consequent enforcement presents fertile ground for the growth of corruption.  Business and other special interests funding political campaigns without transparency wield an overwhelming influence after elections both in the Executive as well as the Legislature.  While politicians are elected on the votes of all citizens who participate, it is the small number of rich interests who really call the shots – he who pays the piper calls the tune.

We intend to change that. The Citizenship Initiative not only intends to comply with the existing legislation on campaign finance:  in keeping with our commitment to radical transformation in the conduct of public affairs, we will preemptively release our to-date campaign finance records three weeks before the elections.  This includes not only details on the funding raised but also on our expenditure.

In keeping with the current legislation, within 35 days after the election, we will be sharing our financial records with GECOM, as well as making them public.  Our challenge to other players in the arena is to follow not only what exists in the law but what is best practice, and what is best principle, and do the same.