Dionne Rose, Staff Reporter

Political Ombudsman, Bishop Herro Blair, has recommended that a temporary oversight committee be set up to monitor the source and use of funds for political parties.

Mr. Blair told The Gleaner that this could be an interim measure to address the concern of party financing, which in recent days has resurfaced with Leader of the Opposition, Bruce Golding, questioning a $31 million donation given to the PNP by a Dutch oil company, doing business with the Government .

"They can get together and recommend some oversight committee that would keep the thing transparent as much as possible," Blair said.

But general secretary of the Jamaica Labour Party, Karl Samuda, said that while he is in support of legislation for party funding, which is currently being looked at by the Electoral Advisory Committee (EAC), he had no comments to make on Mr. Blair's recommendation.

People's National Party chairman, Robert Pickersgill also refused to comment on the recommendation.

While pointing out that this temporary measure would be good, until legislation is passed, Mr. Blair said there may be some hesitation from the private sector in having its donations disclosed.

"One has to understand that the private sector is not going to want their donations to be made public unless there is a law to protect them. So it has to be done with some degree of respect for those who are donating," he said.

Awaiting response

Meanwhile, the EAC is still awaiting a response regarding its recommendation for the disclosure of financing sources. The recommendation was among several made at an EAC Conference earlier this year.

Danville Walker, director of election, told The Gleaner/Power 106 News Centre that the EAC is aware that the parties have accepted its recommendations, but the committee is yet to have this confirmed.

"We are awaiting written confirmation that this has been agreed to by the political parties and from there, we will prepare a report to Parliament," he said.

The EAC conference had agreed on the following points:

The registration of political parties to ensure greater scrutiny and accountability to members of the public in their disclosure of their assets and liabilities.

Issue audited annual financial reports to the Electoral Commission. These would be published by the commission.

Affirmative regulations would be established regarding the limits that could be received in cash or kind.

Registered political parities would be eligible to receive public funding to a prescribed maximum.