Saturday, October 04, 2014 | 5:15 PM
KINGSTON, Jamaica — The House of Representatives has postponed by a week completion of the debate on the Bill amending the Representation of the People (ROPA) Act.
The Bill seeks to register Jamaican politic parties, after which they will become eligible for annual State funding, for housekeeping expenses of up to 40 per cent of their income from the previous financial year.
The debate was opened on Tuesday by Leader of the House of Representatives Phillip Paulwell and also included contributions from MP Dr DK Duncan, who is also a member of the Electoral Commission of Jamaica (ECJ) which made the recommendation.
Vocal Opposition MP Everald Warmington, who criticised the provisions also made contributions.
“We are not able to provide the basic needs of the poor in this country, yet we want to give poor people money to the electoral commission to finance the political campaign of political parties,” Warmington told the House.
“There is no way that I could, with any justification, support this. I cannot justifiably ask the poor people of South West St Catherine to finance my political campaign,” he added.
Warmington’s outburst has raised concerns about how the bill will pass through both Houses of Parliament. This is primarily due to the fact that Parliament has consistently observed a convention of not changing or rejecting the recommendations of the ECJ in the past.
This fact was vigorously highlighted by both Paulwell and Duncan in their presentations Tuesday. But, it is felt that there are MPs and senators on both sides who may agree with Warmington’s position, which could endanger the tradition.
However, no formal explanation has been given for the delayed completion of the debate, which is expected to continue in the House on October 14.
Balford Henry
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Warmington says it’s unjustifiable to ask the poor to fund political campaigns
