IN keeping with its commitment to maintain a high level of transparency, The Citizenship Initiative (TCI) made public its campaign finances, which totalled $2.5M at the end of January.
“When we launched The Citizenship Initiative (TCI) in October of 2019, one of our first commitments was to transparency, particularly in the area of campaign financing. We committed then, and since, to release information on our own campaign finances before and after the elections. Today, we fulfill as promised, the first part of that commitment,” TCI Executive and Founding Member, Shazaam Ally, said in a statement on Tuesday.
The Carter Centre, after observing the 2015 General and Regional Elections, recommended that a campaign financing legislation be introduced to ensure transparency in the sources of funding to contesting political parties. “Guyana should consider establishing and enforcing realistic limits on campaign expenditures to help promote equity, and avoid inequalities in access to resources, which undermine the democratic process,” the Carter Centre had said. To date, there is no campaign financing legislation in place.
However, TCI, in upholding its commitment, has made its finances public. According to the small political party, it received 27 donations amounting to more than $2.5M.
“When we launched, we committed to providing the option of anonymity in the public disclosure of the identity of our donors, even as we retained strict records of each donor, except for any donor committing above US$10,000 or the Guyana Dollar equivalent. Each donor was assigned a separate number and their donations measured in aggregate. No donor has given more than the amount we set so we have exercised the option of providing the donor number and the amount(s) given,” Ally explained. It was noted that the highest aggregate donation came from a US-based supporter with a total donation of GYD$462,000 while the smallest donation was an online contribution of US$10 or GYD $2,100.
For the same period – October-2019 to January, 2020, TCI expended approximately $2M. According to Ally, the party’s primary expenses for October were linked to its launch. “There was no expenditure for November since we used that month primarily for strategic planning. We dedicated the month of December for outreaches, reconnaissance and final candidate and nominator drives in time for nomination day on January 10. We also dedicated funds towards a US outreach that included visits to the Carter Centre Headquarters, as well as small outreach events in Atlanta and New York,” Ally revealed.
Ally said financial disclosure pre and post-election is critical, noting that it is important for the public to have a record of the companies and individuals who influence political parties based on finances provided. Absence of such, she posited, creates room for corruption.
“We believe therefore, that any political entity that is to be taken seriously on promises to transform this country for the betterment of all citizens has to begin with tangible commitments to campaign finance reform, ending in reformed legislation and supporting structures, but beginning with voluntary disclosures. This has been the recommendation of the Carter Center, Transparency Guyana, and CARICOM, and falls under our obligations towards fighting corruption under the United Nations Convention against Corruption to which we are signatory,” Ally said.
By releasing its finances, TCI said it is encouraging participatory citizenship. She said while political campaigns are expensive, it is important for TCI to demonstrate accountability. However, the TCI Founding Member bemoaned the fact that to date, no other party has shown any tangible commitment towards campaign finance transparency or reform.
“In contrast, we have released, as promised, our summary campaign finance information before the actual elections have taken place. This is not a requirement by law but we believe it is a critical measure towards inspiring public confidence in the integrity of political players,” Ally said. TCI is now calling on other political parties to disclose their campaign finances, which is important in the interest of public accountability.
