Georgetown : Leader of the Opposition and Chairman of A Partnership for National Unity Brigadier David Granger has called for greater citizens’ representation in Caribbean electoral politics. He made this call while participating in a two-day regional forum on “strengthening regulation of political parties and political financing systems in the Caribbean.”
The forum, sponsored by the Organisation of American States and the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance brought together representatives from government and opposition parties from 14 CARICOM states on Wednesday 8th and Thursday 9th May in Bridgetown, Barbados.
Granger, reacting to the ‘Draft Model Law on the Regulation of Political Parties and Political Financing Systems’ advanced by the OAS, suggested that, at this time, emphasis should be placed on strengthening ‘representation’ of citizens rather than ‘regulation’ of parties.
Granger pointed out that Caribbean constitutions guaranteed freedom of association and the political system should aim at reinforcing, rather than restricting, that freedom.
He added that, in the case of Guyana, the governing party’s overbearing control and abuse of the state media, access to transportation assets to travel to the hinterland, excessive powers of the head of state in the hybrid presidential-parliamentary system and the risk of contamination of the political process by ‘dirty money’ from the drug trade needed to be addressed.
The forum was declared open by Prime Minister of Barbados Freundel Stuart and was addressed by OAS Secretary General Mr José Miguel Insulza.
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