By-election campaign finance declarations due May 16

The Electoral Commission of Jamaica (ECJ) yesterday issued reminders to Ann-Marie Vaz and Damion Crawford that disclosures of their Portland Eastern campaign contributions and expenses for the April 4 polls are due by May 16, in accordance with the Representation of the People (Amendment) Act (ROPA) 2016.

The two candidates and their registered political parties are required to make declarations of all expenditure and contributions with the ECJ.

Crawford and Vaz, as well as their agents, must file declarations that “to the best of the candidate’s knowledge and belief, no contribution from any impermissible contributor has been accepted by the candidate during the campaign reporting period”, said the ECJ’s statement yesterday.

The reporting period commences the first day of a campaign period and ends 180 days after the end of the campaign period (March 4, 2019 to September 30, 2019).

The ECJ said candidates are reminded that “… contributions of $250,000 or more must be declared. Under the law, candidates may accept a maximum of $1.5 million from any one donor and are only allowed $15 million in expenditure for their election campaign”.

Both the Jamaica Labour Party and People’s National Party are also required to submit a Campaign Period Expenditure Report by October 1, 2019. Candidates and political parties must submit their final disclosure report of income and election expenditure by October 1, 2019.