Earlier in the news, you saw our interview with Minister of Natural Resources Godwin Hulse about his trip up to the Mason Mansion on Intelco Hill. Though Hulse says that he has never met the man, we know that at least 5 of his cabinet colleagues were friendly to, or acquainted with Mason: so far three of them have publicly admitted to this. And while public perception is one thing, the fact of the matter is that politicians cultivate wealthy friends, because politics is a money game, and those who don’t have it, can’t play, or maybe, we should say, they can’t win!
Yesterday we asked the PUP leader about committing to campaign finance reform and accountability, and he gave us a feeble “wait and see†answer. But today we asked Godwin Hulse about it. Ever the reformer, how does he feel about limiting the influence that private business persons can exert on the political matrix?:
Mike Rudon
"I want to ask you about the importance of that if you are a supporter of campaign finance reform. And also the integrity commission; there has been a call for the integrity commission."
Hon. Godwin Hulse - Minister of Immigration
"The problem with the integrity commission is trying to get a qualified accountant so we might have to change the rules because as you know under this whole FIU regime nobody wants to serve that has been that problem. But campaign financing I fully agree with you. Now I believe firmly that people will give monies you see it in the US but it should be given to the party it should be given to the national executive whom then manages it in a process that is accountable. Nobody is ever going to come to god knows and give me no money. In fact I have a story where somebody came and I sent him down to Belcan and say I call Miss Pearl and I said a good philanthropist wants to make a donation collect it from him and give him a receipt. That's the way it should work."
Mike Rudon
"So there is no move at this point to deal with the integrity commission?"
Hon. Godwin Hulse - Minister of Immigration
"There is, they are hoping to reconvene it but then again it’s to find somebody who would want to serve under the regulation that you must have a member of the accountants association, certified accountant and that’s the hold up."
Campaign finance regulations are not common in the Caribbean.
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