Email

Print

All the news recently has been about which UDP Minister accepted twenty five thousand US dollars monthly from Lev Dermen, the Armenian accused of defrauding the US government of almost half a billion dollars. 

And, while Prime Minister Dean Barrow has said he will fire whoever is implicated in evidence that comes out of the trial in Utah, the fact is, there’s no crime committed.  That’s because with no campaign finance laws, there’s nothing wrong with a politician accepting tens of thousands of dollars in contributions - many times in cash.  That’s how politics runs all over the world - it’s a big money game - and, often times, it’s a deciding factor in close political races.

So, politicians have to amass huge war chests and they don’t have to tell anyone how much is in that chest or who they got it form.  It’s a major weakness in the system and we asked the PUP’s Kareem Musa - who presents himself as a progressive - if he would disclose his source of campaign financing.  Here’s that conversation:…

Jules Vasquez

"What is at the root of all this speculation is the fact that politicians, we must be real, deal in very large sums of money because running a political operation is expensive and elections are even more expensive. People spend, politicians spend and you know this, 100s of thousands of dollars on election day. I am saying, until we have campaign finance reform where it is illegal to accept donations without disclosure, then we will continue to have situations where politicians take nice shoe boxes full of money and go about their business. That is how the game is set up."

Kareem Musa - PUP Area Rep.

"I am 100% in agreement with you Jules."

Jules Vasquez

"You agree with it in principle that finance reform is needed, sir in order to do the right thing, we don't need to wait for a law to tell us, you can go ahead. Would you volunteer and start disclosing your campaign finance sourcing and funds?"

Kareem Musa

"Absolutely and I thought you were going to as whether I would propose a private members bill, which an even more adventurous way of doing it and I think that should get a lot of support."

Jules Vasquez

"But you've already made a commitment, that you would do it."

Kareem Musa

"Yes I have no problem with that."

Jules Vasquez

"Because I am going to hold you on record because Mr. Briceno tell me long time, he showed me his bank account even."

Kareem Musa

"Yes I can show you Jules but you won't be very impressed."

We will follow up with Musa once the campaign season starts.