This content originally appeared on St. Lucia Times.
In recent years, across election campaigns in many Caribbean countries, there has been a quiet yet instructive call for the enactment of campaign finance legislation to regulate and ensure transparency in political financing. This call often arises when citizens pause to interrogate where political parties secure funds for campaigning, particularly the flying in of regionally acclaimed artists and other costly paraphernalia. Such reflection inevitably leads to questions about the trade-offs and business deals that accompany large campaign donations.
