The Tribune

By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

FREE National Movement (FNM) chairman Dr Duane Sands insisted the FNM would not reveal its donor list “in isolation” and would only do so if the Progressive Liberal Party did the same.

His comment came after PLP chairman Fred Mitchell downplayed the possibility of campaign finance legislation, claiming neither side can agree on the terms for disclosure.

Pressed about the FNM releasing its list independently, Dr Sands said: “Sure, but I mean, why? Is that certainly something that we would do just out of the blue? Bear in mind that if we are serious about moving this thing forward in the vacuum of a legislative formula, then there are some challenges to doing that. What the leader has made very clear is that he is prepared to do it, but not in isolation.”

In its Blueprint for Change, the PLP promised to introduce rules but has failed to do so.

Dr Sands dismissed the PLP’s blueprint as “nothing more than rubbish”, saying very little of it has guided the governing party’s behaviour over the past three years.

The FNM chairman added that he believed people want to see Freedom of Information, another thing the PLP promised in its manifesto.

“Last year, I made it very clear, don’t hold your breath,” Dr Sands said. “It ain’t going to happen. They’re not interested in information being available to the public that pays taxes and that are basically the bosses of this country. They’re not interested in moving forward a number of progressive pieces of legislation.”

“They’ll talk about it, and the most recent issue where the chairman slash minister, who ought not have a personal opinion when he is speaking for the government, said they ain’t on that run when it comes to campaign reform. Why put it in your Blueprint for Change unless you intended to bamboozle or hoodwink the public?”