Prime Minister Bruce Golding has praised the development of Caribbean electoral systems but urged governments not to become complacent.

"We make an error if we ever become complacent. We can't take our eyes off it," said Golding. "The electoral process will always be at risk and we always have to be on the alert."

Golding further said that governments should always recognise that the system will always be in need of modernisation to keep pace with technological developments, which will make it more immune to manipulation.

The prime minister was speaking on November 7 at the opening of the third general meeting of the Association of Caribbean Electoral Organisations at the Jamaica Conference Centre in downtown Kingston.

Proper manner

The two-day meeting was presented by the Organisation of American States, the International Foundation for Electoral Systems and the Electoral Office of Jamaica. Participants were drawn from Jamaica and several other countries in the region including Belize, Dominican Republic, Guyana, Grenada and Trinidad and Tobago.

Golding noted that Jamaica's focus so far has been on registration of voters and the actual conduct of elections to ensure that voters can exercise their franchise in a proper manner.

However, he said there were a number of areas of concern that needed attention. Those concerns include the issue of political financing as he noted that money and other forms of resources can impact positively or undermine the system.

Other issues are the expenditure of political parties, the sources of political donations and state financing of electoral campaigns.

The prime minister also highlighted the role of the media and the extent to which it assists or serves to undermine and even corrupt the process.

Political process

He said the Electoral Commission and allied entities were the custodians of the system, but urged ordinary Jamaicans to get more involved in the political process.

Golding also said the Government was also looking at a number of recommendations being developed by the Electoral Commission, which will involve a regulatory framework in which political parties have to become legal entities. He said the question of disclosure and reporting requirements are being considered. These have not been ratified as yet as Parliament is awaiting the recommendations.

"In making those decisions, we have to be careful that we don't overprescribe. These are delicately connected issues, which have to be separated. These issues should be on the screen and discussed during your deliberation over the next two days.

"They are important issues if we are to move our electoral practices forward to meet the new challenges," Golding concluded.