The prime ministerﾴs personal assistant, Dr. Elliston Rahming, said Tuesday he would be surprised if the financial contributions made to the Progressive Liberal Party by Iranian businessman Mohammed Harajchi during the 2002 election campaign exceeded $500,000.
He also said that Prime Minister Perry Christie is pushing for campaign finance reform.
Dr. Rahming, who said he was ﾓintimatelyﾒ involved in the last campaign, was a guest on the radio Love 97 programme ﾓIssues of The Dayﾒ, with host, Jeff Lloyd.
ﾓIﾴm being somewhat generous in giving that figure,ﾒ he said. ﾓLetﾴs face it. He produced less than $200,000 worth of receipts. If you have given $10 million and you can only produce $200,000, that within itself should put an end to the discussion and show him as the fallacious person that he is.ﾒ
He claimed that Mr. Harajchi was telling an untruth when he claimed he contributed $10 million to the PLP.
ﾓHe told the truth when he said he made a contribution to the PLP; that is true,ﾒ Dr. Rahming said. ﾓHe didnﾴt tell the truth when he didnﾴt say he made contributions to other parties as well.ﾒ
Last week, at his Paradise Island home, Mr. Harajchi held a press conference where he personally attacked members of the Cabinet.
He alleged that he financed the restoration of the PLPﾴs headquarters on Farrington Road, and in response to a question, declined to flat out deny that he renovated the home of the Prime Minister Perry Christie.
Since then several government officials, including Prime Minister Christie and the Deputy Prime Minister, have gone on the record refuting Mr. Harajchiﾴs claims.
While on the show, Dr. Rahming noted that ﾓOur Planﾒ, the document produced by the PLP during the 2002 campaign, speaks of the need for campaign finance reform.
Under the headline ﾑConstitutional Reformﾴ, the Plan says, ﾓThe Constitution ought to provide that Parliament may prescribe by law for open and fairness in procedure for the funding of parties at elections both local and national. There ought to be prescribed national limits on party political expenditure with appropriate penalties.ﾒ
Dr. Rahming said Prime Minister Christie is hoping that this be enshrined in the countryﾴs constitution and laws.
ﾓHe is not playing when he talks about the need for campaign reform,ﾒ he said. ﾓIn fact he has said over and over in private conversations that itﾴs absurd how parties go about raising monies in The Bahamas to compete because this whole thing is about political contributions.ﾒ
Dr. Rahming continued, ﾓThe PLP has always competed against a financial giant, which the FNM is at election time.ﾒ
Asked if PLP would reveal the total worth of its campaign, Dr. Rahming said it would only do so if other parties would do the same.
Yvette Rolle-Major, The Bahama Journal
