By Sue-Ann Wayow
HOW political parties acquire funding and spend it should be public information.
This is according to political leader of the Progressive Empowerment Party (PEP) Phillip Alexander who said the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) of Trinidad and Tobago should be aware of political parties’ transactions.
Alexander in a live video on Tuesday night said the two major parties the People’s National Movement (PNM) and the United National Congress (UNC) were questioning the cost of his party’s membership but nobody was questioning theirs.
He revealed that the PEP since its formation in 2017 had never charged for membership up until 2022 when a fee was introduced.
The PEP asks for a $200 annual membership fee and a $500 lifetime membership fee.
Alexander said his party has been gaining their funding by selling T-shirts, begging for donations which are all accounted for
He said, “We are watching the PNM build a massive structure where Balisier House used to be and nobody knows how they financing that. The FIU should have to clear it and it should be public information because the public should know and the public doesn’t know.”
Alexander continued, “And nobody doesn’t know how the UNC raises funds. We know that in election time, hundreds of millions of dollars are spent by these parties on election campaigns but again, the FIU is non the wiser and nobody knows where this money comes from that these parties spend.”
The new generation of politicians should be to practice total transparency he emphasised.
Finance Minister Colm Imbert in Parlaiment recently laid the FIUTT report for the last financial year stating that some $1.9 billion have been noted by the (FIUTT) in suspicious transactions and activity reports over the last financial year.
The political leader also spoke about his grievances with the handling of finances leading to the deterioration of the nation in the one hour long plus video.
All the issues with basic commodities and utilities could also be avoided with proper strategies and mechanisms in place Alexander said.
He also spoke about his ideas to ensure food security and enhancing the economy.
