Godwin Hulse Weighs in on Campaign Financing

Godwin Hulse

Frank ‘Papa’ Mena received ten thousand dollars from Mason toward his by-election campaign. At least he says it was only ten thousand. According to Prime Minister Dean Barrow, no other Cabinet minister received any monies, or at least they say they didn’t. There’s really no way of telling. For example, John Saldivar has admitted that he got a contribution for the Belmopan Bandits. And multiple sources claim that Mason contributed to Minister Faber’s campaign for Deputy Leader, a report that Faber denies. It is now well known that Mason threw him a grand reception when he was sworn in as DPM.  But where campaign financing is concerned, there’s no real record keeping. There’s been a protracted call for campaign finance reform, perhaps with oversight from an Integrity Commission which doesn’t exist.

Godwin Hulse, Minister of Immigration

“The problem with the Integrity Commission is trying to get qualified accountants, so we might have to change the rules because under the FIU regime nobody wants to serve. That has been the problem. But campaign financing I fully agree with you. You know I believe firmly that people will give monies. You see it in the US, but it should be given to the Party, it should be given to the National Executive who then manages it in a process that is accountable. Nobody is ever going to come to Godwin Hulse and give me any money, in fact I have a story where somebody came and I sent him down to BelChina and called Ms. Pearl and said a good philanthropist wants to make a donation. Connect it from him and give him a receipt. That’s the way it should work.”