Independent MP Wayne Furbert is calling for a law which would force political parties to disclose financial donations above a certain amount — and reveal where they came from.

The former United Bermuda Party leader has tabled a motion in the House of Assembly which he hopes will get debated before MPs break for Christmas.

The motion reads: "That this honourable House establish a joint select committee to consider political campaign financing legislation to ensure responsibility, accountability and transparency within the political process."

Mr. Furbert told The Royal Gazette yesterday: "We need to become a more mature jurisdiction and most countries — at least the major ones, such as the US, Canada, England and Australia — have campaign financing legislation in place and it allows the parties to be more open, responsible and accountable."

He said at this stage he was simply asking for a cross-party committee of politicians to look at the idea and consider what the threshold amount might be for mandatory disclosure.

In the UK, political parties must declare donations and loans above £5,000 (about $8,300), although this is set to change to £7,500 (about $12,500).

Mr. Furbert said: "We need to look at other legislations that currently exist and I'll be mentioning some when I do the debate. If I'm giving $500,000 to a party, maybe that should be disclosed. We all have to come up with a figure and I haven't got a figure in mind yet."

He urged politicians to think seriously about the idea and not recoil in fear — as many did when UBP MP Trevor Moniz first mooted the idea of a register for members to declare their personal financial interests.

"People thought: 'Why should I want everyone to know my involvement with any contracts I have with Government?'" said Mr. Furbert. "It's right for us to do that now and this is also right. I'm getting some support. How can they vote it down?"

Michael Fahy, from the new Bermuda Democratic Alliance, said his party welcomed any debate dealing with the reform of the Island's political system.

"Whilst the issue of political campaign financing will be debated by the Alliance members at caucus it would be fair to say that guidelines should be drafted and considered," said the former UBP senator.

"In time, the Alliance will be making its own proposals relating to electoral reform based on a way that will reject all forms of corruption in political and public life and will seek a better way through responsible and open government.

"We will be looking for input on this issue from the wider community. In the meantime, the Alliance members of Parliament look forward to hearing Mr Furbert's proposals."

The Premier, Ewart Brown, said the Progressive Labour Party had not yet had an opportunity to discuss the motion. "The Government supports the principle of transparency," he said.

Opposition leader Kim Swan told this newspaper: "We note the tabling of the motion and we need to discuss it at the caucus level."

He said his party would then wait to see specifically what Mr. Furbert had to say when he brings the motion in the House. "Joint select committees are a good way to look at alternative methods," added Mr. Swan.

Mr. Furbert said large sums of money were historically given to the UBP but that there had probably been "a little more balance" in the past decade, since the PLP came to power.

"If we are trying to be more accountable to the public, we need disclosure more than anything else," he said.

This is not the first time the Hamilton West MP has suggested that party financing be opened up to the public. Earlier this year, he called for large donations to political parties to be disclosed in order to remove fears of governments being bought.

He was accused of changing his tune after saying in 2006, when he was UBP leader, that donations would "dry up very fast" if disclosure became the law.

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