Campaign Financing - Barbados
As it relates to campaign funding by a candidate, the Representation of the People Act Chapter 12 Section 48 provides as follows:
(1) No sum may be paid and no expense may be incurred by a candidate or election agent at an election whether before, during or after an election, in respect of the conduct or management of the election in excess of the amount specified in subsection (2) and a candidate or election agent who knowingly acts in contravention of this subsection is guilty of an illegal practice.
(2) The amount referred to subsection (1) is the sum of money calculated at the rate of $10 in respect of each registered elector in the constituency.
(3) The said amount shall not be required to cover the candidate’s personal expenses.
(4) In determining the said amount, regard shall not be had to any deposit required to be made by a candidate in accordance with the election rules.
Section 49 provides as follows:
(1) Every claim against a candidate or an election agent in respect of election expenses which is not sent to the election agent within twenty-one days after the day on which the result of the election is declared shall be barred and not paid.
(2) All expenses shall be paid within six weeks after the stipulated period.
(3) Subject to subsection (4), an election agent who pays a claim in contravention of subsection (1) or makes a payment in contravention of subsection (2) is guilty of an illegal practice.
(4) Not withstanding subsection (3), where the candidate satisfies the Court that any such payment was made by an election agent without his sanction or connivance, the election of the candidate shall not be void nor shall he be subject to any incapacity under this Act or under the Election Offences and Controversies Act only because that payment was made in contravention of this section.