IMANI SEH SHE NAH BUY VOTE

Imani denies small business loan scheme is vote-buying

IMANI Duncan-Price has scoffed at claims that a micro-business loan programme she has introduced in central Kingston is an under-hand attempt to “buy” votes in her bid to become the next Peoples’ National Party (PNP) representative in the constituency.

Duncan-Price, who will on Saturday face off with Raymond Pryce, Paul Buchanan, Donald Jackson and Joan Porteous in a selection contest, on Tuesday launched the Central Kingston Small Business Fund which she said was designed to provide funding and guidance for the micro-business operators in the constituency.

But there were immediate howls of protest from supporters of some of her opponents who charged that it is unethical to promises money to attract votes.

Among the critics was attorney-at-law Jennifer Housen, who is backing Pryce in the race.

In a social media post, Housen questioned the absence of the interest rates and details of the contracting nature of the loans on the application forms that have been given out in the constituency.

She also questioned the timing and the haste of the application process and charged that the deadline for those applying for the Duncan-Price loans is hours before the selection is slated to get underway.

“We simply must ensure that election races do not result in candidates sailing dangerously close to the wind,” said Housen.

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“Apparently free money as an enticement is to be abhorred,” added Housen as she called on the party’s general secretary Julian Robinson to address the matter.

But Duncan-Price told the Jamaica Observer that the allegations of vote buying were unfortunate and unfounded.

“I am not being accused of vote buying by anybody on the ground, I am being accused of vote buying by competitors,” argued Duncan-Price as she dismissed the allegation.

“The launch of the Central Kingston Small Business Fund and the opening of the application process at this time was done to indicate a seriousness of commitment to uplifting the small business entrepreneurs in central Kingston,” added Duncan-Price.

She said her work in central Kingston has shown her that many of the small business operators in the constituency are having problems operating either because they need a cash injection or they need business advice.

“So I decided to invest my own funds [of] $1 million to seed the fund and another $1 million from Jamaicans abroad to get it going and then go for more to have it reach $3 million by the end of July.

“Because of the fact that over the many years politicians tend to make promises… there is a growing cynicism and mistrust for promises so I wanted to be able to indicate to the residents of central Kingston that I am serious,” said Duncan-Price.

She underscored that the deadline for the applications is not this Friday as alleged but instead June 28, which is after the people decide.

According to Duncan-Price, there is no interest rate on the applications as is standard in the banking sector because this will depend on several factors, including the credit history of the borrower and the type of business that they are operating.

She added that the loan programme is not depending on whether she gets the nod of the delegates.

“I have spoken to the sitting Member of Parliament Ronald Thwaites and I have told him that if I don’t continue, in the off-chance that I lose on Saturday, it would further build the mistrust and cynicism in the Jamaican people and that is not my objective.

“If in the off-chance that I don’t win, I will still go ahead with the programme in central Kingston but I would not necessarily focus all the funds there, it would spread across similar communities in Kingston and St Andrew,” said Duncan-Price.