Panton bankrolled PPM

| 18/07/2013

(CNS): The financial services minister contributed a whopping CI$183K to the Progressives’ successful bid for office, making him the top donor in an election campaign that appears to have been financed largely by the candidates themselves. According to documents detailing the 2013 General Election expenses, Wayne Panton, the former partner with Walkers made the largest contribution but in most cases the candidates rather than wealthy donors were the source of much of the more than $1 million spent on campaigns in the eight weeks before the poll. The law only requires the candidates to detail their spending from Nomination Day to the election and declare donations over $5,000.

What candidates spend and collect before that time does not have to be revealed, but according to the details of the period in question, there were only a few campaign contributions made by wealthy individuals or corporate donors.

The PPM collected $10,000 from Caribbean Marine Services, party supporter Robert Watler gave $8,200, Gene Thompson chipped in $7,000, while Chris Johnson and John McKenzie gave $5,000 each. The rest of the party’s large donations came from candidates. Aside from Panton’s major contribution, Anthony Eden threw in almost $11,000, Joey Hew stumped up over $22,000, Kurt Tibbetts put in $10,000 and Ray and Jackie Farrington gave $5,000 towards the more than $336,000 the party spent.

The UDP gave no indication of any individual donors but listed receiving more than $45,000 from “National”, a collective $5,000 from the George Town candidates and $8,000 from the West Bay team. Meanwhile, the Bodden Town UDP hopefuls chipped in the most towards the UDP bill of some $225,000, with Theresa Lewis Pitcairn and Chris Saunders donating $10k and $6k respectively.

Only Rolston Anglin from the PNA admitted to a major donation of over five thousand, which was $12,300 from Marcus Cumber.

Stefan Baraud, who ran for office in George Town as an independent, revealed a collection of corporate and individual donations amounting to around $30,000 of the more than $60 that he collected. He received $5,000 from Baraud International, $6,560 from Rafiki Ltd and Jean Louis David gave $8,200. Mark Vendervelde gave Baraud his largest individual donation of $10,000.

For more on election expense see related story on CNS and visit the elections office website www.electionsoffice.ky

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  1. Anonymous says:

    While everyone congratulates Mr Panton for putting close to $200,000.00 toward the election who all these back slappers be saying the same if Dart put $200,000.00 into a political party?

    Clearly there needs to be election law contribution caps to protect the process.

  2. Rock Iguana says:

    Mr. Panton deserves a great deal credit for using his own funds. He saw the PPM as the preferred option and went all in. If the millionaire members of C4C had displayed the same level of belief and outlay of their own cash, they might have got more of their team in.

    The more important question is who funded the UDP/PNA and why? Now those deep pockets have a lot to answer for. Perhaps they consider a downward slide the better way forward.

  3. Anonymous says:

    Thank you for generous giving Mr. Panton. This country is a better place because of people like you.

  4. The lone haranguer rides again! says:

    That's called putting your money where your mouth is. Long live capatilism!

  5. Anonymous says:

    Hats off to Mr. Panton, knowing his father he is following in his footsteps  Cayman has to be proud to have a gentleman like this.  All the best to him and I will thank him on behalf of Bodden Town even if it was given to PPM Bodden Town will still benfit. I think you are doing a great job.

    Darleen

    • Anonymous says:

      There's something about "even if it was given (to the) PPM" that intrigues me. Care to expand?

  6. Anonymous says:

    What I'd like to know is what these people expect to get in return for supporting one party over another. Or will they claim its a free lunch and they won't receive any favouritism in return? Everyone knows there is no such thing as a free lunch. 

    • Anonymous says:

      Mr Panton obviously did not like what the UDP were doing to the country so decided to help finance an alternative to save the future of the Cayman Islands. Hats off to you sir.

       

    • Anonymous says:

      Just "GOOD GOVERNANCE" for a change is all we expect. Unlike the last lot of corrupt, greedy people of self interest.

      • And another ting says:

        Not them contributors, go back in our history and see how they and even some parents supported government in power and look at how they benefited. Lets not kid ourselves, those who have must in their minds control the government not for he people's benefit but for their own. Altruism is not in their vocabulary. And another ting.

  7. Raffaelle says:

    There has never been an election that cannot be bought, I hope it was worth it for some? our financial industry seem to have been the real prize that was given away to our colonial masters who in return sold it to put themselves in good standing with their European cohorts. Whilst we got a overdraft facility increase on our debt margin. Seems fair now does it? Thanks Juju for setting us UP, and collecting that big Speaker salary for doing it

  8. Anonymous says:

    Pay cut time for all of them lead by example

    • Anonymous says:

      Don't hold your breath on that one, friend. You'll be long gone before that ever happens. The trough is mighty difficult to back away from. They just keep chompin', it's the nature of the beast.

  9. Peanuts says:

     

    Mr. Panton unlike others, did the right and proper thing by being transparent and his honorable action to declare all donations to the party of his choice. Mr. Panton a born Caymanian did in public what he had every right to do. What I would like to see is other large donations from dubious quarters exposed.

    Mr. Panton’s funding of the campaign has made sure that the PPM is not obligated to any oversized rapacious insatiable vulture, or others seeking to buy favors. Every right thinking Caymanian should be thankful for his patriotism. I thank you Mr. Panton for that and for supporting OMOV. 

  10. Anonymous says:

    Money talks…

  11. Anonymous says:

    I feel sorry for Minister Wayne Panton. Now all those that think it’s the MLAs job to support their (unsustainable) lifestyles will be at his doorstep at every moment.

    Remember this folks, it’s HIS hard earned money. None of it was taken from the government coffers.

  12. Anonymous says:

    WOW!!!! Wayne can you be my BFF?

  13. Anonymous says:

    Money buys election victories everybody knows that 

  14. B. N. Onneste says:

    Well….  It IS a democracy.   If the politicians give things like money and appliances, etc for votes, why can't the connivers give money to the politicians for "favors"?  Isn't that the way it works?

    • Anonymous says:

      Well it certainly didn't work for me. I applied for a duel-voltage wine-cooler (for use in the U.K. upon my return, where they have 240V) and got zero response.