While Jamaican taxpayers eagerly await the total cost of the bill being footed for Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Kamina Johnson Smith’s bid for the post of secretary general of the Commonwealth, it appears the Government has forked out US$99,000 (approximately J$15 million) for public relations services for their candidate.
According to a news report by the New York-based communications firm, O’Dwyer’s, Finn Partners is “providing PR, media relations and thought leadership services to Kamina Johnson Smith, who is Jamaica’s minister of foreign affairs and trade.”
The article added that, “Finn Partners has a three-month $99K contract with Johnson Smith that expires June 30.”
The article was published on Friday, June 10.
There have been questions about the cost of Johnson Smith’s campaign to unseat Baroness Patricia Scotland for the post of Commonwealth General Secretary.
In a statement on Monday, June 6, the minister declared that there were no secrets surrounding her campaign.
She stressed, too, that there was no financial influence from other nations, as she travels to various countries to gather support for her bid.
“As I previously advised publicly, travel costs are being met through the budget of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other support is being provided by the Office of the Prime Minister. Furthermore, no financing has been provided by any other government,” she then said.
“There are no secrets around the financing of this campaign. We remind fully committed to transparency and accountability. The cost of the campaign will therefore be reported at the campaign’s conclusion,” she advised.
The Government of Jamaica is yet to respond to the international article confirming its authenticity, or whether the price tag listed is indeed correct.
The O’Dwyer’s article claimed that, Finn Partners has, in the past, done work for the Government of Jamaica.
“It used to represent Jamaica tourism but resigned that account, which is now at Lou Hammond Group, in 2021.
“Finn Partners took on The Bahamas following the split with Jamaica,” the article stated.
The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting is slated for Kigali, Rwanda, and will begin on Monday, June 20 until Friday, June 25.
The highly anticipated elections are to take place on June 23.
