ABLP candidate for St. Mary's South, Dwayne George, has pledged that he will not personally benefit from the constituency allowance if elected, committing instead to place the funds into a dedicated pool for community development projects.
Speaking during an ABS "Know Your Candidate" interview, George said the allowance would be used strictly to uplift residents across the constituency rather than supplement his personal income.
"That constituency allowance would go into a fund and that would be used only for the constituency and only for the uplifting of the people in the constituency," George said.
The pledge raises questions of governance and accountability, as constituency allowances are typically dispensed at the discretion of elected representatives, often without a standardised public reporting framework.
George did not outline a detailed structure for how the proposed fund would be administered. He did, however, point to a range of initiatives that could benefit from the arrangement, including community play parks, a music studio, a vocational training centre, and a state-of-the-art community centre offering day and night care services.
The candidate framed the move as part of a broader philosophy of service, noting that his community work has already been driven by volunteerism rather than personal gain.
"I'm a man of service, so there will be no stipend for me… everything is from the heart," he said, referencing his involvement in programmes such as a bi-weekly soup kitchen and various community outreach efforts.
The proposal may resonate with voters seeking greater transparency in how public funds tied to constituency representation are used. Questions remain, however, about oversight mechanisms — including whether the fund would be independently managed, subject to audits, or publicly reported.
George, who previously served as a senator and junior minister in the Ministry of Finance, argued that his experience within government has equipped him to navigate public systems and secure resources for his constituency while maintaining accountability.
