IN AN interview, Alfonso Quinonez, OAS Head of Mission, whose team was invited to the Bahamas by the Ingraham government to observe Monday's election, hit the target when he observed that lack of regulated election funding fuelled talk of corruption.

Rumours persisted, he said, of political parties receiving funding at election time from drug dealers and investors seeking favours.

However, Mr Quinonez will have missed the boat if he persists in his initial observation that having been through the constituencies he had had "no reports of any election fraud, vote buying, or voter intimidation".

After voting in St Anne's, we also went through many of the New Providence constituencies and were bombarded in each one with reports of vote buying -- and this time in large dollar amounts. Gone were the days of the 4/- note -- half of the note given to the voter before he went into the polling booth, the other half collected at a secret meeting place after polls were closed. Many voters considered themselves well done by with their 4/- note and bottle of rum.

Not this time. On Monday, we heard mind-boggling sums from $1,000 to $15,000 with even the promise to at least one young person of payment of college fees. Names were being called in at least one district of the men with the money bags - and those who were providing the cash. Money was being wrapped in yellow shirts and folded in yellow caps. Red shirts were coming off in another district. They were being replaced by yellow shirts.

At one station, we were told that many of their supporters had been paid, and a few of their generals had been tempted, one having succumbed. They were expecting another infusion of money into the area later in the day.

"We have observed the process," said Mr Quinonez, "and everything has gone well. Obviously there may be something brought to our attention because there is still some time to go (before the polls close) but so far everything has gone very well."

It is true. The police did a magnificent job. At all the polls we visited, the area was well patrolled and red, yellow and green shirted-voters were mingling without incident.

It is unlikely that anyone would go up to a stranger and complain about bribery. To the casual observer, with each party's flag-festooned tent and tables laden with food, it looked like a public holiday with Bahamians enjoying themselves.

However, we hope that before these observers left they were given information about the wholesale -- and not so secret -- bribery going on. It would be a shame if their report -- written in good faith -- would be allowed to whitewash the shameful truth.

Former FNM Education Minister Desmond Bannister said vote-buying contributed heavily to his loss in North Andros. However, he said, he did not begrudge the opposition its win.

"What contributed to our loss was the prevalence of money on the streets the night before elections and election day," he said.

"On the night before, PLP operatives were up all night vote buying. It was open and obvious. I saw it myself and there's no need to not speak frankly about it. There was a lot of money being spent."

Off the record, another person said that "money lots of it, buying votes, bribery and possible collusion with some of the presiding officers" was the order of the day.

"This was not a regular battle, it was a battle with two people operating by two totally different sets of rules - one that was constrained by reason and legality and the other where anything went.

"We need to move beyond that at this point, accept it as what it is, spend more money that we don't have. Elections shouldn't be won anywhere than on the ground." This was the opinion of another disgusted voter.

We are not surprised. A week before the election reports started filtering into The Tribune about a large sum of money that was about to "hit the streets". We were given the names of the rumoured donors, none of which surprised us. Among them, as the OAS observer told the press, were "investors seeking favours".

There are many Bahamians who do not appreciate the value of their vote. Bahamians are bombarded with news from other countries where people are rioting in the streets for the right to exercise a free ballot. These citizens are risking their lives for free elections, but here in this island nation, Bahamians dance in the streets and sell their precious votes.

The persons bribing have no respect for these less educated Bahamians -- they regard them as mere Bahamians for sale. They are lowly men and women who can be used and abused -- and who willingly rejoice in their profitable abuse. After 174 years from slavery, we are still living with enslaved Bahamians -- men and women who will sell their precious vote for a mess of golden porridge.

This tragedy must stop, and without prosecutions, legislation must be introduced to fix a limit on election donations and spending with financial books that can be opened and officially inspected.