Try on electoral systems for size

Dear editor: There has been so much hype on the controversial FPTP/PR issue from TV, the press, politicians, next door neighbors and yes, the proverbial spin-doctors. Who’s right? Which way do we go? Which system is better?

The information that we have read or otherwise seen seems to be as convoluted as a Bgrade movie plot.

Maybe a better way to try to understand the FPTP/PR issue is to use an example of clothing as a vehicle. Maybe a sweater analogy might work here. Think of each of the aforementioned as a sweater.

The FPTP sweater, we all seem to know about and, for the most part, understand. As a sweater, it comes in one colour, one-sizefits-all and we have come to live with it and know how it fits. True, we may not like the colour, we may not like the look, we may not always like to wear it but this is what we have worn for some time.

On the other hand, the PR sweater comes in plaid, persimmon, blue, black and sundry other colours. It comes in different sizes and styles. For the most part, one size does not fit all, even though the market says that it does.

The FPTP sweater does not need much promotion by the manufacturers as it has been common for so long it doesn’t need the hype.

The PR sweater is hyped up by the manufacturers in such a way that not only do we not know what colour looks good us, we don’t know what size will fit right and we don’t know what pattern (if any) is suitable.

So what’s the answer you might ask? The jury is still out on this one. There seems to be too many convoluted stories, ideas, statements of benefit one over the other and such to make an informed decision.

One fact to note, however: 90 countries are using PR or some form of PR and none has gone back.

The whole presentation of these two systems as promoted through all media sources would seem to be the proverbial crap shoot. Let your conscience be your guide might not