Democracy is an illusion in Jamaica

THE EDITOR, Madam:

DEMOCRACY, IN simple words, is a way of governing that depends on the will of the people. Given how it is normally practised in Jamaica, the persons who hold political offices are the ones who got the majority of the votes in their divisions at the local-government level or in their constituency at the central-government level. The election of members of municipal corporations and members of parliament in Jamaica has been overwhelmingly based on electors’ preferred party.

It is usual to hear persons saying that if it is a dog that is their party’s representative in their area, that dog will be getting their vote because they want to see their party forming the government. And so when a candidate at any level of government gets elected and decides to no longer serve as a member of the party he/ she represented at his/her election, and there is no consequential election to seek the endorsement of the people, it justifies the usual substitution of the word politics in Jamaica with polytricks. It is a slap in the faces of electors – many of whom have made tremendous personal sacrifices on behalf of their party, including losing their lives.

This practice is a perversion of democracy that I believe we should correct even if we are alone. Although the defection delivers an advantage to the receiving party, it is a blatant betrayal of the people’s trust, which no political party should countenance. Against that background, Jamaica’s model of governance needs some fixing to qualify as a democracy. I believe these are issues that belong on the agenda for constitutional reform.

WINSTON FOSTER

winstonf4321@gmail.com