Franchise over health: how to decide
THE EDITOR, Madam:
THE ELECTION period in Jamaica is usually accompanied by motorcades, anticipated violence, road accidents, alleged vote buying by politicians and long lines at the polling stations. However, with the upward trend in COVID-19 cases, with Sunday alone recording 245 new cases, the 2020 election will bear a slightly different face. Election protocol for 2020 demands that participants in the process be clad in masks and maintain social distance as best as possible.
The Jamaica 2020 general election is tomorrow. The prime minister, Honourable Andrew Holness, has issued new election protocols – allowing citizens who have tested positive for the COVID19 virus to vote. However, voting period for these persons will be between the hours of 4 p.m. and 5 p.m., an hour before the polling stations close off. Even then, there is the possibility that the health of uninfected persons may be compromised.
While everyone should be given the right to exercise his franchise, the current health crises raise the question: Should the vote matter more than health or do they have an equal bearing?
A day prior to the August 11 announcement of the general election, the country recorded eight new cases, pushing the tally to 1,031, under 1,000 fewer cases than we have today. On an Instagram post on Sunday, August 30, PM Holness, however, expressed satisfaction in the arrangements that have been put in place by the Electoral Office of Jamaica. In the same post, the prime minister also mentioned that, “As a political organisation, we are taking the necessary measures to protect the health of our people, and to protect their livelihoods, while allowing citizens to exercise their democratic rights for the betterment of our beloved country.”
GOING FORWARD
Notably, the Jamaican Constitution makes provision for the citizens’ right to vote to not be infringed upon. Outside of this constitutional right, the current volatile state of the nation beckons for the involvement of each and every citizen in the electoral process. It is of paramount importance that the selected government is best suited to mitigate the effects of the pandemic. However, is the nation prepared to handle the inevitable after effects of having exercised its franchise on September 3?
Going forward, there is in fact a need to consider and to pursue other methods of voting, as opposed to the traditional voting process. Evaluate alternative methods that can be adapted to facilitate a smoother, safer process that are capable of withstanding some of life’s most unexpected and unforeseen events.