Dear Editor,
Approximately 46 per cent of Jamaica's voting age population actually participates. In Barbados 69 per cent, Trinidad 77 per cent, United Kingdom 61 per cent, and United States 55 per cent; Dominican Republic with compulsory voting 58 per cent, and Cuba almost 90 per cent without compulsory voting.
For the 1980 General Election in Jamaica the voting went up to in excess of 80 per cent, why this happened is worthy of investigation.
I have some sympathy for the Member of Parliament Everald Warmington's statement "no vote, no benefits". The wider issue is that thousands of well-to-do and/or educated intellectuals from upper, lower and middle-income groups do not participate in the electoral processes, and are partly to blame for some of the ongoing socioeconomic and cultural decay in Jamaica. Their lack of participation has left governance to be decided by many ignorant, illiterate misfits and morons, some even outright criminals. By not voting, he or she has voted for nothing and could end up with anything, including nothing. That, however, could be construed as their constitutional parasitic right whether they vote or not.
Not voting is dangerous to the survival of a vibrant democracy.
The Leader of the Opposition Mr Andrew Holness says he supports compulsory voting; that seems quite impractical at this time. But such a view could be bolstered by an active educational programme, even being a part of the new civics syllabus with an emphasis on being a great citizen.
Warmington is no hypocrite. He never hides the stick and hits you; not always a politically correct wild card, always very successful at the polls, makes his points passionately and we should encourage further debate, understanding and analysis. I am advocating that we should all wake up and vote on election day.
If we do not vote one day we could end up with criminal executive officers as ministers, having recently just graduated from St Catherine district prison with honours and distinctions in murder, gang management, extortion, rape, money laundering and a host of other criminal specialisations.
Michael Spence
micspen2@hotmail.com
The right to vote or not
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Approximately 46 per cent of Jamaica's voting age population actually participates. In Barbados 69 per cent, Trinidad 77 per cent, United Kingdom 61 per cent, and United States 55 per cent; Dominican Republic with compulsory voting 58 per cent, and Cuba almost 90 per cent without compulsory voting.
For the 1980 General Election in Jamaica the voting went up to in excess of 80 per cent, why this happened is worthy of investigation.
I have some sympathy for the Member of Parliament Everald Warmington's statement "no vote, no benefits". The wider issue is that thousands of well-to-do and/or educated intellectuals from upper, lower and middle-income groups do not participate in the electoral processes, and are partly to blame for some of the ongoing socioeconomic and cultural decay in Jamaica. Their lack of participation has left governance to be decided by many ignorant, illiterate misfits and morons, some even outright criminals. By not voting, he or she has voted for nothing and could end up with anything, including nothing. That, however, could be construed as their constitutional parasitic right whether they vote or not.
Not voting is dangerous to the survival of a vibrant democracy.
The Leader of the Opposition Mr Andrew Holness says he supports compulsory voting; that seems quite impractical at this time. But such a view could be bolstered by an active educational programme, even being a part of the new civics syllabus with an emphasis on being a great citizen.
Warmington is no hypocrite. He never hides the stick and hits you; not always a politically correct wild card, always very successful at the polls, makes his points passionately and we should encourage further debate, understanding and analysis. I am advocating that we should all wake up and vote on election day.
If we do not vote one day we could end up with criminal executive officers as ministers, having recently just graduated from St Catherine district prison with honours and distinctions in murder, gang management, extortion, rape, money laundering and a host of other criminal specialisations.
Michael Spence
micspen2@hotmail.com
The right to vote or not
-->