Dear Editor,
I know a lot of Jamaicans in the Diaspora will be upset with this letter, but it is what it is, and it is not 'badmind'.
I believe former Prime Minister Bruce Golding was the first politician to champion the foolish idea of Jamaicans in the Diaspora being appointed independent senators in the Senate.
I believe that if you are going to be passing laws you should at least live in the country where those laws will be implemented.
Just because you send remittances to your family and loved ones does not mean you have the right to a seat.
I'm happy for all Jamaicans who left this country in order to have a better life, but that doesn't mean you should be unpatriotic by believing you can buy Senate seats.
I also believe that if you are Jamaican-born and have not visited the country in at least 15 years, you should lose the right to vote in Jamaican elections.
Additionally, I am of the opinion that senators should be elected and not selected by their party leaders.
Even if I were to agree that Jamaicans overseas should play a role in our Government, I would not support them holding certain offices.
A politician from the Diaspora should never be prime minister, deputy prime minister, president, vice-president, leader of the Opposition, leader or deputy leader of Government or Opposition business in the House and Senate. Also, that person shouldn't be speaker or deputy speaker of the House or president or deputy president of the Senate and should be barred from voting on constitutional matters.
Teddylee Gray
Ocho Rios, St Ann
teddylee.gray@gmail.com
