Voting and democracy

THE EDITOR, Sir:

VOTING IS a necessary feature of democracy. Governments take office solely (or primarily) on the basis of ballots cast in elections. Yet, voting is not as unproblematic as Member of Parliament Delroy Chuck would have us believe (Gleaner, June 6, 2001). For it to have some worth, it must mean something.

Like freelance columnist, Melville Cooke my contemporary, 10 years and two general elections since attaining majority, I have never voted. I don't need to restate here the points Mr. Cooke made only too well in his articles (Gleaner June 15 2001 and July 6, 2001), about why he refuses to vote. I wish, however, to comment on one point to which he alluded: education.

Two weeks ago I listened to a CBC radio broadcast on education, where members of a studio audience pointed out the importance of a healthy public education system, for it was that system that ensured quality citizens who elected quality leaders. This is a point echoed by many who write on democracy and education.

Mortimer Adler, for instance, in a brief article on liberal education and governance on the Internet, stresses that [a liberal education] produces citizens who can exercise their political liberty responsibly.

In Jamaica, a significant portion of the electorate is un-educated or undereducated. That portion, that voting majority, has therefore not been equipped to exercise political liberty responsibly, and has consistently placed in Gordon House people who do little to improve our collective lot. Mr. Cooke's or my voting in general elections will change zilch in that equation.

I refuse to vote in Jamaica in protest against the sociopolitical structure (the alliance between contract givers and contract receivers) which keeps people uneducated, undereducated, dependent and savage in their dealings with one another. To vote in Jamaica is to endorse systems and processes that are contrary to my values of equality, justice, fairplay and industry. In short, to vote in Jamaica is to be anti-democratic.

As a responsible citizen, however, I cannot stop at protest, but must seek to engage the system in ways that will make each citizen's vote meaningful. My personal attempts at engagement come from working with special interest groups, and hopefully, later on, will also come from working in the education system. I urge Mr. Cooke and others like us who refuse to endorse thuggery, bigotry, corruption and the continued underdevelopment of our country to identify areas of political engagement (in the broadest sense) that will take our people to a level where all our votes mean something.

As things stand, Mr. Chuck, my vote or that of Mr. Cooke means nothing. Not when others usually vote for us.

I am etc.,

R. ANTHONY LEWIS

E-mail: newanthony@hotmail.com

University of Montreal

Quebec, Canada

Via Go-Jamaica

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