THE INEVITABLE speculation about the date of the impending General Election is on in earnest. The Prime Minister himself who has the power to 'fly the gate' sparked the guessing in the first place by declaring that the election will take place this year, even though it could be delayed to March next year.
And within the last week he has told the executive of his ruling party that they should now assume an "election mode" even though that does not necessarily mean that campaigning should start immediately.
That teasing tactic has evoked a typical Seaga prediction. The Opposition Leader told a campaign meeting in St. Catherine last Sunday that the Government will be forced to call the election between March and April to avoid having to present an unfavourable Budget. This arises, he declares, because the heavy FINSAC debt would have to be accommodated, requiring heavy taxation which would be bad for election purposes.
At this stage the electoral bureaucracy joins the debate. Director of Elections Danville Walker told The Gleaner on Tuesday that the machinery is not ready for an early election.
In a laudable drive to rid the electoral personnel of party activists the Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ) launched a recruitment drive last November aimed at getting some 25,000 volunteers as election workers. Thus far only some 8,000 persons have volunteered. It is felt that most people are fearful of the potential for violence that has marred the voting of past elections.
In addition volunteers would have to be adequately trained to fill their roles on election day. An early poll would not leave sufficient time for such an exercise, Mr. Walker says.
The views of the EOJ must weigh heavily in the date ultimately chosen by Prime Minister Patterson. For the objective must be an election fair and free of the skulduggery of the past.
THE OPINIONS ON THIS PAGE, EXCEPT FOR THE ABOVE, DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE VIEWS OF THE GLEANER.
