By Sandor Panton, Contributor
THE GENERAL elections last week did more than result in the PNP getting an unprecedented fourth term as Government. Importantly also, it highlighted the increasing importance of the Internet to Jamaicans living abroad. While many Jamaicans abroad still rely on overseas editions of The Gleaner, a quick telephone call home or even a letter sent via 'snail mail' to keep informed with happenings on the island, it was the Internet which many thousands overseas used to get an almost blow-by-blow description of news and happenings across the island as election day progressed.
From chat rooms to message boards, to fully dedicated election web sites, throughout election day it seemed that just about anyone living abroad was logging on to get the latest news and results. Live streaming audio feeds were often full to capacity; web site servers were being hammered with millions of simultaneous hits; chat rooms and message boards were abuzz with discussions, debates and predictions; e-mails with election-related jokes, pictures and news flew from one side of the globe to the other in mere seconds. Online election fever was in full effect.
For many, whether in Jamaica or abroad, the Internet has become a way of life. Some Internet users have come to rely on the vast amount of information available online, while others may even consult the Web before making dramatic life changing decisions such as buying a house or car. So why, especially on the occasion of this election, was the Internet such an important communication medium for Jamaicans overseas?
An obvious reason is the real time nature of the Internet. The Internet allowed people to get real time updates, whether from a web site such as The Gleaner's Jamaica-Elections.Com that was updated throughout the day, from radio stations such as Power 106 and Radio Jamaica which were streamed live on the Internet or via a live online chat with someone in Jamaica who was watching or listening to the updates on television or radio.
Cost was also a major factor. Average Internet access charges in the USA and Canada are typically in the range of US$10 to US$35 per month. At that rate, people could log on all day on election day, getting the latest news and updates for a fraction of what it would cost if instead they were to pick up the phone and call friends or family to find out what was happening.
The next most important factor is the convenience of the Internet itself. The Internet and all its resources is always there, so as long as your own connection to it is up and running, you can access the available information at your own convenience. On the job (while on a quick break), at school (in between classes) and at home (during regular TV ad breaks), persons could log on to the Internet to get an update, then quickly get back to whatever they were doing without much of an interruption.
With the growing integration of the Internet into our day-to-day lives, one wonders when (not if), online voting in general elections will become the norm.
