THE EDITOR, Sir:

DESPITE THE recent controversial statements about Mr Danville Walker, the electoral system made tremendous improvements during his tenure as director of elections. However, I wish to point out that there are lingering inequities in the system.

Take the process of enumeration, for example. The existing system continues to disfranchise many Jamaicans and tribalisation is still highly entrenched in the process. What prevails now is that the political party which wins the enumeration is also likely to win the election. Consequently, the party which can afford to spend more to enumerate its supporters and increase its tribal numbers will win the enumeration and the election.

Enumeration of supporters can cost up to $50,000 per week for those who are serious about winning the enumeration. Those who cannot afford this will not win either the enumeration or the election. Non-tribalised Jamaicans may also be excluded from the process.

Clearly, the Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ) has been unwittingly contributing to the political tribalisation of our country and the marginalisation of our people by allowing the critical process of enumeration to fall into the hands of partisan politicians and their financial backers with large pockets.

As it is, elections can be bought and corrupted even before elections are announced. Regardless of the cost factor involved, an EOJ which is serious about free and fair elections must give serious consideration to these issues.

I am, etc.,

PAUL LYN

pnpnemanchester@yahoo.com

Chairman

PNP NE Manchester Constituency

Christiana, Manchester

Via Go-Jamaica