The Editor, Sir:

I am writing this letter in response to your editorial 'The downside of fixed election dates'.

Based on the system of government in Jamaica and on the Constitution, elections are to be called every five years. That means that by a certain date in 2012, there will have to be a general election.

That, in my humble opinion, means that there is a fixed date for elections and that has always been the case.

I am aware that, as things now stand, the present government could choose to call an early election and that would throw the idea of a fixed-date election (i.e. the date for the next 'normally' scheduled election) off schedule.

Still, I see nothing wrong with the notion of a fixed-date election. The idea should not be to have an election on a certain date but to have it on the first, say, Monday, of a particular month. Therefore, elections could be anywhere from the first through the seventh of a particular month.

It may not address all the issues, but it would take away from the prime minister the ability to decide when the nation should vote.

This also points out why the Westminster-model government/constitution needs to be either amended or totally changed, but that's for another time.

I am, etc.,

TREVOR DAWES

trevordaws@bellsouth.net

McDonough, GA