Rights and responsibilities of the electorate
by Chester Burgess
A PREVIOUS ARTICLE by me (Tuesday, April 27) examined the role and functioning of the Opposition in the context of a democratic trinity Electorate, Government and Opposition. The present purpose is to explore the rights and possibilities for response on the part of the Electorate, and particularly the responsibility to respond, given the reality that in the final analysis both Government and Opposition are answerable to the Electorate. The Electorate is by definition the totality of persons entitled to vote, consisting of persons falling into three categories those who vote all or most of the time, those who vote sometimes and those who never vote at all, the three classes mentioned in descending order of value to the society. Voting is a responsibility to be taken seriously, for it contributes to a definition of the feelings of the Electorate at a point in time. It is not good enough to vote occasionally the more people vote the better off people can be. Not to vote, of course, assuming no obstacle to reaching the polls, reflects an attitude that ranges from the ridiculous to the asinine and people who decline to vote have no right to expect anything at all from any administration. A first right of the Electorate, therefore, is the provision by Government of arrangements for all persons eligible to vote to be registered as voters. A minimum provision is for places to be designated to which persons may go for registration, such places to be as easy of access as possible. Thereafter, it is the responsibility of the would-be voter to get himself or herself registered. This minimum could prove completely adequate, and does so in many countries. Going beyond this towards some of the measures practised or proposed in Jamaica invites the risks of error or absurdity, to say nothing of astronomic cost. A second right has to do with the provision of an effective electoral system and satisfactory arrangements for election day, which should be like any other day. Voters should be able to go to adequately staffed and properly equipped polling stations and cast their votes without fear or trembling or uncertainty as to the integrity of the ballot machinery. Polling stations should be secure for serving personnel and ballot boxes safe from malpractice or illegal removal. Voters will cast their votes for the party in power for any or any combination of the following reasons, if over the preceding period or periods: It has lived up to expectations, as per manifesto or pre-election promises. It has done better than expected. It promises to do as well or even better in the future. It has not done well, but could be given another chance. The Opposition doesn't seem to have what it takes. The foregoing is, of course, subject to the reality that there will be some voters unalterably committed to the party in power and must vote for it for reasons that may range all the way from the sentimental to those bathed in the pus of corruption. The anti-Government votes will come from those voters who consider that in the preceding period or periods: It has performed no better than in the past. It has performed worse than in the past. It has been given ample opportunity and has fallen short. It has demonstrated that it will only do worse if given another opportunity. The Opposition seems to make more sense. Here, again, there will be voters irreconcilably opposed to what the party in power stands for and/or the means it employs to achieve its objectives. In any event, the political history of democracies reveals that in the overwhelming majority of cases of change of party in power this has come from electorate disillusionment and dissatisfaction with the Government of the day, and expression of the conviction that it must be replaced. Vigilance Given the constant confrontation between Government and Opposition, the vigilant and demanding electorate must be rational as far as its expectations are concerned, the same applying to its assessment of the performance and pretensions of the contending parties. Some countries are more generously endowed than others with natural advantage, such as mineral resources like gold, silver, diamonds or oil; large domestic markets, facilitating economies of scale; geographical relationship to important markets; non-dependence on special treatment from former colonial masters; economic potential capable of fostering acceptable social services such as education for the development of expertise and entrepreneurship and freedom from natural disasters such as hurricanes. In these respects Jamaica is not particularly fortunate, so the Jamaican Electorate cannot expect to enjoy, as a matter of course, the prosperity and living standards that prevail in those countries. However, and this is where assessment and evaluation of the competing Government and Opposition come into play, all Electorate thinking must converge on the cardinal question of whether the best is being down with what is available. This must not be confined to the requirements of today, but must focus additionally on the expectations for tomorrow, in the light of developments at home and abroad. In such a process Jamaican electors, individually and in groups great and small, would be expected to zero in on certain important areas and sub-areas of policy and performance, actual and potential, of which the following are illustrative: Foreign policy alignment with the right countries and causes. Macro-economic development national income growth, investment, foreign trade, employment, interest rates, inflation, national debt, budgetary financing. Economic sectors tourism plagued by harassment and the prospect of post-Castroism competition, uncompetitive productivity in agriculture and industry, instability in the financial sector. Social services education, health, public transportation, civil service performance. Law and order uncontrolled public demonstrations, sidewalk vending, squatting, disgraceful motorist behaviour, abominable loudspeaker volume by day and night. Posture of Government accountability, attitude towards corruption, credibility, openness, shilly-shally. And then, after the evaluation, the Electorate will determine whether Government should continue in office or yield place to the Opposition, and vote accordingly. Thereafter, the future will have begun. Chester Burgess is an Honorary Director of the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce. 
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