It’s been a while since I last made a post and maybe some of
my readers are wondering why is it that the Jamaican Tory seems to have fallen
off the grid, well the fact is that I’m back now and ready to issue the first
post of 2013, which also happens to be the 50th post in this
Jamaican Tory series . So many things have taken place in my absence, so many
incidents I can write on but for now I’ll choose something very close to home.
It concerns some rather controversial comments made by a
prominent member of parliament Everald Warmington from South West St Catherine,
a rather eccentric character known for his wit and flamboyant style but is who also
a true conservative and one of the few members of the present parliament who
has spoken up in support of the monarchy and it’s place in our constitution,
coming in confrontation with certain members of the political left in order to
get his point across. A man some (particularly the left) would consider to be highhanded,
obnoxious and even downright rude but whom I
have come to have respect for due to his conservative views and
uncompromising stance even if his style of doing so is a bit unorthodox, he
seems to have his head on straight, which is why it gives me no great pleasure
to have to criticize him now.
In a speech made to a group of party supporters, he was
reported to have said that "If you don't vote, you don't count,"
basically telling his constituents that those who refuse to exercise their
constitutional right to vote, should not expect to receive any forms of aid
from his constituency office. Naturally these comments sent shock waves across the
island, although it is common knowledge that politicians are hardly the most
respected people in Jamaica, few would dream that an MP would be brazen enough to
make such a statement on national television (in truth a number of politicians
have already adopting this practice of having little dealings or contacts with
those who are no aligned to them or their party, even though they publicly deny
it). Everyone from the media to various civil society groups wasted no time in
villanising Warmington for his comments and to be frank I can’t say I’m shocked
and I doubt he is either, it’s not the first time he’s been on the receiving
end of such angry public backlash for what is considered to be extremely offensive
language which some even goes as far as to say displays his contempt for the
people that he is sworn to serve as member of parliament.
However when the dust settles and all the trash talk is
over, Warmington’s comments does leave room for the nation to debate a very
important issue, should compulsory voting be imposed in Jamaica or not?, some
countries already have this e.g. Australia, Argentina, Singapore, Peru and a
few others, it’s not a whole lot but still there is precedent for it.
This year 2014, will mark the 70th anniversary
that universal adult suffrage was granted in this country and anyone aware of
our history will know perfectly well the hard struggles that our ancestors had
to go through in order to obtain the right to elect their representatives in
free and fair elections, a right which they finally won on October 27, 1944 when His Majesty King George VI gave his royal assent to the new constitution. This Order in Council saw the hosting of the first democratic elections in on December 12 of that same year where every adult subject of
the Crown in Jamaica was entitled to a vote. In his tirade Warmington charged
that those who refuse to vote are in fact refusing to take any interest in the
affairs of the nation and as such should not be entitled to any form of benefits
for their lack of participation, he also called their actions as being
disrespectful to those who gave their blood, sweat and tears to earn a right that
many people now take for granted .
While I do sympathize with Warmington’s point of view, I can
hardly say that I agree, the truth is that, while his comments may have triggered
the calls for a discussion on compulsory voting, I seriously doubt it will go
past the discussion change. If the history of Jamaica is anything to go by then
it’s safe to say, the people will never accept such an imposition from the
government but at the same time nor will they stand for any government that
seeks to deny them the right of this franchise, Jamaicans love their freedom of
choice it's just who we are as a people, in fact the latest Freedom in the world index ranks Jamaica and its Caribbean
Commonwealth partners rather highly on the freedom index, far above any other
group of nations in the developing world and that’s saying something. People nowadays are getting rather disillusioned
with the whole political process and comments like those uttered by Mr.
Warmington only serves to heighten the cynicism among an already disgruntled population,
a call for compulsory voting at this time is most certainly not a good idea, The
Jamaican People simple will not stand for it.
