THE EDITOR, Sir:
THE (PEOPLE'S National Party (PNP) procedure for electing its president leaves me bewildered and bemused. Although millions of dollars are being spent to bring the event to public attention, it is essentially the concern of only about 4,000 'delegates' who are supposed to be voting on behalf of others from whom they get their mandate. However, the stark fact is that each 'delegate' will be voting in secret and, therefore, free to make a personal choice rather than that of the group he/she is supposed to represent.
Throughout the world of conscious people, a delegate is chosen to express the views of a group and the group should be entitled to know whether its wishes are honoured. This cannot be assured in a secret ballot such as the PNP is now conducting. It is not a transparent process and it cannot guarantee that the result reflects the true will of the groups.
Constitutionally, members of the House are delegates chosen to represent the collective will of various constituencies and the House in turn chooses the Prime Minister. However, this democratic process is being undermined by a procedure that begins with a questionable method of electing the leader of a party. When the dust settles and falls from the eyes of the casual observer, we all might find that the next Prime Minister is the choice of 4,000 persons voting secretly on behalf of a group that has no way of knowing whether their wishes are being carried out.
The controversy is compounded by the many charges openly made by candidates that these 4000 are being manipulated by the distribution of money and favours that would normally be regarded as subversion of the electoral system.
I am, etc.,
KEN JONES
alllerdyce@hotmail.com
Via Go-Jamaica
