Vernon Daley

It is the season of politics. And with politics, come political polls.

The last survey I glanced at showed a statistical dead heat between the governing People's National Party and the Opposition Jamaica Labour Party.

I'll leave the analysis of the numbers to more interested men. But I can't help wondering what would be the fate of this country if the next elections were to end in a 'draw'. We have 60 constituencies and it is not inconceivable that the major parties could pick up 30 seats apiece.

The issue looms large especially in a context where we are being told, by those who are presumed to know, that there is a real possibility of violence in the elections due this year.

Given our turbulent political history and our tendency to resolve disputes by the most primal means, a tie at the polls is a terrible thought. We have been fortunate to escape that situation to date but this bucket has been going to the well for a very long time. The luck has to run out at some point.

It's funny how we make a big fuss about something for a while and then forget all about it afterwards.

In 2001, when Trinidad and Tobago ran into trouble after the two major parties there won 18 seats each, there was a big discussion here that we needed to take urgent steps to ensure the situation did not happen in Jamaica. Our efforts, however, seem to be anything but urgent.

As I recall it, some work was actually done by the then Electoral Advisory Committee, which recommended that the upper limit for constituencies be increased from 60 to 65, to ensure an odd number of seats.

Constituency boundaries

At the time there were talks of amending the Constitution to reduce the four-year period within which to review constituency boundaries so as to make the necessary changes. Have those discussions died?

As it is now, my understanding is that the next review is set for 2008 - too late for the next elections.

Stung by its own experience Trinidad and Tobago has since moved the number of its constituencies from 36 to 41. Jamaicans are apparently relying on luck to see us through. The political leadership of the country has had long enough to contemplate and deal with the matter. It didn't creep upon us overnight.

Parliament's website

The nation's Parliament needs an up-to-date website. It needs much more than that but a new site would be a start. It's impossible to know what takes place in Parliament by going on to the website.

It would be good if those responsible could use the website to provide information such as bills being studied, documents tabled, times for the sittings of committees and so on.

Recently, I was trying to find some information on a particular parliamentary matter and decided I would visit the website. Needless to say, I found it an utterly useless resource.

If it can't be properly maintained, it would perhaps be better to remove it. Its state of existence is more an embarrassment to Parliament than a benefit to the public.