Voter Apathy In Jamaica

By Rupert Johnson

It has been reported that in a recent public opinion poll in Jamaica people are so disenchanted with the governance of the country that a whopping 41% of those enumerated stated that they would not vote if an election was held today. In addition, 16% were undecided. This finding does not augur well for democracy. What is even more alarming and disturbing is the fact that the pollsters expect the number of declared non-voters to increase to 60% very soon.

Of course there are all kinds of reasons for voter apathy, but the one that I find most far-fetched comes from Richard Crawford, a political scientist at the University of the West Indies. I was taken aback when the professor argued that this voter apathy is due to Jamaica’s continued adherence to the British Westminster model of governance which he said has outlived its usefulness.

I am not sure about the professor’s rationale for his conclusion, but I don’t see how a drastic transfer from a British parliamentary model to an American presidential model, for example, could remedy voting apathy in Jamaica.

In my opinion the Westminster model with its fusion of the Executive and Legislative branches of government is better poised to expedite and pass legislation. On the contrary, the presidential model with its separation of powers is a prescription for gridlock whereby the Executive branch and the Legislative branch are in a constant battle for dominance.

The real trouble in Jamaica is not with the Westminster model of governance, but with the elected representatives who seem to have perverted the system. No resorting to a presidential system will ever rectify the current dissatisfaction among the majority of Jamaicans.

There is so much outright distrust of politicians in Jamaica that many eligible voters have decided to opt out of the political system all entirely signifying their disdain for the two existing political parties.

This total distrust of politicians is so rife that it has now galvanized into what can only be described as chronic apathy. It may be said that the masses are now completely fed up with the blatant lies and vain promises of their political leaders. The masses are so tired of being fed with a steady diet of political junk food, that their stomachs can no longer digest the usual inordinate supply of this toxic political fare.

Ordinary hardworking Jamaicans have witnessed the drastic decline in their general standard of living over the past thirty odd years. They have seen firsthand, the burgeoning throng of the poor and disposed, and the ever-increasing wealth and extravagant lifestyle of the upper class. They have observed that their daily labour in the fields, factories, and the services they provide have created whatever wealth there is, yet the bulk of that wealth has continued to line and swell the pockets of many unproductive executives in both the public and private sectors.

The stark disparity between the haves and have-nots can be seen everywhere. One only has to take a short ride through the city of Kingston, and St. Andrew to see the shameful inequality that exists.

Income disparity is not a new phenomenon. This condition was rampant under colonial rule. Nevertheless, many Jamaicans were hopeful of the future. They hoped for the day when the shackles of colonialism would be broken giving rise to a new form of governance and social justice.

They hoped that independence would bring about a lessening of widespread inequalities, and a better way of life for their families. Thus, ordinary Jamaicans became active participants in the political process.

But with the attainment of independence, it was not long before their heightened expectations turned into utter frustration. This mounting frustration has now reached an unprecedented level of public disenchantment. And it is this rapidly growing disillusionment that has now turned into widespread voter apathy and cynicism.

Rupert Johnson can be reached at: r.b.johnson@sympatico.ca.