The Uncounted Ballots
It is gearing down to the election season in Jamaica and the stakes as usual, are high for both major political parties. The Jamaica Labour party resumes the position of the underdog fighting against the well oiled machinery of the People’s National Party and the fight is slated to be the nastiest it has ever been. But enough of political moronics and adults behaving like spoiled children, the focus should be on those persons who refuse to vote and are letting their country down.
The current voters list shows improvement as the majority of those enlisting are young persons finally joining the ranks of those wanting to make a change. Though it could be argued that persons only signed up as a means of receiving the Government issued ID cards but I choose to be optimistic and believe these individuals will vote -not really-. The issue at hand is the generally large population of persons who are not interested in the political process and holding their political representatives to greater scrutiny. At present, the bar for a member of parliament is so low that it borders on the obscene. The electorate asks for so little in return for their votes, it is depressing not to mention in most cases illegal. A JA$6000 here, a blind eye to some activities or handouts for everyone, it is sickening for the youths and inheritors of this country’s future sit by while their “elected representative” play the lottery with their lives and futures.
A common misconception that my fellow youths have is that they will not be here when the county collapses because ‘foreign dem thing deh,’ here is a wake up call PEOPLE DON’T WANT US IN THEIR COUNTRY. We as young Jamaicans are failing to realise that while yes, the world is becoming a global marketplace: it is also becoming more crowded in terms of skilled individuals and barriers to entering other countries. Other countries are first and foremost looking out for their citizens: persons who pay their taxes, are born in that country and will essentially vote in elections. A key observation that these persons have made is the locals do not take kindly to immigrants taking their jobs as a result, in times of economic constraint immigrants are the first to lose their jobs which places them on welfare putting further strain on the taxes that locals pay. Jamaicans have a reputation in many countries as trouble makers, a study done by the United Kingdom (Source: https://goo.gl/Y8qvE) consistently ranks Jamaicans as the majority of their prison population in comparison to their Caribbean neighbours. The numbers are not even close, we thoroughly thrash our Caribbean neighbours by numbering in the thousands while they barely scratch the hundreds. With behavior like this combined with the xenophobic tendencies that are hidden underneath, Jamaica is increasingly becoming the only home we have.
Say what you will of the PNP and JLP zealots/loyalists, but at least they stand for something. You, who adamantly proclaim that you’re not voting because there is nothing to vote for” continuously and consistently shame your ancestors of their hard fight for our freedom,independence and our rights. One day, you will wake up in a country where you are less than citizen because you refused to stand for something. If you care for no one but yourself, vote for your own future then. It’s the least you can do.
