THIS SUMMER has been particularly stormy for us here in Jamaica not only meteorologically but metaphorically as well. There was a melding of the hurricane season and tempestuous politicking. The storm clouds that blanketed our troubled little island were at times joined by clouds of mystery, clouds of doubt and clouds of political turbulence. The clouds of mystery were lifted when Prime Minister Patterson revealed the jealously guarded date for the upcoming General Election (Wednesday, 16th October 2002). Now we are braced for a potentially stormy campaign.

Between 12 to 15 per cent of the electorate remain "undecided" (political analyst Dr. D. K. Duncan believes that they are "undeclared"). They confound the pollsters by sometimes producing surprisingly unexpected election results and are, therefore, of concern to our politicians. Some never even bother to cast a vote. Our last General Election (1997) registered the lowest recorded voter turnout, only 65.2 per cent of the electorate voted. Since Independence (excluding the PNP boycott in 1983), between 77.59 per cent and 86.1 per cent of the electorate voted.

Genuinely undecided voters vacillate between political parties, listen to various opinions, search for ingenuity and probe the minds of friends, acquaintances and sometimes the more informed for clues as to how to vote. These people have no personal political agenda, no axe to grind and no dependence on or commitment to any particular political party. These are the unmitigated sceptics who tend to dwell on the negatives. They will tell you that they are choosing the best of a bad lot and so it often comes down to eeney, meeney, miney-no.

Eeney: The unregulated meteoric rise and disastrously precipitous fall of so many financial institutions produced fiduciary cataclysms and a resultant loss of confidence in the government. The numerous scandalous debacles certainly did not help any. Our recalcitrant crime problem also remains of prime concern. Some issues have little to do with politics but they leave an indelible blemish on the current administration anyway. Like many people, the undecided remember the failings of politicians but view their much-vaunted "achievements" as a matter of course in the performance of their stipulated duties (as servants of the people) for which they deserve no special reward (although politicians expect this).

Sometimes our politicians do themselves irreparable harm by supplying the very fuel used to ignite distrust and propagate frustration among the electorate. A very good example of this is the unfortunate outburst of PNP MP Mrs. Simpson Miller, a senior Government Minister who has acted as Prime Minister and may have been in the running for Party Leader one day. She beat her chest while pandering to and patronising her audience. Decent Jamaicans viewed her animated exhibitionism with great disdain.

Meeney: The main Opposition Party has its own unique set of problems. Although totally baseless, many "undecided" people have indicated to me that they are of the view that the JLP's 13-year exclusion from power has left them "hungry" and liable to raid the coffers. It is also thought that since they possess no magic bullet, they would fare no better than the current administration if placed at the helm (but some still think that it's time for a change anyway). They feel that Mr. Seaga's personal financial woes have cost him his former status of "financial genius" and that he has held the reins of leadership so tightly for so long that serious doubt has been cast on the competence of his subordinates (a.k.a. the one-man-band syndrome). The exclusion and re-inclusion of dissidents within that Party (especially the prodigal son) gives an impression of discord, desperation and duplicity (the recipe for political suicide).

Additionally, during a heated debate regarding the relocating of polling stations (and after the PNP and NDM representatives agreed to the move), JLP Member of Parliament Olivia "Babsy" Grange "reminded" Returning Officer, Mrs. Vera Roofe, that sometime in the past one of her predecessors was killed for attempting what she proposed. The statement was interpreted as a veiled threat and the Returning Officer rightfully withdrew her services. The "undecided" is not likely to forget events like this one any time soon.

Miney: Most of the disenchanted electorate view our emerging political contestants as a means of registering dissatisfaction with the old-style politics. No one expects the new candidates to mount a serious challenge, except in possible isolated cases. The United People's Party (UPP) and the parties of the New Jamaica Alliance, comprising of the Jamaica Alliance for National Unity (JANU), the National Democratic Movement (NDM) and the Republican Party of Jamaica (RPJ), were not born out of trade unionism (the traditional route for ascent of a Party to representational politics). In order to find a foothold in Jamaican politics they need to win over the electorate with respect, honesty, integrity, efficiency, transparency and workable plans for seeing to the needs of the people.

No: For four decades the electorate has been pummelled with broken promises, corrupt practices, failed projects, economic disasters, non-viable alternatives and ongoing blatant insults to their intelligence. Subsequently, a number of undecided enumerated Jamaicans end up choosing "No" to the question "Should I vote?" But abstention robs our democracy of vibrancy. Lop-sided representation ends up giving too much power to one side or the other. A well-balanced Parliament makes better decisions for the overall good of the nation.

People habitually vote along Party lines but it is safer to choose the candidate that you feel best represents the interest of the community and the country at large. Furthermore, the upcoming political contest may be viewed as the "bye" elections because the leaders of both major Parties have either directly or indirectly hinted at the possibility of their retirement from active politics in the not too distant future. Now voters must also seriously consider the person likely to succeed them. If confronted with the dilemma of not being able to decide whether or not to vote, think about your invaluable contribution to the democratic process that we need so badly if we are to survive as a nation.