KINGSTON, Jamaica – So, there are 13 more days to go until the September 30 deadline to get on the next voters’ list.Jamaicaobserver.com or drop us a line on Twitter @JamaicaObserver or on Facebook at facebook.com/jamaicaobserver.Should members of parliament live in their constituencies?

Yesterday OBSERVER ONLINE asked: “Would you vote? Why/why not?” You responded, and overwhelmingly so!

Some respondents said they will not be doing so because neither of the two political parties — Jamaica Labour Party and People’s National Party — deserve their vote, while others were adamant that they will exercise their right to have a say in who leads the country. There was still another set of respondents calling for the opportunity to vote for a leader as well as a party.

Droula said: “I would not vote because this current system only allows me to vote for a party and I don’t want to vote for them. I want to be able to have an input on who will lead my country, so I am suggesting that we have leadership elections as well. Let the people choose who they want to lead.”

Shift backed Droula’s call, adding: “Even more so Droula, I would like to vote on policies that are being passed. The Government is supposed to consider what the people of the nation want as well. When a bill, policy or law is being decided on, we should all be able to vote on it.

“Voting for which party wins doesn’t do much, because not all members of the party make sense and it is holding us back,” Shift insisted.

Shavarre O Bayley said on Facebook: “Well certainly I will. It’s my democratic right to do so as a law-abiding citizen. A country cannot run on its own, someone has to be in charge, there must be a body that governs; a school cannot operate on its own, there must be a principal, there must be teachers. My choice, the people’s choice, I’ll be putting my X right beside the:—-.”

Calabash Man also said he will vote. “…it is the only way my opinion of who should hold the reins of this country will be counted,” he said.

However, Bertheadz said he will not be voting.

“I work in the public sector. I’ve seen what both parties are capable of. I have never voted, and will never, unless one of them takes corruption seriously, reforms the political funding system and supports the corruption prevention agencies,” said Bertheadz.

Resydent S Wint said on Facebook: “Why vote when regardless of which party wins, there will be no changes. Same politicians wearing different colours to fool the ignorant!”

“Why vote for suffering? From we get the so-called independence over 50 years now, Jamaican people, do you see your lives any better for you, family, friends, and neighbours? Are you comfortable with the life you are living?” Shalom Cameron questioned.

There were also those respondents who spoke out against people’s inaction and unwillingness to get involved in the voting process.

“There is not much of an option when it comes to voting in Jamaica,” Livingston Brown said. “But sometimes inaction has more severe consequences than action.

“There are times when one has to choose between the lesser of two evils. I think I have sufficient experience living in Jamaica to make that choice.

So of course, I will vote.”

Xamyca said: “To be honest, I was not a regular voter, but regardless of how tough the choice or unattractive even, I realised that not voting is part of the problem. I want government to perform out of fear, and that can only happen if we have high voter participation.

And there are still those who although they have voted in the past, they now lack the motivation to vote again.

“I voted twice before, but now I don’t have that drive anymore. Right now I feel hopeless,” said Blessed. “The two major political parties have me feeling like an old man grasping for a little air, and no matter what I do, none of them can assist me by giving me a little air. They are hopeless. The country is doomed.”

The next voters’ list will be published on November 30, but we want you to continue the discussion with us as the OBSERVER ONLINE countdown to the enumeration deadline continues.

Comment below our daily countdown on our website at

Today’s question: