I would like to urge my fellow Jamaicans to be responsible and recognise how important it is for them to vote in the upcoming general election for the party of their choice after careful evaluation of all the issues of national importance.

Democracy gives everyone a voice, not just the rich and powerful. Here are some factors that must be present in order to have a strong and stable democracy.

1) Participation of citizens: By its very definition, democracy allows people a voice in charting the course of their government and their future. In direct democracies, citizens vote directly on the laws they live under. In a representative democracy, like Jamaica’s, it means we get to choose who represents us. In either case, citizen participation is the foundation that makes democracy strong.

2) Equality: It is not only important but necessary that all people are treated equally in a democracy. This means that no one is discriminated against because of his/her ethnicity, religion, gender, or sexual orientation. It also means that everyone enjoys the same fundamental rights and freedoms. And when it does come time to vote, it means that every vote counts — the poor man’s vote is just as valuable as the wealthiest or most powerful person in the country. That’s the most fundamental element of equality in a democracy.

3) Accountability: People entrust power to those they elect so that they can use it to enrich their communities. Politicians are accountable to the people, must act consistent with their will, and have a duty not to abuse their power to enrich themselves and their friends. When authoritarian governments take control of the newspapers and news channels, when they hamstring and harass civil society groups, it becomes all too easy to keep corruption and abuse of power out of the public eye, and this makes it harder for the people to hold the Government accountable on election day. We should always ensure that all Jamaican media perform in a fair, balanced, professional, and non-partisan way.

4) Transparency: In order to make informed choices at the ballot box, voters have to know the score. They have to know if their Government is making good decisions or if its policies aren’t working, if it’s following the rules or plundering public money. Transparency means the actions of the Government are clear to the people, as are the outcomes. Information on the Government should, with few exceptions, be available to the public upon request so that journalists and people alike are able to question their politicians on issues of concern, and groups that work on transparency should be free to operate. We citizens must ensure that the Access to Information Act works within an effective, efficient, and modern framework.

5) Political tolerance: Although majority rule is at the heart of democracy, this does not mean that the minority is forgotten. In a true democracy, the rights of all citizens are equal and must be respected regardless of who’s in power. And even though their views may not have carried election day, they still have the right to continue to share those views with other citizens and the Government. And this is healthy, if not necessary. Democracy thrives on openness and richness of thought, by suppressing the rights and freedoms of the minority, the majority holds itself back.

6) Multi-party system: Citizens must have a choice on election day. That means that more than a single political party is able to freely participate in an election campaign and be an option for the people. And when Opposition parties do win, there is a transfer of power and renewed public debate on how to steer the country forward. If there’s just a single party, then it’s most likely a dictatorship, although some countries have managed to develop democratic systems under the rule of a single party.

7) Control over the abuse of power: Democracy can only survive if everyone buys in — the citizens, through their support on voting day and all other times of year, and politicians, by playing by the rules and working to improve the lives of everyone.

Abuse of power occurs when a Government decides it is above the law, when politicians believe a different set of rules apply to them, when the levers of the State are moved to favour only a certain segment of society at the expense of others, or when public money is funnelled into accounts of corrupt leaders and their friends. We see this often in the world’s “democracies”, and increasingly so in Europe too. We as Jamaican citizens must be fearlessly and consistently vigilant to ensure that no Government abuses its power.

There are ways to insulate democracy from such abuse, but there is no way to protect it completely.

8) Freedom of economy: In a democracy, individuals should be able to decide how they want to live their lives. As long as they follow the rules, it’s not the Government’s place to tell them what they must study or what job they must take or what they must grow. Economic freedom is important in order to develop strong communities and strong national economies.

9) Bill of Rights: Another way to protect the people from abuse of power by the Government is through a Bill of Rights. This is a list of the rights and freedoms people have, such as freedom of speech and freedom of assembly. As a Bill, the document is a part of law, and many countries have enshrined it into their constitution. So when people think their Government is violating their rights, they can turn to the courts for help. In Jamaica, thankfully, we have the Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms (Constitutional Amendment) Act, which protects many of our constitutional rights.

10) Human rights: Many of the rights protected by a Bill of Rights are referred to as human rights. These are rights people have regardless of the country in which they live. But a democracy in particular is supposed to protect and promote these rights. Human rights, like freedom of expression, free association, and freedom of assembly, are also cornerstones of democracy and, in fact, allow its proper functioning.

11) Free and fair elections: Change should be considered a natural and healthy feature of democracy. Just as the Government exists to serve the people, and public opinion shifts all the time on all sorts of issues, it is only natural that elections will produce different results at different times. So it is essential that these elections occur freely and fairly. This means that people are given accurate information before voting, and they are free to discuss and debate relevant issues. It also means that on election day people have equal access to the polls, everyone’s vote has the same value, and all votes are counted. Moreover, elections shouldn’t be held irregularly or be called whenever it suits the Government.

12) Free courts: Even in a perfectly functioning democracy, disputes will arise. In these situations, it’s important that both sides have equal access to an independent body that can resolve the dispute. In democracies, this is the judicial system. Judges are a bit like referees — they’re an independent body that is supposed to apply the rules in the same way to all. A football match would be a sham if the referee is chosen by one of the teams, and democracy would be similarly shambolic if the Government packs the courts with its friends or disregards judicial decisions.

13) Accepting election results: When election results don’t go the way of those in power, they must accept them and step down. The peaceful transfer of power defines the democratic process. Losers of elections must accept defeat, and though they can and should continue to openly share their ideas and participate in public debate, they must accept that their positions do not, at present, have majority support. Thankfully, here in Jamaica we have always had a peaceful transfer of power.

14) Rule of law: Democratic societies operate under the rule of law. This essentially means that a nation’s laws apply equally to all people, and everyone, especially the Government, must play by the rules. It means that the rights and freedoms and democratic processes described above are respected and nurtured. And it means that the laws are also enforced in a fair and consistent way, and there’s an independent body, like the courts, to settle disputes that do arise.

I conclude with a charge from John Lewis, late civil rights activist and member of the US House of Representatives: “The vote is precious, almost sacred. It is the most powerful non-violent tool or instrument in a democratic society. We must use it.

Robert Dalley is a public commentator and a fearless advocate for voting in the upcoming general election in Jamaica. Send comments to the Jamaica Observer or opinionwriter300@mailfence.com.