THE MAJORITY NEVER VOTES

The recently held Guild Elections here on Campus, has been a major topic of debate from Wednesday night right after the results were given. For the 16 positions that were contested out of the 33 positions on the guild executive the major upset was the president's race, where the Chancellor Hall Chair Lerone Laing , defeated the incumbent president's right hand man VP Gareth Robotham. But my issue is not with the President's races or most of the elected positions but with the levels of voter apathy among students.

The vast majority of students neither saw the need nor importance for them to exercise their right to vote for their guild executive, needless to say they have reason to do so. The political culture of the wider Jamaican society puts elections, electioneering and politicians in a bad light. And it is not necessarily who the best candidate is, but who is most perceived to be liked by the populace. Or who gives the most away in political handouts. Lets face the facts we are here for three years and long term change is not the highest priority on our minds, its all about what we can get before we leave university. That is a fair expectation to have however when everyone feels that way the actual change makers, reformers and prudent candidates are left out in cold after incurring major losses at the polls. 

But, there is however a solution to our current predicament. We are faced with a chancellor hall dominated guild executive which begs the question will other halls be disenfranchised? Will Guild activities reflect the ideals and 'mores' of chancellor hall?

But in conclusion I leave with one general thought, We are generally incentivized to vote based on personal gain, and usually making decisions for personal gains leads to no winners in the end.  

PS: The majority can remove any elected guild candidate, by indicating with a petition of only 250 students including the uncontested positions.