In real terms politics should be about the people’s business, but increasingly politics itself has become a business.

The impending local government elections, in this regard, may well be a stark example of the transactional nature of Jamaican politics, wherein vote-buying has become the order of the day. Against this backdrop the true will of the people may well be thwarted by those who use monetary compensation as part of the voting process.

In recent years vote-buying occurs in two distinct ways. In one scenario an individual is paid to vote for a particular candidate or party, while in another instance the prospective voter is paid not to vote. Given the nature of our grass roots politics, some people are known to take the money but end up not carrying out their side of the transaction, so when a person is paid not to vote, he/she has to show his/her finger, which would have been dipped in ink if he/she had voted, as proof of not voting.

While both major political parties, the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and the People’s National Party (PNP), will categorically deny participating in this despicable activity, there is every reason to believe that some of their avid supporters do indulge in this vote-buying exercise which can become very rampant in certain volatile constituencies where the stakes are high.

In terms of demographics, the people most targeted are young men, many of whom are unemployed or are just out to make a quick buck. In the final analysis, they have no sense of loyalty to either party and, as they say, “A money we a defend.”

Particularly with the older voters, the methods of persuasion may vary. For example, at party posts set up in the vicinity of polling stations, the prospective voter may be given a T-shirt or a plate of food with a drink. In this case, the money is skilfully placed by taping it to the bottom of the plate of food or hiding it in the shirt. Needless to say that with such an act of generosity displayed, the voter is expected to “tun tanks” (reciprocate) by “doing the right thing”.

Of course, one is well aware of the expression “Nyam dem out and vote dem out”, in which case, those with an Anancy-like mentality will take the bribe and do otherwise. Indeed, many hapless candidates have expressed shock and horror when the results are known and not in their or their party’s favour. Yes, “ginalship” abounds, and this election will be no exception.

The potent question on many concerned Jamaicans’ lips at this time is: Why have the relevant authorities not sought to deal effectively with this malpractice at election time? Civil society groups, inclusive of Citizens Action For Free and Fair Elections (Caffe) as well as the National Integrity Action (NIA) should be more vocal about this vexing matter which is a clear and present danger to our democratic way of life. It may not be possible to totally prevent the incidents of vote-buying, but when it becomes widescale — and based on current anecdotal evidence it appears to be so — the State, by way of law enforcement, moral suasion, and legislation, should intervene.

As it stands, there are citizens, especially among the uncommitted, who oftentimes say one of the reasons they do not vote is that their vote will not make any difference, when all is said and done, because of the transactional nature of casting ballots in this country.

There was a time when many “dead” people used to vote as well as instances when one person would vote many times. Those days are long gone, to a large extent, thanks to the commendable work of the Electoral Commission of Jamaica, which has obtained much support and cooperation from the leadership of the JLP and the PNP over the years. But this most commendable development in our political culture is being sullied by the barefaced, continued practice of vote-buying. As I move around the country, all I can hear repeatedly is that, “Money a drop!”

Against this backdrop, it is hoped that there will be greater vigilance by all well-thinking citizens, the police, and the political parties to apprehend such miscreants if caught red-handed or employ such measures as to dissuade unscrupulous party diehards from resorting to this criminal activity instead of using the established methods of persuasion, such as effective messaging, canvassing, and campaign dialogue.

In this vein, the burning issue of campaign financing needs to take centre stage so that parties can be made more accountable for the methods used to obtain and expend donations. After all, it is no secret that in many instances transactional politics extends to big money donors who call the shots as to how government contracts and largesse should be conferred.

In a country where corruption is a major cancer eating away at the national fabric, far too often many citizens turn a blind eye to acts of bribery, malfeasance, and trickery. And what is even more frightening is that corruption is treated in invidious ways depending on which side of the political fence one finds oneself. This level of hypocrisy and double standard has made it almost impossible to put a serious dent in the fight against varying levels of corruption, including the matter of vote-buying.

On Monday, February 26, 2024 the nation will go to the polls to determine who should represent the people at the local level of governance. Let us all be vigilant and hope that this will be a free and fair election, one not overly influenced by vote-buying. Jamaica deserves better.

Lloyd B Smith has been involved in Jamaican media for the past 48 years. He has served as a Member of Parliament and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives. He hails from western Jamaica where he is popularly known as the Governor. Send comments to the Jamaica Observer or lbsmith4@gmail.com.