Holness worried by low voter turnout

By: Admin

Image caption: Holness

The Opposition Leader Andrew Holness has released a statement bemoaning the low voter turnout.

At 3 o’clock this afternoon, the Electoral Office of Jamaica had said the voter turnout was around 25 per cent.

But in his statement, Holness said the projected national turn out is 28 per cent.

“The voter turnout in the Local Government Election could be the lowest in history,” Holness said.

“This means that a minority of the electorate determines the government."

Holness also said the phenomenon of low voter turnout in elections must be carefully studied.

“In a low voter turnout environment, the winning party only needs to use national resources to take care of the small portion of the electorate that votes for them and possibly placate the portion of the electorate that votes against them.”

According to Holness where there is a small number of voters, the winning party only needs to use national resources to take care of the small portion of the electorate," said the Opposition Leader.

“Without an engaged citizenry oversight and accountability for government action is weak. Eventually governments stray from the best interest of all the people to focus on the interests of the party faithful.

“Government is therefore captured by political elite serving a voting minority. This is a threat to our democracy.

“I am concerned,” Holness said.