George Town United Democratic Party Member of the Legislative Assembly (LA) Back-bencher Ellio Solomon came forward with a novel idea on CITN/Cayman 27’s  “27 Tonight” show.

With the Referendum on the One Man, One Vote (OMOV) getting ever nearer, (July 18) and Government’s war cry that most of the voting public will be losing a vote or two, or three, or four, or even five, he suggests everyone gets EIGHTEEN votes. Yes, you did read right. Mr. Solomon said he thought a National vote where everyone votes for everyone who stands for election would be the fairest way of electing the LA.

Is he really serious one may ask or is it a smoke screen put up to muddy the OMOV referendum even further?

He seems to have one supporter in William Gardenier snr who replied on the Cayman27 website as follows:

“I think it is a very good suggestion put forward by Mr. Solomon. I believe it would be better with the national vote. It would certainly give the voter more power over who gets into parliament than just voting for one man. I think we should discuss the national vote further. Maybe a debate should be had on the two issues. I would love to have a say in who will get elected for all districts across the country. All politicians would be forced to consider the country on a whole and not just in each little cubby hole. Cayman Brac would be able to say who gets into office in Grand Cayman and the West Bayers can also influence who get in the Cayman Brac, GT, EE and BT and vice versa. Rather than the OMOV who only can vote for one person in one little area. Why not give all persons across the Country the chance to elect who they would like too see in each district and in parliament on a whole. Once again this is a very good suggestion.”

Because this is a serious front page story I will refrain from doing an Editorial opinion piece but I have to say I have not laughed so loud in a very long time.

Can you imagine every country in the world adopting such a suggestion? You will be voting for someone to represent a district you live in who doesn’t live in your district, probably doesn’t care two pins if your private car park is paid with public funds or not, doesn’t know what your district requires, doesn’t know you and in the case of the Sister Islands has a huge expanse of water separating you

You could easily end up with a situation where all 18 MLA’s elected live in the same district! Would you like to have an LA where your district doesn’t have a single member in the LA?

Even in a small country like the Cayman Islands, one will not know everyone who stands. And you will more than likely vote for someone in another far away district just because you like his name not for what he stands for.

Of course, if you a party supporter, and the person standing in Cayman Brac and you live in East End on Grand Cayman, you would more than likely vote for the party man. This really would be the end of the independent.

In a larger country, you could be voting for 300 or even more people out of two or three thousand standing for election.

Sorry, I have to break as I am laughing again.

I have to report Mr. Solomon’s national option as a serious suggestion, especially as it has some support (2 at the last count) and he is an elected member of the LA.

At the last election there were approx. fifty persons standing for the LA. And it is expected at next year’s there will be even more. How many spoilt papers do you think there will be? Because, if you have a national vote you must vote for exactly 18. What a headache for the returning officers and the persons who have to count and check. The returning officers will have to read out all the votes of all fifty plus.

Then there is the electioneering? All fifty or so persons zooming all over each district to speak. Everyone has eighteen votes so everyone is a target.

Mr. Solomon you must have suggested this for a laugh. If so, the country applauds you. By golly, with what is happening we wanted one.