The One Man, One Vote (OMOV) referendum looms nearer. Wednesday, 18^th. What will a “Yes” vote mean to Cayman? What will a “NO” vote mean?

There is one indisputable fact. “Democracies the world over have always embraced the universal principle of one person, one vote”. The OMOV electoral system is in place in almost all of the most developed countries with mature democracies.

Why?

Haven’t the opponents of the OMOV principle stopped and asked that question?

Why?

Why am I voting “No”.

The most stupid argument against any progress is “if it works it doesn’t need fixing.”

So that means if something better comes along we stay as we are.

The Premier’s MAIN argument for keeping the present system is, the current system of multiple voting has served the country well so don’t change it. In one of the Government ads for voting “No” to their own referendum it says exactly that. It is followed by the rap, rap, rap, message of “Vote No”.

My friend Quincy Brown’s voice is heard with great emphasis and conviction. It is a powerful advert even though its argument is just nonsense.

Times change. Doctors and nurses have been saving lives for centuries with methods and medicines that have served them well. If you go with the government’s argument you wouldn’t change it. Everything would be the same.

The inequality of the present system is that one district has one vote whilst another 4. If the OMOV doesn’t get passed, the districts with one stay as one whilst one of the districts with 4 could get SIX. Is that fair?

There is no sound argument for keeping the present system. The No’s to OMOV, though, have every card in play marked in their favour. They even have the “Fear Factor”. They even have the “If you don’t vote it counts as No”. Ask yourself is that fair?

Ask yourself why is the UDP government against OMOV? Ask yourself what motive they have for keeping things as they are?

Ask yourself, could it be the lesser qualified person vying to be an MLA can get elected on the coat tails of the more qualified one? Could it be why all the West Bay voters have elected only UDP members since the party system there was formed? Even when the rest of the country voted differently? Could it be this is why the Premier is so much against the OMOV system?

Just keep asking “why?”

Why do we have a new Constitution now? The old one served us well, didn’t it?

Keep asking “Why?” Then you will get out of your comfortable home and vote “YES”. There couldn’t possibly be any other answer.