An election should be the stuff of intellectual debates on issues, values and proven track records. We should be analysing the campaign ideas of both parties, looking at their plans and making decisions about who is going to fix this right old mess our country is in. Yet, last week I wrote about dancing barefoot, because honestly I am not sure that issues have anything to do with the outcome of the election. A doubt that finds me feeling slightly disillusioned.

Track records are forgotten, as are known links to criminal activity and yet our electorate seem to focus on the colour, sex, religion, wardrobe, sexual preference and even (as I heard today) the saliva of the candidates. But if you enjoy dancing to Jamaican music with your bare feet then we must make an effort to protect the future of our country. So here goes.

JLP plans

The JLP's plan for free education, while on the face of it is a very generous vote puller, is perhaps not the solution to our poorly educated population. In Economics 101 we learnt of the effect of free social services, often it caused the recipients to be less appreciative of the service, and take it for granted. A young lady recently assured me she was going to pass her CXC math on her fourth try. When I asked her why she was so sure she replied, "I'm paying so much for these classes I have to pass this time!"

I feel that Jamaica would be better served redirecting the funds for free education to making the teaching profession an attractive one, with performance-based incentives for accomplished educators. The result? A good quality education for most, rather than just a substandard education for all. Our biggest problem is not that children are not going to school at all; the problem is that they go to school for 13 years and come out illiterate and uneducated.

The PNP's opportunistic use of race and class as a campaign tool has only served to create a further divide between the people of this country. While party leaders are very much aware of the many things that unite all Jamaicans and are also aware of the contribution of the middle class and people of different races, they have chosen to take advantage of base prejudices and being that they often hold the highest political office they legitimise these prejudices. PJ's 'Blackman time now'; and Portia's 'I am one of you' speeches were divisive, and surely unity is what will serve our country best.

The JLP's proposal for tax reform is a winner in my book. Consolidating the various statutory bodies would make any businessperson's life easier, save time and might actually make paying taxes not something that requires a CPA. Tax reform could go a lot farther with a tax break for capital investment. Surely taxes on capital expenditure is a disincentive for growing and improving a business. On the contrary, there should be tax incentives for growth and improvement.

The PNP's free medical care for children was a poorly thought out rebuttal to free education; surely this should be needs-based. While some children should not have to pay in the event of long and protracted illnesses that can be financially devastating to any family, others should pay for the basic care of their children wherever possible. Also, this offer seems to be disingenuous when the reality is that with prescriptions and procedures, medical care is far from free.

Crime, corruption, constitution, Air Jamaica, debt, use of public funds, the list goes on. Now is the time to challenge our leaders because in challenging them they will be forced to perform better; they will have to find the answers. We must not let them take us for a campaign ride. We must force them to address the issues facing our country even if it not as much fun as dancing bare foot.