THE EDITOR, Sir:

LET ME take a few heartfelt moments to speak for us, the 'a-political' masses. You call us lazy, apathetic and irresponsible citizens because, with great determination, we often refuse to involve ourselves in the degrading spectacles of this self-aggrandising hypocrisy you call 'elections,' but we still need to be heard.

Though political elections are proclaimed to be the best demonstrations of the value of freedom and democracy, they are often vehicles for our worst displays of hypocrisy, deceit and corruption. I see this in my own country as well, but nowhere is this more clearly demonstrated than in Jamaica today.

Every year, every season, literally millions of dollars that could be spent upon far more needed things, such as maintaining and improving infrastructure, roads, water supplies, power-generation systems, im-proving education, health care, and a host of other long-neglected realities, are wasted on this political nonsense.

Am I advocating non-participation in voting? No, of course not. My advice for everyone there is to vote for any truly honest person running for any office, regardless of their politics, that is, if you can findone.

'Politricks', as many Rastafarians call it; the term strikes at the heart of every honest man's criticism of today's political environment, the players, and their self-centered games. After all, without honesty at its foundation, it's all just a lot of 'trickery' isn't it?

The worst of it is that in these next few days and weeks before the coming election, many good and decent people will die in Jamaica, for no other reason than politics. On their graves should go the words: 'Died for Politics, 2007' and for winners and losers alike, there should be mandatory trips to the cemetery before every coming election, just for viewing.

I am, etc.,

ED McCOY

Bokeelia, FL

Via Go-Jamaica

mmhobo48@juno.com