The Editor, Sir:

The action brought by Mr. Abe Dabdoub against Mr. Daryl Vaz to determine whether Mr. Vaz has been disqualified from taking his seat in Parliament has been fixed before the Chief Justice for the 16th day of October 2007. At the conclusion of those hearings, it will be open to the learned Chief Justice to rule in favour of Mr. Dabdoub. The implications of such a ruling are mind-boggling.

It would appear that the situation in which Mr. Vaz finds himself may very well have been replicated by other candidates on both sides of the political divide, and if so, represents a recipe for a political crisis.

Now, there are two developments that this country does not need at this precise governance in time: neither a stalemate in Parliament, nor another election.

renounce foreign allegiance

In an effort to avert any such daunting prospect, I humbly and respectfully wish to make the following proposal: that an agreement be signed by all the candidates who contested the election in such affected constituencies, that the winning candidate (from whichever party), who has sworn allegiance to a foreign country, be required to publicly renounce such allegiance, whereupon the opposing candidate or candidates would either withdraw or discontinue any existing or contemplated actions.

After all, these winning candidates would have been the people's choice of those constituencies, and for the 'loser at the polls' to be awarded the seat by default is doomed to generate extreme resentment and even hostility; whereas such a lofty approach by the petitioners could be a most magnanimous gesture on their part, as they would have proved their point without exacting their pound of flesh.

This could represent the first step toward the 'inclusiveness', which, as I understand it, is the dream, which both Mr. Golding and Mrs. Simpson Miller share.

For my part, I can envision no greater start down the pathway towards the ultimate unification of our Jamaica, which the electorate has indicated, by their votes, is their unequivocal and uncompromising demand.

Finally, a word to the wise: The worst compromise is better than the best lawsuit; to the victor, not always, goes the spoils.

I am, etc.,

HOWARD HAMILTON

Q.C., J.P.