Well, I am about to do something I have never done - comment on politics. Not so much because I particularly care, I am not even enumerated. But just having observed the whole process, some thoughts came to my head I thought I would share.

• It ain’t over till the brash lady sings - That was the first thing I thought this morning on hearing the results. So what happens if the EOJ’s final declaration after recounts remains the same? And then if they are taken to court and the ruling is in their favour? Does anyone see Portia stepping done “gracefully”? Does she know the meaning of grace?
• Finder’s keepers, losers weepers - Isn’t it amazing how you never hear complaints from winners about the process? They never seem to notice inconsistencies or corruption that works in their favour. It would be interesting to have a winning side say that there were issues that do need to be dealt with so we can have fair elections. Guess it’s fair if they win, right?
• Nothing beats freeness - I can’t blame those who lived in areas too turbulent to travel to work, or those who have to travel through the Mountain Views. And of course those who were voting were entitled to go, but it does amuse me how during an election when just over half (60.4% according to the EOJ) the population or the voters list (Jamaicans are not so hot on quoting statistics) turned out at the polls, the country has to shut down almost completely. Even some companies that indicated they would stay open found themselves effectively closed because their staff took the “free holiday”.
• Put the ‘X’ beside… your own name? - It is very strange how you have some of these candidates, the independents and the Ethiopian whoever etc., can get themselves on the ballot and then receive no votes. No votes? Not even one? So those in a party couldn’t even get their own party to vote for them? What about their own votes? Who did they vote for? Did even they themselves think it was a lost cause and a waste of a vote? Their friends, family? Nobody?
• Back to school shopping madness - Lots of talk about who like who, and which leader is better, but what about those people who simply fell into the group of back-to-school buyers? September = New School Year => Need to get new uniforms, new clothes, new books, new supplies, new government. I am sure there were some voters who didn’t really like JLP and didn’t dislike PNP but just figured they would vote to see something different, something new.
• Eenie meenie minie vote - Even though we don’t actually get to vote for Prime Minister, and Bruce and Portia don’t run for the same constituency, the Gleaner had on their front page “Bruce edges out Portia“. I found that very interesting because that is how our politics have developed. For many people it is not about the party. It is not about the work done for the constituency or the promises in the manifesto. It boiled down to who you like better, or who you dislike least.
• Woman time now - One of the ads I found particularly interesting in this campaign period was the one where PNP struck out against the JLP men who were disrespectful to women. Even more interesting were the comments that came back in the papers, editorial letters etc. pointing out even Portia’s disrespectful comments about women. Truth is as a woman, I can’t say I really want a screaming banshee standing up for me.