Dear Editor,
In preempting a coalition between APNU and AFC, many pundits are engaged in what seems to be casting lots. But literally speaking, casting lots for the presidency is in the constitution, as the Chairman of the Election Commission shall by lot choose the president in the event of tied votes.
So, since casting lots for the presidency is enshrined in the worthy document, one might be tempted to propose the same thing in the current impasse between Granger and Nagamootoo.
But this, under the present constitution, is like playing Russian roulette. It presupposes that there is no other workable formula or solution, no available precedent, and no existing guidelines under which such an important decision can be made.
Hence, the easy way out of this impasse might be to throw up our hands and say, forget the coalition; let’s go slug it out in a triangular battle. But this triangle is not equilateral; it is more right-angled, its hypotenuse being shorter than the sum of the other two sides. Therefore, using Pythagorean logic, a coalition is the better option. A coalition is imperative, and, in the apparent absence of any guidelines, why not simply fall back on whatever empirical, mathematical or statistical evidence currently exists – that of the last election results?
Is our voting population that dense that they will not comprehend this logic? Especially when it is reinforced by the assurance that there will be a rotational presidency and constitutional reform? Those who cannot comprehend are the ones who subjectively choose not to, and hence it is futile to try to persuade them as current pundits are doing.
Isn’t it a reasonable and rational way of thinking, and isn’t more concomitant with the present constitution under which elections must be held, that the presidential candidate (let us add, in a coalition) is the one who commands the greater or greatest support (among members of the coalition)?
I think we should rise above the subterfuge, political expediency, confusing rhetoric and ethnic baiting, and come down simply to the people. If Barack Obama could do it with the US population, so can we.
Yours faithfully,
Gokarran Sukhdeo
