If someone had asked me two weeks ago which party I was going to vote for in this coming election my honest answer would have been I don’t know. It would be difficult to cast a ballot for a PNP government which has let crime get completely out of control. But then could I really vote for an official opposition JLP which seems to have lost the ability to act rationally even in its own self-interest? As for the others, the only things the NDM seems to stand for are confusion, indiscipline and arrogance. While the UPP espouses socialist policies discredited two decades ago.

But for the past two weeks I have had no water from the public mains, and have had to shower in a feeble stream from the temporary catchment tank which isn’t even strong enough for me to work up a decent lather. And each day that my water remains locked off, my resolve to get rid of the jokers responsible for this nonsense hardens. It’s not as if water lockoffs are anything new in Mandeville. But irritating as the usual intermittent supply is, I have never seen the main off so long.

It is ridiculous for a place where it rains virtually every other day to actually have no water. And to allow such sheer incompetence in the exercise of power to go unpunished would surely be an insult to the noble concept of democracy. I may not see any party out there that I really want to vote for, but I certainly am going to vote against the one responsible for me going to bed miserable every night and going to work cranky every morning.

Now anger may be one of man’s uglier emotions and all to often ends in tragedy and regret. But it has the gift of clarity. And by crystallizing the entire world in stark blacks and whites it removes all doubts and makes even the most irresolute boldly decisive.

Previously I would flip flop continuously every time I thought about politics, trying to balance the PNP’s incompetent venality against the JLP’s disorganized agitation. As I tried to make up my mind an old joke often came to mind. Question : Which is worse, ignorance or apathy? Answer : I don’t know and I don’t care.

But those days are gone. As an even more irate women complaining about not being able to wash her hair declared to me, it might be a change for the better or it might be a change for the worse, but she wanted a change no matter what. True, Seaga didn’t seem quite in his right mind anymore and hardly said anything sensible these days. But at his age he wasn’t going to involved active politics for much longer. And Audley Shaw seemed to be doing a damned fine job exposing government crookery and as far as she was concerned seemed to be the only politician with the public’s interest at heart. True she would prefer if Shaw were actually the JLP leader now. But if the only alternative to the PNP was voting for Seaga and waiting till he retired for Shaw took over, then that was what she would have to do. Anything to get rid of this damn government that can’t even give people enough water to wash and bathe regularly.

And I am going to be right in line behind her waiting to make my mark for the first time ever beside the bell. Yes there are places in Jamaica that have no piped water at all. But Mandeville probably has the highest per capita income in the country and likely gets more inches of rainfall per year than any other Jamaican town save Port Antonio. How any authorities could manage to create a chronic water shortage in such a place is beyond me. Though Mandeville has always has a water problem, the PNP has been in power for 13 years now, and surely could have overhauled the obviously inadequate system. I am sick and tired of hearing about damaged pumps. As Lady Saw would say, if them can’t do the work then make a next man try.

Of course the powers that be will probably try the old fix-it-right-before-elections trick. But the straw of persistent waterlessness has broken this camel’s back and my mind is made up. I am not going to be fooled by hurried patches any more than the voters in North East St. Ann were by election morning road works.

As I write this however I am moved to ponder the workings of Westminster democracy. Because in a vote strictly for the candidates in my Central Manchester constituency I would be inclined to vote for Mr. John Junor. True he is probably the man who deserves most of the blame for me not having water. But he is very lively, jovial and likeable. Plus he seems to be doing a pretty good job as health minister, and certainly has given Mandeville a nice hospital, even if it was our taxes that built it. Yes the roads could be better, and the town centre is becoming a mini Coronation Market. But overall Mandeville – when we have water - is still probably the best place to live in Jamaica. And you have to give Mr. Junor some of the credit.

His opponent Norman Horne seems a bright and capable young man. But he is still not well known and to be honest has not established his presence in Central Manchester as vividly as did his glamorous predecessor David Panton. Panton, who was particularly popular with the young, was reckoned by most to have been almost a certainty to win his seat. People still wonder just why he gave up an odds on chance to become a member of parliament and probably a cabinet member. Not many seem to believe his story of resigning for business reasons. Some say he must have quarrelled with his leader. Others say his religious father didn’t like comments by Mr. Seaga about the church. Then there are stories about him and his wife being threatened.

Whatever the reason, Panton’s mysterious resignation was one of the most disappointing occurrences in Jamaican politics in recent years. Just seeing this obviously intelligent and dynamic young man with such impressive credentials directly involved in politics gave many people hope for the future. Because the quality of a country’s governance is directly related to the capability of the people who govern it. The main reason for Singapore’s economic miracle for instance is that it managed to attract its best and brightest into politics and government. When Panton left it revived the old fear, unfounded or not, that only second rate minds are entering politics in Jamaica and thus we are doomed to be ineptly governed forever.

But this is all ivory tower speculation. As a voter such political niceties no longer mean much to me. For my waterless vexation has cleared all theory from my mind, and I am now focusing only on cold hard realities. This government is making my life miserable by depriving me of a regular water supply. And so I am going to cast my ballot against it. changkob@hotmail.com