To answer the question where did RUNOFF come from? HERES THE ANSWER. 46. The proposal for the refinement of the first past-the-post system is designed to ensure that all MPs are elected on a majority basis. This is consistent with the proposals advanced by the Commission for proportional representation for the Senate. 47. Seeking a threshold of greater than 50% for the election of all MPs so that the will of the electorate is expressed on a majority basis and not on a plurality basis. Given the emergence of a political culture that is seeking representation on the basis of majority or proportionality, any shift in the political culture of voting and elections ought to consider either majority or proportionality as philosophies to be embraced. Plurality (or minority) outcomes in constituencies ought not to be preferred over majority outcomes where representation of the people is concerned. 48. This process of fairer representation will provide a superior democratic foundation for election to the House of Representatives and general effect can be given to this by the use of a runoff system of elections in those constituencies where no candidate has been elected by a margin greater than 50% of the votes cast for all candidates in such constituencies. 49. Most constituencies are usually determined on the basis of a candidate winning more than 50% of the votes cast. However, there have been numerous examples over the years of candidates who have been elected as Members of Parliament on a plurality basis, rather than on a majority basis. 50. Some examples are as follows: 1991 General Election – Princes Town Mohammed Haniff (UNC) - 7,404 Indira Maharaj (PNM) - 6,202 Hamza Mohammed (NAR) - 2,489 Farouk Hosein (NJAC) - 333 1995 General Election – Tunapuna Edward Hart (PNM) - 7,467 Hector Mc Clean (UNC) - 7,223 Theodore Charles (NAR) - 368 Nathaniel Pierre (NLP) - 42 John Singh (TPV) - 16 2000 General Election – Tobago East Nathaniel Moore (NAR) - 3,921 Eudine Job (PNM) - 3,632 Keston McLetchie (PEP) - 720 51. In the above examples, if a system of runoff elections using the first past-the-post system were in place, there would have been runoff elections at a later date (possibly two weeks) between the top two candidates who had already been nominated as follows: 1991 – Mohammed Haniff (UNC) and Indira Maharaj (PNM) 1995 – Edward Hart (PNM) and Hector Mc Clean (UNC) 2000 – Nathaniel Moore (NAR) and Eudine Job (PNM) 52. A runoff election between these candidates would have produced a majority result whereby the winning candidate would have earned a guaranteed majority and there would be no uncertainty about their status as a majority representative. 53. The issue of the length of time that would be required for the President to appoint a Prime Minister may or may not be affected by the outcome of any runoff elections depending on whether one party has already won the number of seats required for the President to make an appointment under the current system. 54. If the leader of a party that has a majority is himself or herself involved in a runoff election, the President can await the outcome of the runoff election before making a decision. 55. The late President ANR Robinson delayed his decision to appoint a Prime Minister in December 2000 and in December 2001 in order to await the delivery of official results to him (in December 2000) or to await the decision of contending parties to a negotiation (The Crowne Plaza Accord in December 2001). 56. The elapsed time for the respective delays were as follows: 2000 – general election held on 11th December and Prime Minister Basdeo Panday was re-appointed by President Robinson on 20th December (a delay of nine days). 2001 – general election held on 10th December and Prime Minister Patrick Manning was appointed by President Robinson on 24th December, 2001 (a delay of fourteen days). 57. In the circumstances, the issue of a delay in making appointments to the office of Prime Minister ought not to present any problems in respect of the political culture of the country if the runoff system is adopted for elections to the House of Representatives, because the country has successfully navigated these situations before during the presidency of the late Arthur N.R. Robinson.. 58. The Commission is still wedded to the philosophy of separating the representatives from the executive, but based on its arguments in the earlier paragraphs of this addendum, it is prepared to accept the reform of proportional representation for the Senate as a precursor to its proposal for all Ministers to be chosen from the Senate alone. 59. The introduction of a runoff system under the first past-the-post system of election is also designed to address the fact that the recall of M.P.s cannot become an easily articulated matter if they are elected with less than 50% of the votes cast in their constituencies. 60. All MPs ought to start off on the basis that they have been elected by a majority of voters in their constituencies. Recalling any MP ought to be done on the basis that a higher threshold than that which elected the MP ought to be required if he/she is to be recalled to face another election. 61. Seeing that the Constitution makes provision for the first past-the-post system as the system of election, then it is only proper that a refinement of the first past-the-post system be undertaken to ensure the election of all MPs on a majority basis. 62. The philosophy of the recall of MPs is based on recalling MPs who have been elected on the first past-the-post method. If an MP is elected with less than 50% of the votes cast, an argument for recall could form the political basis for seeking a petition for removal from the outset of his/her term of office. 63. This ought to be avoided so that the MP can start serving a term of office with the confidence of majority support by which he/she may be assessed before any political action is taken to seek a recall. 64. The retention of the first past-the-post method for the House of Representatives was recommended by the Commission and the right of recall was also recommended by the Commission. 65. Recommendation: The Commission recommends a fairer system of election under the first past-the-post system and the runoff election as articulated above will address that issue in respect of the retention of the first past-the-post system for the House of Representatives independent of any other reforms that may be linked to it. Addendum of the Constitutional Reform Commission unctt.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Addendum-of-the-Constitutional-Reform-Commission.pdf Constitutional Reform Report unctt.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Constitutional-Reform-Forum-Report-2013.pdf
Posted on: Fri, 08 Aug 2014 18:21:30 +0000
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