There should be certain qualifications for ministerial positions - Parsons
Parsons, speaking via telephone on the radio programme The People’s Business on November 9, 2011, used the example that no one should be a fisherman all their life and suddenly be a minister and even pointed out situations that she has witnessed during her time in office where in a certain country, persons who lacked the knowledge and competence were elected based on popularity.
Meanwhile, Parsons also expressed concern that some VIslanders were not valuing their vote and said no money in the world should be able to buy one’s vote on elections day. “It is too precious. Too many places in the world they have no ability to vote and here in our country where we are free to use five votes you can hear horror tales of how much money is being given to vote that people are saying if they want me to vote for them they better make up their mind to pay me. There should be some way that our electorate takes pride in the fact that they are able to vote and they are able to vote for five people.”
According to host of the programme Elihu Rymer, the buying and selling of votes allows those who are naturally inclined towards criminality to be involved in the important process of representation. He said traps should be set for those persons who are engaged in such behaviours.
“We have to put structures in place that makes it punishable for people to behave that way. If we continue to move into a situation where those who can buy power will be the ones in power then only the powerful would be in control of the country and you want a country that reflects the whole range of its citizenry, not only those who can afford to buy an election. We want people representing us who honestly and sincerely want to serve the community.”
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