IT IS another Election Day in the land of wood and water and I, like the majority of Jamaicans above 18, will not be voting. So I am not saying anything new, this June 19, 2003, just reaffirming that I have never enumerated, never participated and I do not plan on doing either in the foreseeable future.

It is the first time I can remember, though, since I first became aware of elections in 1980, that a local government poll has taken on such significance. The number of advertisements is certainly not up to the level of last October's frenzy, but there has been enough activity on the ground for even me to realise how seriously the parties are taking it.

'THE HOPEFUL COMRADE'

For example, the door-to-door campaign where I live in the very safe suburbs has been heavy. The leaflets have been pouring in and the smiling politicians have been making their once every five years trip through the area. I had the pleasure of having a conversation of sorts with the PNP hopeful when he stopped by.

He introduced himself as the hopeful comrade and flashed a toothy grin. "Yea man," I said as I accepted the literature. "Me put a fia pon voting still." The glossy smile remained in place, just as fake as when it was switched on. "I can see why," he said, looking at my plaited and scraggly beard. "Ee-eh," I continued benignly, "an a nuff a we too."

IMPORTANT ELECTION

His reply was lost as he turned away, but suffice to say that I do not expect that pothole outside the gate he nearly tripped in to be fixed anytime soon ­ no matter who wins.

This election is important, not because Parish Council has any power, but because of its timing. It comes when the dollar has hit an all-time low, when the PNP is way out of its honeymoon period (if there was any) after the historic fourth term and when Eddie Seaga is in his last political gasp.

OK, so Edward Seaga is like the grass in drought ­ all dead and shrivelled up (politically, politically) and then there is a shower of rain and he springs back up all rosy again. But after the string of failures stretching back to 1983 (if the PNP had contested that snap election, chances are he would have been pitched out forthwith), there must come when even the sycophants in the Labour camp draw a line.

If the JLP loses this one, Seaga may as well give it up. Of course, along with the Labour party, they made a real botch of the October general election, what with the breeding and all that. At least even they seem to have learnt the lesson and dropped the "breeder" tag.

For the PNP, Patterson has reached that point where all men reach ­ hoping to enshrine their legacy, no matter how sordid it may be. Like Seaga, I believe that PJ "done wid dis" and has been itching to get out of this thing for a long time. But woe is he or she who turns their back on the Almighty party, so Percival seems intent on making sure that he keeps it on a steady footing.

And if the JLP finally learns to accept the gifts that a woefully inept PNP, operating at an extreme disadvantage in the first place in this era of globalisation and war, they will be sure to press for early elections.

FADING JOCKEYS, FADING GELDINGS

So what we have are two fading jockeys, two fading geldings and the die-hard betting public split evenly down the middle.

It is, of course, anybody's guess if the leader is riding the party or vice versa, so exactly which is the jockey and which is the de-balled mount.

I am also rather interested in this election result, more to see if Eddie will hit the road than anything else. Whatever the outcome, though, I am pretty sure that the PNP and JLP will both go into the next general election with different ultimate leaders.

It is about time.

* Melville Cooke is a freelance writer.