Following up on a comparison of the two capital cities of Ottawa (Canada) and Dublin (Ireland), in the matter of electing their Mayors, readers will be pleased to note that the President of the Dublin Chamber of Commerce has called for direct democratic election of that city's First Citizen.

If heeded, it will bring Dublin on par with Ottawa where citizens elect their Mayor by free vote every three years.

It will bring the choice of mayor out of the restricted circle of Dublin City Councillors, and end the swapping of the position between major political parties.

Mr. David Pierce, the new Chamber President, in making the call for citizen enfranchisement, said: "We have a situation where everybody is in charge, but nobody is in overall charge and as a result the city is suffering."

Why there is a reluctance to allow citizens the right to exercise the franchise in electing persons to public office is puzzling.

That right is denied to the citizens of Dublin. It is denied to all the citizens of Canada in respect of the country's Senate.

Aren't the citizens of a city or a country to be trusted?

Why can't people be free to elect whom they want?

Why? Why? Why?

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