As with anything new, it takes a while before a “new” phenomenon of Independents gains traction and people begin to embrace it in larger and ever larger numbers.Even the media, which should be way out in front of the general public in bringing innovative or educative phenomena to light, deliberately or otherwise seem to treat Independents minimally.So it comes as no real surprise that with the entry of 15 Independents (eight more failed to clear their paperwork), or approximately 42 percent of the seats in Parliament being contested by Independents, the public at large is almost oblivious to, or have not been educated enough about, the implications of such a trend.Although historic, this trend is not being adequately covered in the mainstream press. This phenomenon may be “the plaintive cry of the heretofore silent and collective third non-partisan voice”.Nevertheless, the presence of so many Independents in Election 2012 is causing a stir as is seen daily on the doorstep as we canvass. Particularly so when one considers that even if one of the 15 gains a seat he or she could determine which of the two main parties will govern Bermuda over the next five years.That Independent could also determine the outcome of many major issues or decisions in Parliament when a ‘tiebreaker’ is needed. A “cat among the pigeons” is difficult to ignore forever. Sooner or later the cat’s presence will have to be acknowledged, positively or negatively, as the feathers begin to fly.This growing number, and impact of the Independents, may be the biblical equivalent of ’John the Baptist’. The seemingly ignominious, and perhaps infamous, entry of Independents may portend, or herald, the arrival of coalition government which is anathema to bicameral systems, or one-party government.These Independents may be the “pioneers” of a movement towards an electoral system of proportional representation, whereby the collective “third voice” far and beyond the pale of the political divide may at last be heard.This progressive system, or possibly a hybrid of the same, would replace the divisive system of ‘first-past-the-post’ which causes the political divisions that currently abound in Bermuda, the UK, Canada, the US and any other jurisdiction that practices this archaic and undemocratic system.Despite all that you may have heard to the contrary, such a system does not in fact give us ‘one man, one vote, one vote of equal value’ particularly in the context of “safe seats”.This archaic and unfair system resulted in the hugely skewed seat counts in every election held in Bermuda under both the UBP and the PLP. For example, this system was directly responsible for the PLP receiving 22 seats or approximately 61 percent of the seats from 53 percent of the popular vote whilst the UBP received 14 seats or approximately 39 percent of the seats from 47 percent of the popular vote in Election 2007.That’s hardly “one man, one vote, one vote of equal value”. It is also a huge wastage of votes. We can and should do better, particularly in such a small country.I must point out, as it is popularly and erroneously spouted, that the last mentioned result is not as a result or function of the Westminster system or process which is a parliamentary system or process. It is the direct result and function of the first-past-the-post system which is an electoral system and process.Accordingly, in the interests of fairness, better, wider representation and a greater democracy for Bermuda; voters in my view should look to voting for an Independent candidate running in their constituency.If voters do not have an Independent running in their constituency then they should encourage friends and relatives who do have one to vote for that Independent. Such activity could lead to a more proportional representation and a coalition government that would harness and encompass many of our talented people across the entire political spectrum, particularly since Bermuda has such a severely limited pool of same.It’s past time we utilised all of our expertise for the common good and progress of Bermuda as a whole and not exclusively in, and for, the service of partisan or party politics.This coalition, or consensual government would, and should, constitute PLP, OBA, another or other political parties and Independents with the express intention of hearing, and actualising, as many voices and sentiments as it is feasibly and practically possible to accommodate.Bermuda deserves no less. After all, isn’t that what true democracy is all about?Phil Perinchief is running as an Independent in Pembroke West Central.