Portfolio System

Sir,—The next Executive will not be comprised of the best available students. In some cases the voters were forced to choose between two or more good candidates whilst in others, less competent have been thrust upon them. Can this be described as an exercise in democracy ?

When it is remembered that the duties of an Exec, member extend far beyond the particular portfolio allotted to him or her, the failure of the system is the more manifest.

At the time the system was first mooted I supported it, I only hope my colleagues in error will join with me in admitting short-sightedness.

The only way in which I can see that this system could be retained is to introduce a "policy" committee and to confine portfolio holders to the area of those portfolios.

However, as this "junior executive" would have little appeal, unless it is a pre-requisite for a "policy" position for the candidate to have served a year as a "portfolio" holder, it seems that we shall have to revert to the former shambles as being the lesser of the two evils.