Resignation from President

—M. Berghan.

In the election forum Bruce Robinson stood up, during question time and said words to this effect: "Everytime there is an election I look through the candidates to find the fool". Well, "the fool" won. I wonder how foolish that makes Bruce and the other candidates. Democracy is the name of the game—they backed the wrong horse and lost and should accept that—though I doubt they will.

I think this fact and the election results, in general, show an important move of direction in Varsity politics. People are tired of the so-called "political heavies" whose policies seem to have turned almost entirely outside New Zealand and especially off the campus. Basically, the majority of students, J think, come to Varisty to get a degree and to have as good a time as possible while they are doing that. The first priority of the Executive should be to see that these aims are fulfilled.

482 people voted for a completely non-political president. They ignored much advertising and the excellence with which the other candidates handled themselves at the election forum. They voted for "the fool". I think this proves the extent to which they feel that they have had enough of the way things have been. Only 1418 people out of how many voted? Only about 200 bother to attend the election forum. What about the rest? They are so sick of the Varsity politics that they just haven't bothered.

Winning the election has put me on the spot. I was enticed into standing in one of my weaker moments, and was not really that serious. The closer it came to the election the more serious it seemed to get and now people keep telling me to "stick with it". I wonder if they know what job the President is supposed to do. I know I don't but I do know that I don't feel up to the task.

Standing has been interesting. You discover things how Salient can accidently misprint your manifesto. And how, in your letter from the returning officer you are told your manifesto must not exceed 200 words and that if it does you will be cut off at 200 words. The underlining was theirs. It seems you can't get much firmer that that but if you are one of those fortunate enough to be in the know you find out that, in fact, you can exceed that limit by quite a margin. But, of course, democracy won out in the long run. The people voted for "the fool".

However, I feel that I must resign from my position. I don't think I am capable of living up to the expectations of those who voted for me. I don't think that one can claim to have a majority with only 482 votes out of 6,000 students. To remain as President I would have to become a "political heavy". No thanks. I stood against them. I think I have proved my point—the one thing I was serious about—but I used the election to do this—not to rob the students of a $3,000 honorarium. I have had no administrative experience which is essential when walking into a position such as President.

Many people have said that standing down will be letting the voters down and make my standing and winning worthless, mainly because they think the "political heavies" will get in. I don't think my standing will be made pointless by a resignation and I don't think next year need be the same as this one. Those 482 people who voted for me and all those others who didn't care have the power to make sure it doesn't happen again. It's up to them to use it. I'll get hassled but I'm a fool and most of all, I'm laughing.

M. Berghan.