WITH reference to your opinion column regarding the cabinet system, it begs the question as why we need so many councillors representing us. Even the most diligent councillor who correctly represents his electorate has no chance of persuading the majority of councillors to vote his proposals through because a democratic vote has no chance unless the five wise men of the cabinet agree.

So let's save a lot of money and do away with all the councillors and just keep the five wise men. Or better still, why not have one man who decides everything. If we're going to do away with democracy we might as well go the whole course and limit the dictatorship to one person instead of five.

– John Timbrell, Drybrook.