What do the Duckworth/Lewis (D/L) scoring and GSAT scoring systems have in common? They are both complicated and unfair.

The D/L scoring system is an attempt to determine equivalency in cricket scores by a mathematical route in order to contrive a result. However, it is known that normally the team batting second has a distinct advantage under the D/L system.

Establish reserve day

The fourth one-day international (ODI) between the West Indies and England had one team scoring 239 for 9 from 50 overs and under the D/L system the equivalent amount is 136 from 20 overs. That, to me, is not a par score.

What needs to be done is to have a reserve day so that the match can continue the following day or, where possible, continue to play under lights. If those two options are not possible, then it should be declared a 'no result'.

In addition, the bowling of 100 overs in a day is too much. It would be better is to have a maximum of 90 overs for the day as in a Test match, which means each team would have 45 overs each. The match would start at the same time and there would be wiggle room of 30 minutes for any act of nature.

This reduction is not precedent-setting because there was a time when World Cup ODIs were 60 overs each and Australia had eight-ball overs.

The other problem with the D/L system is that fans do not know how the calculations are done. The rules and regulations ought to be simple and not the sole purview of mathematicians. Can you imagine American football or basketball having a D/L system to decide results?

By the way, the silliness of the D/L system is that two other mathematicians, in attempting to design equivalency, could develop a different scoring system. It is time to scrap the D/L system because it is unfair, unknowable to many and unnecessary.

GSAT similarities

The GSAT scoring system is similar. The students, teachers and parents do not know how that scoring system operates.

Last year, Andrew Holness, minister of education, promised to explain the system in Parliament. And, on June 26, 2008, he promised to install an independent committee that would focus on ranking, placement and awards of scholarships and additionally, there would be a technical review of the GSAT, focusing on the communications task test. Up to today, I have not heard those three issues dealt with.

Last year, a ministry of education official informed me that the percentage scores for mathematics, language arts, science and social studies were useless in determining the student's placement in a high school or the award of a scholarship, yet that is what the students, parents and teachers are given.

According to the official, to calculate the performance of a child, one needs to know the raw scores, the standard deviation and the mean distribution.

If what the ministry official said was true, then it is clear that the ministry of education has a D/L-type marking system which is a secret and only a chosen few know it and fewer understand it. In any case, for placement purposes and the award of scholarships, it is unnecessary to calculate standard deviation and mean distribution.

Disregard for the public

Both the D/L and GSAT scoring system demonstrate a disregard for the participants and the public. It shows that leaders feel that they have knowledge superior to the masses'.

The leaders do not feel that they are accountable to those they lead and there is little transparency and no commitment to change ridiculous regulations.

Devon Dick is pastor of the Boulevard Baptist Church and author of 'Rebellion to Riot - the Church in Nation Building'. Feedback may be sent to columns@gleanerjm.com.