THE EDITOR, Madam:
THE WTO is not all bad; what it is saying to us is that we need to trade in the goods in which we have a clear comparative advantage.
Take our tourism for example, it is quite obvious that the name Jamaica is a novelty that never seems to wear off. We are a sought after destination but the crime and the lack of infrastructure to enhance the product is preventing us from gaining the maximum benefit from this beautiful island.
We could look at marketing all parts of Jamaica with their unique individual features and history, including that of Kingston. We could use the services and influence of Zekes, Dudus and the likes as tour guides, as well as trainers for their followers to better understand tourism. These people will be earning a decent living and will prevent the tourists from being harmed.
We should once and for all settle the issue of casino gambling by introducing it to supplement the attraction for tourism and providing thousands of our people with new jobs in the construction of hotels and later as hotel workers.
The information technology sector, seems to be the way forward and is getting a lot of attention from Minister Paulwell; he should be encouraged. We should possibly consider making the entire island a free-zone area and give all sectors the same incentives that are given to the free-zone entities.
We should be seriously looking at offshore banking. The Cayman Islands, Antigua and other islands in the Caribbean are earning big bucks from this service industry and we should try and earn a chunk of that pie, without harbouring drugs money.
Finally, I would like the government to stop pussyfooting around with our reggae music. This industry is earning billions of dollars annually by people who are unconnected to Jamaica and therefore we should immediately seek to maximise our potential income from this product. I don't think it would be too much to appoint a Minister of Reggae to the Cabinet to give it the full attention it deserves.
In order for our people to feel like a part of this new economy, we should establish a central credit bureau, so that our citizens will be able to acquire the basic necessities in a short time while working hard to pay for them in the future.
I hope that our leaders will quickly grasp the complexities of this 'New World' and lead our people to prosperity in this 21st century.
I am, etc.,
SHAWN JOHNSON
P.O. Box 523
Mandeville
