Mourning the loss of Fr Martin Royackers THE EDITOR, Sir: I AM writing from Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, as a long time friend and admirer of Jamaica, a person who helped found a Canadian non-governmental agency in 1981 called Jamaican Self Help, which has assisted countless Jamaican projects in poor communities over the years since 1981. With matching funds from the Canadian agency CIDA, Jamaican Self Help has been able to forward over Cdn $5 million to Jamaica over the years. But more, our little group, based in a mid-sized Ontario city has been deeply linked with Jamaican society in friendship, solidarity, cultural exchanges and youth visits. Fr. Martin Royackers in his work in rural development in St. Mary has been one of our co-operating partners for seven years. His zeal, ability and affability have made the relationship with Jamaican Self Help a productive and rewarding one. We also were aware of his stimulating teaching at the University of the West Indies and of his brave preaching on social justice in his church. We deeply mourn his death in a violent act on Wednesday past: an act committed just as we were gathering here for the annual general meeting of our organisation. We join you all in grief and in renewed determination to help to eradicate the scourge of hate and cruelty that so mars Jamaica' beautiful face. I am etc., ROSEMARY GANLEY Volunteer, Jamaican Self Help Organisation Peterborough E-mail: ganleyfj@ptbo.igs.net Peterboroug, Ontario Canada Via Go-Jamaica A very kind person THE EDITOR, Sir: I WISH to send my condolences to the parishioners and friends of Fr. Martin Royackers. I knew this very kind person well since he married my wife and me in Guelph, Ontario, Canada in 1992. He was the university campus priest for over a year at Guelph. He was from an area farm and was very much appreciated at this agricultural university. For him, the spirit and food were the basis of life. For this quest for goodness, his life will be sadly missed by many in Ontario. Having spent time near Annotto Bay myself in the mid-1980s, I know that the people and place are beautiful and we will suffer from his loss. I am etc, CHRIS DUKE E-mail: cduke@lrs.uoguelph.ca Dept. of Land Resource Science University of Guelph Ontario, Canada Via Go-Jamaica
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