THE EDITOR, Sir:
KINDLY PERMIT me space to share my views with Jamaica.
When we speak about National Heroes we refer to Garvey, Bustamante, Norman Manley and the others. They fought for our freedom. Some even lost their lives just to ensure that we have freedom.
Miss Lou might not have fought a physical fight but she has been very vocal about the Jamaican patois. She demonstrates nationalism and a love for her people when you listen to the messages in her different performances.
There is no greater cultural icon than Miss Lou. She sang Jamaica in every act she did, even if she did not actually say the word. She was a genius in the theatre and her work should be emphasised daily in the lives of our people.
Miss Lou is proud of her country, her people and the Jamaican language. Although patois is not recognised, it as a language we should still recognise it as the Jamaican way of speaking. If we fail to cherish and enhance the legacy of people like Miss Lou we will be doing a disservice to our nation.
I am therefore calling on the Prime Minister of Jamaica to establish the Louise Bennett-Coverley Centre for Arts at the University of Technology, where we would have books on the legacy of Miss Lou and the development of cultural art in Jamaica.
She taught us how to be proud of our language and our nation. She has done enough to be given the sort of recognition like Bustamante and the other National Heroes.
I am, etc.,
CRAIG C. DAVIS
ccraig73@yahoo.com Gregory Park
St.Catherine
