THE EDITOR, Sir:
THERE IS land waiting to produce sugar cane, and people out of work, why then is there no brown sugar?
There is a trendy delusion that tourism, the computer generation or the lottery, is going to save the people in the rural areas and those by the seaside from a life of hard work. This is not true.
The majority of people want basic rights to earn a living that will afford them the ability to have a place to live, put food on their table and to send their children to school.
People want viable and lively communities where they will have activities beyond their work that will entertain and enrich and uplift their lives.
If they work the fields, they want and need a sense of comfort when they go home to their families.
When the factories are closed down because the costs are "too high" to keep them open, and workers cannot find work, they begin to sit and dream about winning the lottery, or catching the drop pan using such imaginary and ludicrous connections such as "lizard means 31".
Cashpotmania has reached such proportions that even Cable and Wireless has become involved. On the back of your telephone book you can find the winning number for that dream you had last night.
You don't even have to dream, just look around you; if you see an egg, play 4. And, "You can even play your phone number!"
Only when the player loses does he understand clearly and positively that the egg really meant "chicken!" she/he should have figured it out and played 28!
Well, it may all be fun, but its corrupting influence is sure.
A social system is one that incorporates and cares for all of its people assesses and utilises their knowledge and talents, acknowledges the needs of the young and the old, the healthy and the sick.
The Government needs to revive the sugar cane producing communities and put people back to work with incentives. There is simply no good substitute for self-reliance.
I am, etc.
A. M. TONSINGH
stop1998@aol.com
Trelawny native
Via Go-Jamaica
