Look at other industries
published: Wednesday | March 2, 2005

THE EDITOR, Sir:

THE FINANCE minister openly stated that sugar cannot die, that he would try to do everything in his power to pevent this death. The honourable minister's position can well be respected in light of the fact that he is trying to maintain employment for those in this industry. We need to be realistic, however. We need to look at what sugar will do for Jamaica in an international environment characterised by intolerance for margins of preference.

Wth all due respect the powers that be need to revisit the drawing board and come up with logical solutions for our problems. Have they, for insatnce, considered facilitating the development of non-traditional crops like ginger, or scotch-bonnet pepper even?

The only place in the world that has pepper with a flavour anywhere near the Jamaican 'scotchie' is India. We should also look at the fact that the development of an industry is not capital-intensive. What are the implications of this? We have a comparative advantage. Why don't we use this to our advantage?

I am, etc.,

ANNTONETTE BERNARD

Tactfultash@yahoo.com