Very tragic
published: Saturday | June 4, 2005

THE EDITOR, Sir:

WE'VE BEEN to Jamaica 10 or 11 times so we are not really experts. We are, however, experienced tourists and also have a love for the country and its people. We've stayed in hotels in MoBay, Ocho Rios and Kingston; we've rented houses in Kingston and Port Maria. We've brought friends on vacations and also fellow workers on church mission trips.

Crime has always been there, when we've visited. We always thought we were relatively safe from it as we didn't go into questionable areas. But this week's shootings on Mountain View Avenue shocked me. We always rent a van when we come, and it struck me this time that it could have been us. That's the road we use to get to New Kingston and Red Hills, when we fly into Norman Manley. We've been at those intersections.

I doubt we will be back. For us, that's most regrettable. I don't suppose we truly miss what never was. I cannot help wonder, though, whether Jamaica will ever realise what the crime wave is doing, and the absolute urgency of stopping the lawlessness. It's tragic to us, and infinitely moreso for Jamaicans.

I am, etc.,

ROBERT G. CLEVELAND

bob.cleveland@aieins.com

Via Go-Jamaica