Dennie Quill, Contributor
I HAVE mixed feelings about the private sector getting into the business of financing the police in acquiring state-of-the-art DNA equipment. We know there is a dire need - Mark Shields made it clear that our forensic practices were frozen somewhere in the last century, in his recent address to a service club luncheon in Kingston.
Local businesses have always propped up the police by giving various donations ,including cash and kind, to help fortify the members of the Force and sometimes to spruce up their surroundings.
Given the unending cycle of violence, I can also understand why the private sector feels the need to do something tangible. Many of us feel we need to do something. However, let's not forget that government's first duty is to provide security for its citizens. That should be patently clear in any national budget - security is our number one priority. The resources must be allocated in such a way as to reflect this. Don't spend scarce money on a toothless OUR, a silent Securities Commission, an irrelevant Fair Trading Commission, and agencies like Spectrum, when the police need resources.
NATURAL WONDERS
Meantime, I started my campaign to get Holland Bamboo restored last week and I was heartened at the number of letters which I received. Here are some of them.
"Persons in charge of Jamaica's development seem not to be able to see the trees for the forest. In our quest to become First World we neglect the natural wonders that make Jamaica such a jewel. We seem eager to pour fresh concrete at every photo-op. Motorways/structures are great but these are dime a dozen all over the globe.
Your concern is shared by many Jamaicans, and as you pointed out, there are many organisations globally with resources that could be approached. Would the Forestry Department have any expertise in this area? Keep up the pressure and the column was a great piece. Fern Gully may not be far behind in terms of neglect ..." - Dre.
RESTORATION OF HOLLAND BAMBOO
"I want to add my voice in support of your call for the restoration of the Holland Bamboo (Bamboo Walk) area. I had the good fortune to spend 11 glorious years living in Jamaica. As a Trinidadian living in my adopted land between 1981-1992 Bamboo Walk, along with many other gems of the Jamaican landscape, has always provided great joy and pleasure from ... As you quite correctly pointed out "we owe it to our children". - Henry Cameron.
"We, a group of concerned Jamaicans, have been reading with much alarm your articles regarding the consistent degradation of the once majestic bamboo trees of the Holland Bamboo Avenue... The pristine beauty of the avenue must be restored. Therefore, we are prepared to do all we can to help to reverse the trend of destroying these towering, majestic beauties and restore the bamboo avenue to what it once was - the greatly admired Holland Bamboo Avenue." - Elaine Henry, Jennifer Hendricks, Gwen Withers, Novalyn Henry.
"The first time I got the experience of visiting and driving through Holland Bamboo, I was lost for words. What a spectacle! I agree with you that the government must invest in this piece of JEWEL, it seems as if money is wasted on unnecessary things and the beauty of our country is not sustained ... I also think that the people of St. Elizabeth should make an effort to restore what was once a beautiful attraction and put them on the map as a parish worth visiting...Keep up your campaign. Better must come and we need to be reminded that the roots of Holland Bamboo are dying and bear in mind what Marcus Garvey said: 'A people without their history is like a tree without its roots'." - CH.
SHOCKED AND ASHAMED
"Thanks for your article. I was on vacation about three years ago and proudly went to show my sons (they left Jamaica as babies) our wonderful Holland Bamboo. They were not impressed and I certainly was shocked and ashamed of the condition of the Holland Bamboo.
I do not believe the Government is going to do anything about it! If a GROUP of us Jamaicans can convince the government to pass this property over to us, with the understanding that we would restore the area back to its glory days, this could be a good investment for us. This is just an idea. I agree with you, that allowing Holland Bamboo to be destroyed would be very sad." - Winston Smith, Fort Worth, Texas.
Dennie Quill is a veteran journalist who may be reached at denniequill@hotmail.com
