The Editor, Sir:

In these times, it seems that the country is continuing its economic slide along the path of negative growth, faced with problems on every front, each of paramount importance.

In light of everything, I would recommend a master plan be prepared that doesn't change every five years. Observing the global situation, I notice that most third world countries are having a hard time getting their economies to be viable, due to unrelenting external pressures. I recommend the Jamaican master plan elevate education as the primary objective. Everything that has transpired since independence is affected by it or the lack thereof. Unfortunately, we have not had the national will to engage this activity, because politically the nation's resources have not been so ordained.

In order to educate our children, we must have classrooms. Until we have buildings enough to generate reasonable class sizes, we should be able to figure a way to accommodate the youngsters, which suggests that what we need more than the classrooms at this time, are teachers and spaces. As a temporary measure, community involvement here could fill the need, with community facilities or homes pressed into service. Most important is the teacher necessary to enable this activity.

I would love to provide such a plan, if sufficient people are available to make this work. In the meantime, the mayors, school teachers, principals and business leaders committed to a future for Jamaica, should convene a meeting to prepare such a plan for implementation by the latest, next school year..

I am, etc.,

HUGH M. DUNBAR

hmdenergy@optonline.net

6010 Boulevard East

West New York

New Jersey

Via Go-Jamaica