Minister of Industry and Tourism, the Honourable Aloun Assamba.

It has become very clear to me as a young female professional (I am a graduate of Moneague College and a teacher) that misbehaviour and "badmanism" receive promotion in Jamaica and good discipline and respectfulness are worth nothing.

Accordingly, if you block roads, behave loud and create a righteous raucousness, you get what you want. If you wrote letters and spoke softly, you get ignored. That has been the case in South East St. Ann with the "unseating" of the Member of Parliament. The loud rabble (few as they were) has had their way ahead of the rest of us soft-spoken citizens and constituents.

For what it is worth, they did not reflect the majority of us. Alas, the MP has stepped aside and who or what has replaced her thus far is a vacuum of leadership and decency. I personally believe this is a sad though significant and instructive development. It seems that the Representation of the People Act has been reduced to the 'Make Noise' and 'Block Road' acts - such is the process that determines our democracy.

Has anyone assessed the dangerous implications for a small-island democracy if this trend is allowed to continue? For what it is worth, we in York Castle would welcome a reconsideration by our beloved Member of Parliament. Ma'am please don't leave.

- Carla Boreland, landbore@yahoo.com, Bensonton, St. Ann, Via Go-Jamaica