The Editor, Sir:

It was announced elsewhere in the media that the Works Minister, Robert Pickersgill, revealed on Friday, December 8, that a new bridge will be constructed in Yallahs, St. Thomas.

This would have been hailed as great news except for the fact that on March 20, the Jamaica Information Service announced that construction of the Yallahs Bridge would have commenced in September 2006. I quote from the release: "The National Works Agency Work has announced that construction of the 157-metre Yallahs Bridge in St. Thomas should begin in September and completed by April 2008."

Indeed, as late as August 2006, Junior Works Minister, Fenton Ferguson, speaking at the Bath Breadfruit Festival, again announced the construction of the Yallahs Bridge would commence in September 2006.

So, to date, we have three headline-making announcements of a bridge, but no bridge has materialised. I know that it is much easier to make an announcement or issue a press release than to build a bridge, but may I remind the minister that that is what the travelling public needs, not more self aggrandising announcements.

If he had any respect for the long-suffering travelling public, he would not utter another word on this phantom bridge until it is ready to be inaugurated into service, if that day ever comes. Until then, no more press releases!

I am, etc.,

H. EDISON HUMPHRIES

edison9114@yahoo.com

Miramar, FL

Via Go-Jamaica