The Editor, Sir:

All of us should be concerned about the fate of the Cockpit Country, should bauxite mining be allowed there. It is not only the integrity of this national and, indeed, international treasure that would be in jeopardy.

Bauxite mining is a prime, but not the only example of economic activity that, if uncoordinated, could make the national effort at development self-defeating. This is what can happen if each sector takes a myopic view of economic progress. Too many investors with little concern for the island's overall welfare are major actors in these various enterprises. Poorly conceived hotel and unregulated housing construction, farming, and if we add proposed cement manufacture to the mix, now make up a deadly cocktail of deleterious assaults on the integrity of Jamaica's development process. The society must come forward to protect itself.

At the very least, we need credible official, public explanations of these various initiatives in terms of their varied long and medium-term implications for the environment, the economy and social well-being of our citizens.

Negative Impact

Our historical experience is a chilling reminder of the negative impact of activities like these that are not a coherent part of rationally integrated development of the country. Is the concept of national, not just sectoral, development plans extinct?

But let us get back to the Cockpit Country. One of our most precious assets is the incredible physical beauty and natural richness of our country. Not only is it aesthetically pleasing to us, it is a critical asset on which tourism, the economy's lifeline, is built. I agree with those who argue that the Cockpit Country should be carefully developed, indeed nurtured, in such a way as to enhance its enjoyment by Jamaicans and foreign visitors alike, while forging a more robust and sustainable tourism product. That is why conservationists and others have made a compelling and moving case for the protection of the eco-system, as well as for its sensitive exploitation as a cultural and economic asset.

Values

Sociologists, anthropologists and historians too, know how much the area means for understanding who we are as a result of the struggle and other life experiences which have created a people and a country. Is bauxite mining compatible with the preservation and utilitarian exploitation of these values, inherent in the area? Many are not convinced, believing instead that mining will despoil the region, adversely affect the life of its inhabitants and seriously reduce its tourism potential. I am one of those.

The authorities should therefore make the case for plans for the area, beyond that belatedly articulated by the Jamaica Bauxite Institute (JBI), so that the public can make an informed and balanced judgment. While welcoming the explanation given by the JBI, two recent newspaper editorials have quite cogently pointed to an inconsistency in the official position. Have the authorities ruled out bauxite mining in the Cockpit Country as a matter of firm policy, or is the possibility to be left open? Maybe 'exploration' is merely to take an inventory of the country's resources. Declaring the Cockpit Country a protected reserve would allay our fears.

I am, etc.,

H. DALE ANDERSON

hdaleanderson@gmail.com