The Editor, Sir:

With regard to the 'apology' from the 'offspring' of our 'forefathers and mothers' slave masters ... Mr. Nettleford, etc., etc. ... SORRY will never be enough, what will it be. Money ... to whom - dead slaves - resting 'peacefully' in their graves? They are the ones who suffered and I do not hear them complaining. To their offspring, why would my life be any different if my foreparents were not slaves?

I do not know, but I know that knowing that they were slaves gave me the strength to live in a manner to honour their memories, unlike many of my fellow Jamaicans who are still living like the warring tribes in Africa who sold my foreparents to slave traders in the first place (it would also be fair to request some kind of 'apology' from the sellers as well).

What I am driving at is this - when I look back on our long history of slavery, I see unspeakable horror, but I also see a strong and rich heritage that speaks of unyielding strength and fierce determination and no amount of apology will ever take that away.

I am, etc.,

AUDREY

kasihe@verzon.net