The Editor, Sir:

When I read TheSunday Gleaner lead story entitled 'New hotels few homes' I was reminded of this beautiful quote by Sir John Harvey-Jones. He says, "Planning is an unnatural process; it is much more fun to do something. The nicest thing about not planning is that failure comes as a complete surprise."

Unfortunately, our Government has been the sort which grants permission for the construction of these grand hotels without anticipating the problems that it will inevitably cause.

Undoubtedly, the announcement of jobs will lure the impoverished masses to the polls like bees to a hive, which will satisfy the Government's desire for power, and hotels themselves will entice them to stay in St. James, which will continue to whirl out of control.

But like a prophet crying in the wilderness, Mr. Mark Kerr-Jarrett has come forward and put plainly the havoc that will continue to unfold in the parish if housing solutions are not put in place - failure in this case will not be a complete surprise.

The Government wants to attract tourists, but they must seriously consider this fact. A town plagued by violence and whose beauty is marred by unsightly hodgepodge settlements will be the demise of the industry, and ultimately the country.

The Planning Institute of Jamaica has warned that unplanned settlements will "create an enormous burden on both local and national governments." But the Government, it seems, loves burdens and only seeks to address issues when they have got completely out of control. The examples are numerous in the areas of finance, crime and now malaria. But here the Government has an opportunity to do something right. The question is - Will they do it?

I am, etc.,

MARIA ROBINSON

mariaineiwa@yahoo.com

Osaka, Japan

Via Go-Jamaica