THE EDITOR, Sir:

Please allow me to join the thousands of Jamaicans offering congratulations to Ms. Karen Tamasa who was recently awarded the Prime Minister's National Youth Award for excellence in agriculture.

At a time when many of our young people are echoing "nutten naw gwan fi mi", Ms. Tamasa has shown us that something is going on for her. She is thinking outside the box and has entered a male-dominated field. At 19 years old, she is a shining example to the young, the old and the in between.

While I am not against programmes that are youth specific, our young people must be vigilant and open to grasp the opportunities that are available as Ms. Tamasa has shown. We are a developing country with high unemployment;

there can be just so many doctors, lawyers, scientists, to name some of the professions to which our young people are aspiring to enter.

Those of us who view agriculture as dirty work are really out of touch with nature and with reality. We are reminded in Scripture that the earth is the Lord's and everything that is in it. Have we lost sight of all the good in the form of our food and the beauty in nature that God has given us from the earth?

Ms. Tamasa, as a woman born and grown in rural Jamaica, words are inadequate to describe how proud I am of your achievement as a young Jamaican woman. God bless you my child and may you continue to go from strength to strength.

I am, etc.,

Cynthia Lawrence-

Jennings

Kingston 8