The Editor, Sir:

IT IS amazing that the current Government, after 18 years in power, can magically find 'convenient cash' to fund some basic and essential services, such as Intensive Care units at CRH and Falmouth Hospital, and spanking new ambulances at various health facilities, improvement to the fire and police stations in Falmouth.

Yes, it is OK if you are entertaining to roll out the red carpet to your guest. However, how important is the welfare of our ordinary citizens that our basic health care and other physical infrastructure can only be improved in order to avoid any detrimental act to our guest? This is so uncaring, and this nonchalant attitude of the Government is so despicable that they now have the right to 'foist' on the nation anything or nothing.

I have not participated in the democratic process in the past 18 years, and therefore, I would never comment on any of the ills of Government or Opposition, as my attitude was, I did not participate, so who am I to criticise. However, with the preparation for Cricket World Cup (CWC), my attitude has changed, and those of us who are sitting on the fence (uncommitted voter population) need to get off the fence and at the next election speak.

What is wrong with us?

When will our political representatives place the nation as priority number one, irrespective of potential loss of power, so that Jamaica can be preserved and compared to our smaller Caribbean neighbourBarbados (which is only the size of Hanover and with far less natural resources than we have, but will be a developed country in only a few years). If they can get it right, what is wrong with us, with all the intellect that abounds on the rock? Maybe we should swallow our pride and ask Barbados how did they do it. One of the differences I have noted is that they spend quality resources on education.

Mr. Patterson of all the prime ministers has been my greatest disappointment to date, as he had the privilege of tertiary education, which would not be the norm in his era unless you had money or were 'bright'. A First World education system should be his focus and his legacy, not highways. The same methods we use to borrow money to construct highways and invest in other infrastructure, we could use funds to investment in our human capital by way of a quality education system. I would be comfortable as a taxpayer to be repaying Government debt that was used for education purposes.

I feel that it will always be the intention of the two 'P's (Jamaica Labour Party and People's National Party) to push this item under the carpet because if they ensure that the majority (voting population) of the nation is uneducated, then the 'wool' will continually be over their eyes. They won't demand performance and they can continue to keep them in their places by only providing a meal, music and mental retardation. It is sad that after 45 years we still cannot get it right.

I am, etc.,

G. ELAINE HARTY

Trelawny Street

Falmouth P.O.

Trelawny