The Editor, Sir:

My happy memories of visits to Castleton Gardens as a child remain intact, but only help to make a sad contrast between then and now.

On Easter Monday my family and I made a visit to Castleton Gardens. To cut a long, sad story short, I will just state the basic points.

1) The plants and trees are, to a large extent, diseased and dying, and it is obvious that no care is being given to them. This tragedy mirrors the tragedy of our social, economic and environmental ills and the non-functioning of the Ministry of Agriculture in this regard.

2) The river is unhealthy, garbage abounds and people are washing themselves and their clothing in the river, using, I imagine, any brand of soap or detergent available, with no clue what is happening to the very source of their unmetered domestic utility.

3) The music makers, hefting heavy equipment to provide a "blast" for the patrons of the Gardens, with no regard to the fact that many people, like ourselves, came for peace and quiet and to escape from the very noise about to be inflicted upon us.

4) Despite all this, the staff and vendors of craft were friendly and welcoming and provided the one bright spot for our visit.

Castleton Gardens as it should be, used to be, is no more, for it is apparently afflicted with the same insidious disease of indiscipline, mismanagement and corruption which has taken hold of every aspect of our society and our lives.

I treasure the happy memories I have of this wonderful place, and hold them always close, like the precious photograph of a mother long dead.

I am, etc.,

SADAN TAYAD

Kingston 10