The Editor, Sir:

I watched with great interest the showing of our original Independence Day celebration, prior to the live broadcast of the 2007 Independence Day celebrations. I viewed the original broadcast with pride, especially when the Union Jack was lowered and the Jamaican flag hoisted.

However, I believe we should change our motto, 'Out of many, one people', as the celebration was not inclusive of the many different cultures which constitute our nation.

Celebrations signified unity

When I was much younger, I recall the celebrations which consisted of the heritages of the Indians, Chinese, Lebanese, Jewish, to name a few, being displayed to signify the unity which existed in our island.

It is a serious injustice to the Jamaican people to leave out of the Independence celebrations the variety of our culture and the groups who have toiled over the years to contribute to Jamaica from then until today.

We are now behaving as if these cultures did not play and still do not play a significant role in Jamaica, and it appears to me that our motto should now be 'A lot of people who descended from slaves'.

I am, etc.,

MICHELLE SMITH

Kingston

Via Go-Jamaica

mish6@hotmail.com