While outsourcing is a cost-saving means for companies, based on personal experience with the utility companies, outsourcing can be a costly business to their customers. Due to outsourcing, it took a few days short of a month, including a heated exchanges of letters with the company's president, for Cable & Wireless, which promised us "within 10 days", to replace a broken modem.

It took the JPS short of two weeks to change a meter for our new tenants at a rented house, which, in the end, cost us rental in both the old and new place. They had promised "within four days". Putting in a new phone and disconnecting at the old place took several telephone calls and a visit to the C&W office. Money was lost in both downtimes.

- Claude Wilson, jaclaude@yahoo.com

Not encouraging

It is very unfortunate that the country is still being tarnished by this scourge of violence, which appears to be out of control. Regrettably, our new Minister of National Security, after 18 years of being in Opposition, does not have a clue as to how to solve this problem. How can you be in that position for so long and do not have at least a semblance of a plan to deal with this scourge.

As a staunch Labourite, I am appealing to the Prime Minister to challenge Mr. Smith to produce a plan within 60 days or be removed from this demanding position.

- Dr. Michael Thompson, mthompson@aol.com, Hollywood, Fl.

Via Go-Jamaica.

Civilised values

Is there any hope that the people of post-colonial Jamaica will one day accept and practise the values which drive the world's civilised nations? Mr Golding has pledged "to create" a new Jamaica. He needs to start right now. I suggest that he makes a public address to the nation, dealing with the problems of public behaviour, among others. A good title would be "What it means to be Jamaican". I am convinced beyond doubt, based on what I have observed over the past 45 years that when that last British colonial left Jamaica, he left not only with his personal belongings, his instruments of office but he left with 'civilisation' in his luggage. We need to do better.

- P. Logan, Duncans P.O.