The Editor, Sir:

Jamaica's problems unquestionably, are many and complex. Crime, joblessness, corruption, and environmental decay stalk our daily lives. The Gleaner is filled daily with suggestions regarding the causes of and solutions to our seemingly intractable problems.

Unfortunately, population growth, the leading cause of our social, economic and environmental demise, is disregarded. Jamaica is an island of finite liveable space, which is being choked by our increasing population.

The World Fact Book estimates our current population at 2,780,000, which is approximately double our population of 1950, which was estimated at 1,403,000. Thirty two per cent of our current population is 14-years-old or younger s. At our current growth rate, we are producing approximately 21,000 new mouths to feed every year. Our schools, our medical services, our cities, our judicial institutions are becoming less able to handle the pressures of population growth with each passing year. Without a permanent drastic decline in our population growth, we will never find permanent solutions to all our other pressing problems.

I am, etc.,

R. OSCAR LOFTERS

lofters1@aol.com

Kingston 8