'Boogeyman' is back

When I was growing up in the '60s, talk of 'boogeymen' or 'black heart men' was terrifying for most schoolchildren. Even parents and guardians provided daily briefings on how we should protect ourselves.

Now, 40 years later the boogeyman is back. This time it is different. The boogeymen are now callous cold-blooded murderers and rapists who are preying on our children. Parents are now fearful to send their children to school. Children have been abducted and even killed since the beginning of the year. Truth is, there is really no 'boogeymen' or 'black heart men'. There are criminals that need to be hunted down by the security forces and put away for life.

The Government cannot allow criminals to handcuff our nation and elicit fear in our youths. This madness must stop. No wonder they say the more things change the more they remain the same.

- Alvin Buchanan, alvinb@htn.net, Via Go-Jamaica

God willing

I WRITE to support the request of Margaret Bishop in her letter to the Editor of Wednesday, November 12. I, too, am distressed that the teachers preparing the children for the Schools' Challenge Quiz and its junior version have not corrected the children who, before announcing their chosen profession say, "God's willing". As pointed out by Mrs Bishop, Deo Valente (DV) translates to "God being willing" or "if God be willing". To add an apostrophe and an 's' to the word 'God' would imply either: (1) That the word willing is a noun and that it is possessed by God. (2) That 'God's' is the shortened from of 'God is' in the expression 'God is willing'.

There are many of us in Jamaica who will be delighted to know that the teachers and the programme director understand and accept Mrs Bishop's correction and will in future have the children use the correct expression which is 'God willing'.

- Heather Davidson, 21 Charlemont Drive, Kingston 6, Jamaica, West Indies; (876) 702-2623

Nostalgia

On reading the first paragraph of Neita's column on Saturday, a wave of nostalgia washed over me. My mother, who died at age 91 two years ago, constantly talked about Teacher Neita in the most glowing terms. He was her teacher in elementary school and if the son is correct, it could not have been for very long. Yet, she held the most cherished memories of her school days with Teacher Neita.

I, too, attended that school, from which I went to Clarendon College. Thanks for sharing.

- Cordella Cautheri, cordella@optonline.net, Cherry Drive, Via Go-Jamaica