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The buck stops with you, PM

June 18, 2014, 2:00 am
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Dear Editor,

This is an open letter to the Prime Minister of Jamaica Portia Simpson Miller.

We elected your party to govern us for five years and you allowed someone whom we do not even know to take decisions that is going to affect the over two million of us living on this little island.

I am talking about the contractor general, Dirk Harrison, who is responsible for the breaking up of the signed agreement entered into with an international company, EWI, who were contracted to build a power plant that would have resulted in us paying much less than the oppressive light bills we are receiving from the Jamaica Public Service Company every month.

As you are aware, many people have been electrocuted in their effort to steal the product and many more have been hauled before the courts. However, even more serious than this is that many companies who are still foolish enough to call themselves manufacturers will soon have to close their doors and lay off thousands of people.

What you must remember is that your government is not held in high esteem by the powerbrokers of this world ever since they introduced a levy on the bauxite companies without proper consultation in the 1970s. In fact, I do not believe they have forgiven us, hence the parlous state of the bauxite industry, with Alcoa now pulling out after 55 years.

The super-rich of this world all know each other, so when you embarrass one, as you did with EWI, you embarrass all.

You can expect more investors to think twice before doing business with your government. And what is most unfortunate is that you, the person elected by the people, "had nothing to do with it".

Ken Spencer

Kingston 8

ken3_1999@yahoo.com

The buck stops with you, PM

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Show Ms Lagarde the 'bitter medicine' Ja

June 18, 2014, 2:00 am
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Dear Editor,

The head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Christine Lagarde will be visiting Jamaica from June 27-28. She is here to offer 'moral support' for Jamaica's economic successes while sticking to the programme.

When dignitaries of such high importance visit our country we usually take them on a tour which masks the raw underbelly of our society. Ms Lagarde recently said at an international forum that for countries undergoing recession it will take up to 10 years for them to re-emerge. Her visit, though short, should provide an opportunity to reveal a dose of our reality. Jamaica is not only about sand, sea and sun, it is also about gangs, guns, gays, and ganja. Therefore, while we dine on fancy hors d' oeuvres and sip Margaux and Romanee Conti, let us spare a thought for those of us who can only afford chicken back and sugar and water.

Let us take Ms Lagarde on a tour of Member of Parliament Luther Buchanan's Whitehouse to Belmont Road area. Let her see Majesty Gardens, Tivoli Gardens, Greenwich Farm, Arnett Gardens, Riverton Landfill, etc. Let us have a departure from protocol and I can assure you that we will get help for that 381-megawatt power plant and, at last, a waste-to-energy project. If we are lucky she may also implore our creditors to throw in some debt forgiveness.

Please, don't let her visit be only about "outreach activities" and areas of development, give her a dose of reality, interject some "bitter medicine". The IMF programme may be succeeding in eliminating fiscal deficit and achieving the primary surplus target, but many of us are failing, no matter how much we sacrifice. Perhaps it is our fault for electing corrupt leaders who only pretend to care.

Mark Clarke

Siloah, St Elizabeth

mark_clarke9@yahoo.com

Show Ms Lagarde the 'bitter medicine' Ja

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Move to the head of the class, Alyssa

June 19, 2014, 2:00 am
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Dear Editor,

In one of the most lucid discussions of the UWI/Bain affair I have seen so far, Alyssa Lindsay has taken apart the attempt by Professor Rose-Marie Belle-Antoine to defend the position of UWI, relative to the sacking of Professor Bain. Alyssa is indicated to be a student, but she has clearly bested the professor in clarity of thought and assessment of issues.

I, myself, was appalled by Professor Belle-Antoine's weak arguments in defence of UWI, as I read her article last week. But I certainly was not able to craft so fine a response or to so finely pick apart the major points of Professor Belle-Antoine's weak reasoning. As I read the professor's article I was struck by her poverty of argumentation, and wondered how she could occupy so prominent a position at the St Augustine Law School.

If a student, possibly not even of law, could produce such a dismantling of the professor's arguments, I wonder what arguments UWI's lawyers will be able to adduce in defence of their clients when the suit filed by Professor Bain comes up for hearing.

Maybe Professor Bain's lawyers should ask the judge for a no-case submission right at the start of the proceedings.

Good job, student Alyssa Lindsay, continue to use your God-given talents to show befuddled humanity how to think clearly.

Lloyd A Cooke

Mandeville PO

lcookemia@gmail.com

Move to the head of the class, Alyssa

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An opinion is a right or privilege?

June 19, 2014, 2:00 am
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Dear Editor,

Not often do I read the paper or listen to the news. I simply cannot take injustice and brutality. I may be chastised for not being a responsible and an aware citizen, but that may be justifiable.

Last week, however, I read an article by our former prime minister, Bruce Golding, and my heart was burdened. The article suggests that Professor Brendan Bain was booted from his job, in which he was a capable and efficient steward, because he disapproves of homosexuality. I am not sure of the veracity of the claims in the article. Yet, the possibility of such a claim being true appalls me.

As a young Jamaican born in the 1980s, who studied the hardships of our forefathers, I soon began to treasure what I thought was the right of free speech. Now, I realise that this right has become a privilege, especially when it is directed to the gay rights group.

We have come to the point where others decide when our freedom of speech is a right or a privilege. This concept, though increasingly common, is foreign to my psyche. When did we reach to this point, where our fellow countrymen are punished or chastised for their opinions?

As a teacher of English Literature, I have taught my students to respect the opinions of others. Should I go back to my students and tell them that they can have differing opinions as long as they do not differ from that of the powerful, the wealthy, or more threateningly, the homosexual?

Victimising others because of their difference of opinion has caused most of the atrocities against humanity in our world: the religious persecution in the Dark Ages, the World Wars, the Holocaust, and more recently the abduction of the over 200 girls in Nigeria. Are we regressing? Do I demote a Muslim, Jew, or Hindu because they do not agree with Christianity? Do I undermine a man because I am a strong and confident woman? Should I be booted from my job because I do not agree with homosexuality?

I find it quite ironic that homosexuals ask for tolerance and a non-discriminatory attitude, yet they seem to demote, fire, discriminate and oppress those who do not support their lifestyle. I cannot help but wonder what the real objective is.

We should not bully someone into accepting our views. Not even God did that in the Garden of Eden. We might not all agree with the choices of others and will never accept their point of view, but we should not abuse, hate or cause harm because of that.

Do we not have the right to an opinion though it may differ from others? Is freedom of speech a right or a privilege?

Popsann L Lambert-Francis

popsann@hotmail.com

An opinion is a right or privilege?

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Help! No hospital bed for grandma

June 19, 2014, 2:00 am
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Dear Editor,

Growing up in Jamaica, I was taught, like many of my peers, to respect and help the elderly; always say "Yes, Ma'am; Yes, Sir; Good Morning; or Good Evening". But I truly had a special fondness for the aged so I would try to offer a helping hand. This was what I saw my other family members do.

It didn't matter if we were related.

But, I was moved to write this letter after hearing that my grandmother, who is in her 90s, on the evening of June 16, 2014, went to the St Ann's Bay Hospital, where she had to sleep in a wheelchair for two nights because there were not enough beds. It is unimaginable to think that anyone, especially an elderly person should have to experience this.

She is among many elderly women awaiting a bed. Even as I am writing this letter she is still waiting for a hospital bed and continues to sit in the wheelchair.

I am earnestly asking the health department and the St Ann's Bay Hospital administration, or anyone out there, to please look into this matter and see if there is anything that can be done. I have been calling the numbers listed for the office, but no one answers.

Melonie Hall

melchall@icloud.com

Help! No hospital bed for grandma

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A ‘ganja coalition’ should run Jamaica

June 19, 2014, 2:00 am
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Dear Editor,

I, like so many other Jamaicans, was surprised to see the Government decriminalising the use of small amounts of ganja and proceeding with medical ganja research and the possibilities that exist there.

As a country, we don't have a healthy track record of getting anything sensible done. It is clear to me that this would not have happened without the joint leadership of Paul Burke (PNP) and Delano Seiveright (JLP) and the other politicians like Raymond Pryce (PNP) and other society leaders like Professor Archibald McDonald, the principal of University of the West Indies, Mona; Dr Henry Lowe, scientist; and the many foreigners who added their voice.

From what I saw, the ganja reform movement benefited from having these and other big society players on board, along with the Rastafari movement and other civil society groups. It was the perfect coalition. They were organised, credible, consistent, and clear in their messaging and literally took over public opinion, so much so that there was barely any opposition. It seemed at one point that everybody in Jamaica was talking ganja.

I can say without a doubt that had the ganja lobby been driven my a normal Jamaican, like myself, nothing would have happened. It is not that I underrate myself, but I saw first-hand the importance of key leaders in Jamaica coming together to advocate on issues. There are many big ticket issues in Jamaica for which no progress is being made, including crime, fixing the economy, addressing the many social ills and more.

So, I now call on Paul Burke and Delano Seiveright to come together again do the same as you all did with ganja and get something done about our youth indiscipline, crime, poverty, and the economic crises we face.

Better yet, why don't you all come together, build an even bigger coalition and run this country?

Jennifer Simpson

Kingston 20

jsimpson211@hotmail.com

A 'ganja coalition' should run Jamaica

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Little Bolts and little Otteys need help across the finishing line

June 19, 2014, 2:00 am
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Dear Editor,

The recent Jamaica's Basic School Championships had a lot of celebrities performing, which had the crowd constantly engaged. And, with every race there was loud cheering from the stands. On the track we repeatedly saw star performances by little Usain Bolts, little Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryces, and little Merlene Otteys. This was a taste of the future track stars who will be in the headlines with their numerous gold trophies, signing countless contracts, and receiving several sponsorship deals. Hopefully, then we will hear that he/she is Jamaican.

Sadly, though, too much sponsorship is arriving after the fact. After the athletes have suffered and battled through training under harsh conditions. Too many are recognised by us when the rest of the world starts to acknowledge them.

Looking out on the tracks, recently, some children were out there without shoes — could be a preferred choice to run — however, what a testimony little Ottey will have after her numerous struggles to be acknowledged as a world-class athlete. After being told by his parents "I don't have it. Where must I get it from?" the little Bolt will use his determination to prove to the country that he has star quality.

Yes, parents do utter such harsh remarks to their children shutting down their hope of becoming like Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce one day. Some children identify their career choice from early and as parents we are to ensure that we are not limiting their children. We are to help them aspire to such greatness. We need to encourage them and begin to make the necessary sacrifices to foster their growth. This is something many of us have failed to do.

Let us start helping them from now by identifying these little Usain Bolts and Merlene Otteys and providing sponsorships to help with their training programmes, help with their well-needed gear. We need to help them reach their full potential, and the time to start nurturing and grooming is now. The time to build our track stars starts now.

Dee Hunt

St Catherine

bedeeinspired@gmail.com

Little Bolts and little Otteys need help across the finishing line

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Sex ed is important

June 20, 2014, 2:00 am
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Anyone with even limited experience working with marginalised youth would know that many are sexually active at an early age. This includes homeless youth, those in shelters, etc. In just about every corner of the world, sexual issues can be a serious problem for the vulnerable.

It is also well known that a high percentage of these youth -- compared to the standard ratio in society -- are LGBT. Quite a few have also been abused sexually and suffer psychological consequences, which often involve becoming sexually promiscuous at a very young age.

While I believe any form of sexual education in schools, or elsewhere, should be approved considering the age and circumstances, we cannot appear prudish on matters pertaining to sex, nor can we ignore the reality that many young people are surprising putting themselves at risk of early pregnancies, STDs, etc, by not making informed decisions.

We must find a sensible balance in this current controversy with sex education and the Jamaicans For Justice and children's homes. We cannot always shy away from topics pertaining to sex and sexual issues, especially when dealing with children, many of whom act on their curiousity quite early.

Sex ed is much more than what we learn in biology. I think it is absurd to suggest that something as personal as one's sexuality can be taught, or there can be any agenda to "groom" anyone sexually. It is quite naive to believe that one can actually be coached to be homosexual or heterosexual or anything else in between.

So, before we start crying foul and playing the blame game, looking to score cheap political points, we should stop and ask ourselves some serious questions. Would it be better to face reality and inform these vulnerable youths about the facts, so they know and understand the risks, in order to make more informed decisions? Or, better yet, abstain from having sex until they are mature adults? Or is it better to do nothing at all, say nothing, and then wait for the consequences?

Pete Delisser

pdelisser1988@yahoo.com

Sex ed is important

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What do we expect when it only takes 5 CSECs to be a teacher?

June 20, 2014, 2:00 am
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According to data from the Ministry of Education, fewer than 20 per cent of grade 11 students successfully achieve passing grades in five Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) subjects, including math and English. The problems plaguing education appear insurmountable, but they can be corrected with appropriate solutions.

A quality education system requires competent teachers who are motivated to improve their performance. Say what you want about class sizes, but teacher-quality is the most important in-school factor for a student's success.

A few years ago, Tennessee's Department of Education launched the STAR project to evaluate the effects of smaller class sizes on student achievement over a four-year period, the study identified a correlation between student achievement and smaller classes. However, deeper analysis indicated that differences in student performance were more heavily influenced by the teacher than by student ethnicity, income group or by the school attended by the student.

Academic superpowers like Finland and South Korea understand the importance of recruiting effective teachers and upgrading their skills. For example, in 2010, 6,600 applicants competed for 660 primary school training slots in Finland. And, in South Korea, elementary teachers are selected from a dozen universities that admit only the top five per cent of applicants. In Singapore, only the top 30 per cent of high school graduates are accepted into the teaching profession.

Jamaica should adopt global standards and make the teaching profession more selective. If the profession becomes more selective, then a better crop of individuals will choose to become teachers. Prospective teachers only need five CSEC subjects to be accepted into a teaching programme. This number should be increased to eight and attaining subjects at the CAPE level must also be a requirement.

Furthermore, it would be appropriate for Jamaica to follow the examples of countries like Australia and Singapore and develop a professional body for teachers, with an emphasis on professional development and research. It is also quite interesting to note that teaching is collaborative in academic superpowers, with even senior teachers receiving mentors, and a greater level of autonomy exists.

As one commentator noted recently: "Finnish schools receive full autonomy, with head teachers experiencing considerable independence when developing their own individual curricula suited for their setting. Combinations of alternative pedagogic approaches, rather than mere instructional methods, are utilised by teachers. The pedagogical freedom experienced facilitates greater creativity, pro-activity and innovation."

We should also deal with the issue of tenure and make it easier to dismiss ineffective teachers. Reforming education will be hard, but Jamaica's survival depends on radical reforms.

Lipton Matthews

lo_matthews@yahoo.com

What do we expect when it only takes 5 CSECs to be a teacher?

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Strip Carolyn Gomes of national honours

June 20, 2014, 2:00 am
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Dear Editor,

This is an open letter to the Governor General Sir Patrick Allen.

Your Excellency, I write to ask you to consider stripping Dr Carolyn Gomes of the Order of Merit bestowed upon her in 2009.

In recent weeks, Dr Gomes has operated like an enemy of the state. In the most recent brouhaha, she showed contempt for due process, for the laws of the land, and for the right of children to their innocence by facilitating the lessons in children's homes, of material that most well-thinking people would consider inappropriate and that was explicitly dismissed by the Ministry of Education.

She is also behind the removal of a man who has given years of service to persons living with HIV. She has shown disregard for those persons and their interests, by seeking to limit access of those persons to Professor Bain's expertise via CHART. The governments of both Jamaica and Trinidad have spent millions of dollars educating and training Professor Bain from early childhood through to tertiary level. The people of the region should have the widest access to his expertise as long as he is able to offer it. This is how societies benefit from the costly investment in education. We should not have to deal with the political manoeuvrings of Dr Gomes that caused his dismissal from UWI. Further, the reputation of the region's leading university has been sullied and Dr Gomes has managed to turn public opinion against the institution.

She has been dishonourable, and for that I request that the title be removed.

Rohane Riguer

rohanegargantuan@yahoo.co.nz

Strip Carolyn Gomes of national honours

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Stand up straight, without hate, for The CAUSE

June 20, 2014, 2:00 am
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"There comes a time, when we heed a certain call and the world must stand together as one...We are the world!" (Adapted from We are the world by Michael Jackson and Lionel Ritchie)

There are times in the history of every nation and generation, when situations arise which threaten human welfare and existence. It is at that time that a people must stand up or be swallowed up!

As a people, we have successfully stood up against slavery, apartheid, colonialism, imperialism and, more recently, communism in the '70s. We are being forced again to stand up or be swallowed up. For we are in danger of being colonised socially and influenced morally and economically by imperial (external) forces.

It is time for us to truly become an independent nation. A truly independent people will always stand up together when there is a cause against which to stand.

When injustice and oppression reign, is there not a cause? Don't you hear the voices of our national heroes and ancestors saying yes? When rights and freedoms are threatened, is there not a cause? Can't you hear Professor Brendan Bain and others saying yes? When freedom of speech is threatened, is there not a cause? Don't you hear Queen Ifrica and many musicians saying yes? When the welfare of our youth is threatened, is there not a cause? When our morals and values deteriorate and destroy our social and economic development, is there not a cause?

There is a CAUSE: Churches Action Uniting Society for Emancipation. CAUSE was birthed because of the unjust treatment of Professor Brendan Bain. His unfair dismissal reminded us of a time in Jamaica's history when a man could lose his job, his rights, his freedom or his life because he displeased his colonial and imperial slave masters. The assault on his rights and freedom of expression, spurred church leaders of many different denominations to unite. Out of that unity CAUSE was formed.

CAUSE is the churches' unified response to ensure that all Jamaicans remain emancipated and fully free from modern imperialist world views and unjust, unacceptable and abnormal morals and actions forced on us by other nations.

We may sometimes have to tolerate abnormal issues, but they must never be accepted as normal or alternative ways of life. We must never hate, hurt or treat unjustly our people who are enslaved to these wrong behaviours. We must be straight without hate.

So I invite all Jamaicans to join The CAUSE. No matter our gender, religion, creed or orientation, let's all join The CAUSE. Then together, let's all take a stand. Let's stand up once again against external forces that would want to enslave our minds, hurt our children, destroy our society and economy and accept their abnormal and unacceptable world view and lifestyle.

Let justice, truth be ours forever; Jamaica, land we love.

Al Miller

Senior Pastor

Fellowship Tabernacle Group of Churches

pastormilleroffice@gmail.com

Stand up straight, without hate, for The CAUSE

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Your editorial was lacking in substance, Observer

June 22, 2014, 2:00 am
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This is an unedited letter to the editor.

I've had over the years a very decidedly mixed view of your newspaper, especially under your stewardship. Hard-nosed investigations are the main pluses but the minuses have got to be these inane editorials you guys are producing.

I've refrained generally from criticising you guys too much, even when you allowed that unfortunate story about my father to run, but hey, to each his own.

Now to the matter at hand, namely today's editorial (June 18). Let me show you how lacking in smarts it is:

1. You start off by making the statement 'no one can accuse you of being anti-gay'. Surely they can, but what it belies is a clear psychological attempt to pre-empt the argument to come, as most racists do when they say 'I'm not racist, see here is my black friend'. That would be fine if you could show, concretely that you aren't anti-gay.

For instance, you have staff members who are gay and indeed part of your newspaper readership is sustained by gays and, if I am correct, Sandals does offer packages to gay couples. Indeed there was an excellent article in the New York Times which highlighted same and was very biting towards the treatment meted out to gay tourists. So the stance your taking could have the effect of harming your boss's business.

But be that as it may, the rest of the editorial is surely anti-gay or, to put it more accurately, homophobic. The low level of effort you give to yourselves for not being 'anti-gay' (hey, we don'e beat them or encourage people to beat them) you make the statement that tolerance is growing in Jamaica. I'm not sure what metric your using other than 'in your view' but let me suggest here that probably is not a credible place to being your argument about something that is quantitative in nature.

Maybe if you supplied us with some statistics I could believe you but from my own view we are as backward as we were when I was child. Or maybe you've missed the news items where whole communities of people descend on a house because they 'suspect' that gay people are there.

2. 'Demanding to be recognised as equals to heterosexuals' - Maybe if you viewed gay people as people instead of as some sort of ephemeral other you would recognise that your editorial has no distinction from Radio Television Libre des Mille Collines. So by implication your argument is that they aren't equal to a heterosexual? Really? And you allowed that to be published under your pen and/or watch?

And to say that the music from some artistes, which have such colourful phrases like 'mek we shoot di battybwoy come mek we shot dem dead' isn't hateful, then clearly you have blinkers or, as your unnamed accusers, you are being deliberately misleading in order to incite your readership.

3. Anti-Americanism riddling the editorial- I found this remarkable given the hero worship you guys have for Vasciannie (don't worry I rate him big time too) and especially given that the money that sustains your newspaper is largely earned by a business that caters to these very same Americans.

Is it that the Americans have threatened to cancel your visas or something? I'm sure you love that American technology and dollars, but you have a problem dealing with their views on tolerance? The schizophrenia in your editorials seems to be reaching an apex, and that is not good.

4. What outright lies about the Jamaican people? So your saying when those young men in Bull Bay gang raped and killed those young girls in Bull Bay that it was a 'gay on gay' (http://www.hrw.org/news/2006/07/26/jamaica-investigate-murder-alleged-lesbians). Or maybe closing your eyes to the violence is enough to wish it away? Lies? I call it truth, unvarnished. Your objective readers, fast vanishing, would too.

5. The continued practice of not naming sources or indeed of making up stories. Pray tell, who are this 'gay leadership' that you speak of and what are the names of these unnamed 'organisations'? Its almost as bad as Wignall's practice of making up some false conversations to intimate whatever narrative he's been paid to carry for the week.

Maybe crony journalism is practiced at the Observer, but some of the advertorial columns you guys are paying for calling themselves columnists reek of payola. But I digress.

6. HIV/AIDS Afflicting homosexuals in particular -- Maybe your maths different from mine, but the worldwide statistics show that it is firmly a heterosexual. You might appreciate that the vast majority of the persons in not only Jamaica, but also Africa, who have contracted the disease aren't homosexual. It must be particularly galling for Wignall to see that as I'm sure his sister Rosemarie Stone wasn't gay. Maybe you have more information on the late great KC Old Boy Carl Stone than I do, but if he was gay then the entire country is gay. So stop this very dangerous argument which will only aid in the spread of the disease.

7. Sexual grooming- you guys are really treading on thin ice here and if I was advising JFJ I would advise them to sue you for defamation. Unless it is that you can prove that the persons administering the programme are pedophiles its pretty clear that you have gone too far with this statement. Unless you are making a potentially more invidious argument that sex education on a whole constitutes 'sexual grooming'.

Maybe that's why the kids these days are taking there cues from each other or from television because if regular sex education is considered 'sexual grooming' then one has to wonder what the readers of your papers think about your publications, like today, of scantily clad women in bikinis?

I wish you all the best and hopefully the editorials will improve.

Robert C St C Collie, an attorney-at-law and justice of the peace, is the son of university lecturer, medical practitioner and political candidate, Dr Charlton Collie. He may be contacted at robertcollie@gmail.com

Your editorial was lacking in substance, Observer

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No need to fear dental amalgam

June 22, 2014, 2:00 am
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Dental amalgam is a safe, affordable and durable material that has been used to restore cavities in teeth for more than 100 years.

The World Dental Federation and the World Health Organisation concluded in their landmark 1997 consensus statement that "No controlled studies have been published demonstrating systemic adverse effects from amalgam restorations."

This statement has since been supported by published material by the American Dental Association Council on Scientific Affairs, 1998, by numerous other scholarly scientific articles in the Journal of the American Dental Association, 1999, the New England Journal of Medicine, 2003, and the Journal of Toxicological Reviews, 2004.

Amalgam is a mixture, or alloy, of several metals including silver, tin and copper in addition to mercury. It is the mercury in amalgam that has been controversial. Minamata Bay in Japan was one of the first places where the highly toxic nature of mercury in the environment was uncovered in the 1950s.

Minamata disease, as it was known, was the result of mercury poisoning and is a condition with a host of symptoms, including paralysis and other neurological disorders. The disease resulted from consumption, by people, of the fish and shell fish from the bay which had been polluted by industrial wastewater contaminated with methylmercury, a particularly toxic compound of mercury.

It is important to note that, based on the available evidence, mercury bound up in amalgam does not have any of these toxic side effects. Nevertheless, in the years following the discovery of the effects of mercury poising at Minamata, a large body of scientific evidence has developed supporting the desirability to reduce the amount of mercury released into the environment by human activities.

As a consequence, and under the auspices of the United Nations Environmental Programme, the Minamata Convention on Mercury was developed and adopted in 2013. This global treaty which, to date, has 94 countries, including Jamaica, as signatories, aims to reduce environmental mercury by such measures as reducing the mining of mercury and reducing the emission of mercury into the air.

Specifically, with regard to dental amalgam the convention in part II article 4 recognises the continued importance of amalgam to dentistry, especially in developing countries. However, in an effort to reduce the whole chain of mining, extraction and refining necessary to produce amalgam the protocol seeks to reduce the use of amalgam by prevention of dental caries and promoting the development and use of cost-effective mercury-free restorations and environmental practices in dental facilities to reduce the release of mercury into the environment.

Most importantly, the Minamata Protocol does not require or request that dental amalgam should be banned from any country. In its recommendations, the Convention recognises that less than one per cent of environmental mercury is derived from the manufacturing chain which results in the use and disposal of dental amalgam.

Dentistry has always been an enlightened profession. The proof of this statement is demonstrated in the worldwide fluoridation campaign which placed professional objectives above profit.

The Jamaica Dental Association (JDA) wholeheartedly supports the objectives of the Minamata Convention and we hope in this generation to develop a true substitute for amalgam in every way. Unfortunately, at this time we have no substitute which can match the low cost and versatility of amalgam in many situations.

So we expect dental amalgam to be important for several more years, especially in delivering cost-effective dentistry in a public health setting.

Despite earlier confusion within the Ministry of Health it seems that the exceptional position of dental amalgam within the Minamata Protocol has finally been recognised as the JDA has received communication from the chief medical officer that amalgam has not been, and will not be, barred from importation.

While this is good news for dentistry in the short term, the longer term position of the JDA is that we need to develop, adopt and utilise mercury-free materials to completely eliminate mercury contamination of the environment.

Dr Jeffrey Meeks is president id the Jamaica Dental Association

drmeeks@gmail.com

No need to fear dental amalgam

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Whom does abortion help?

June 23, 2014, 2:00 am
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Dear Editor,

Member of Parliament Dr Dayton Campbell is reported to demand the repeal of laws that prohibit abortion. This follows the adoption of a similar resolution by the PNP women in 2013, and the earlier demand for legalised abortion by MP Lisa Hanna on the grounds that increased abortion would lead to decreased crime.

In the case of Hanna's assertion, not only is the inferred causative link completely fictional, but also the argument itself is morally flawed. Presumably the public is being asked to believe that if the unplanned and unwanted unborn children of poor women were aborted, there would be fewer criminals, and thus less crime. If this Machiavellian proposal is taken to its logical end, it is clear that the pre-emptive elimination of would-be criminals could be more efficacious if inner-city children or, better yet, unemployed ghetto youth were "removed" since the traits of criminality may be more clearly evident in them.

The change proposed by Campbell currently exists in Canada, and once again the logical implications of the underlying philosophy must be considered.

In April 2006, Katrina Effert strangled her newborn baby with her thong and threw the body in a neighbour's yard. In refusing to give the defendant a custodial sentence, Justice Joanne Veit opined that Canadians understand accept and sympathise with the onerous demands pregnancy and childbirth exact from mothers, especially mothers without support". One could easily add to this the onerous demands of child-rearing and the same justification works equally well for abortion and infanticide.

There are indeed benefits to be gained from unlimited access to abortion, but the public may be unclear as to the identity of the true beneficiaries. The unborn child does not benefit. The mother faces risks of physical and psychological harm. The society does not benefit, for the moral fabric of any society is disturbed when the powerful have the legal right to eliminate weak and dependent human beings.

So who really benefits? Irresponsible men who abandon women in crisis pregnancies are relieved from their paternal duties, and sexual predators can depend on abortion clinics to destroy the physical evidence of their crimes. Lastly, abortionists eagerly anticipate the increase in clientele that unlimited abortion access will bring and the resulting financial benefits. Some men will indeed be better off if abortion is legalised, but more women and unborn children will be victimised.

Alexander Smith

lexsmith269@gmail.com

Whom does abortion help?

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CVCC and JFJ must resolve their own conflict of interest

June 23, 2014, 2:00 am
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Dear Editor,

Isn't it interesting that fate has a way of throwing curve balls at us? Take the controversy about the dismissal of Professor Bain from his job as head of CHART and the scandal now engulfing the Caribbean Vulnerable Communities Coalition (CVCC), Jamaicans for Justice (JFJ) and some of our children's homes.

We all know about the claim by the CVCC and JFJ that Professor Bain's conflict of interest in respect of his association with that church group advocating the retention of Belize's buggery laws and his leadership of UWI's CHART programme prevented him from wearing two hats.

While I completely agreed with the position of the CVCC and JFJ in this respect, I can't understand why they now find it so hard to take their own advice.

The attempt to teach — or is it indoctrinate? — children about sexually explicit issues that were completely inap-propriate for them represents a clear conflict of interest for both the CVCC and JFJ.

Both of these organisations are supposed to be protecting the interest of vulnerable groups. One would have thought that children, and especially children in children's homes, would be among our most vulnerable groups. Giving a child the right to have his or her childhood should be the most important consideration.

What the CVCC and JFJ were doing, with these lessons, as far as I can see, is an attempt to speed up the maturity process of these vulnerable children. Why is it that the CVCC and JFJ were attempting to 'force-ripe' these children, thus harming them in the process? In my book, this is a crime.

Seeing that the CVCC and JFJ were so determined to remove Professor Bain on account of his conflict of interest problem, these organisations must now do the right and consistent thing and separate themselves from those within their ranks who clearly are in conflict with their stated interests.

The reputations of both the CVCC and JFJ have been severely damaged. This damage will only get worse the longer they fail to take corrective action.

The CVCC and JFJ must understand that the same knife that sticks sheep also sticks goat.

Michael A Dingwall

michael_a_dingwall@hotmail.com

CVCC and JFJ must resolve their own conflict of interest

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Look to the National Anthem

June 23, 2014, 2:00 am
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Dear Editor,

I am moved to write this letter as I am so bewildered to see how godly principles are fast being eroded in our society. These values are not replaced by a vacuum, but by a satanic system -- a system that is causing many people to be confused about what is right from what is wrong; a system that causes some to think that there is no absolute truth; a system that causes some to believe that everything everyone does is right. What is growing is the belief that pleasure is what is right. A system that is leadng the nation to destruction.

In our beautiful national anthem, we ask God, our Eternal father to bless our land and to guide us with His mighty hand. We ask that God keeps us free from evil powers and grant to us true wisdom from above. We go further and ask that justice and truth to be ours forever. We need to remember this to guide our feet.

In the beginning, God had created the heavens and the earth and all that is within (Genesis 1). This is the same God who, in the end, will judge them: "Those who reject Me and do not accept My message have One who will judge them. The Words that I have spoken will be their judge on the last day." (St John 12).

Let us not reject God's Word. His Word is life eternal. Our national anthem with guide us.

Fay Buckland

faithfulb7@yahoo.com

Look to the National Anthem

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Long live the classics!

June 23, 2014, 2:00 am
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Dear Editor,

I am happy to see what seems to be moves to revive classical music in Jamaica. Classical music is a great art form, spanning many styles of the genre, and is perhaps, as a whole, the greatest conglomeration of musical art forms of all time.

Also, I see that there is now some urgency about getting The Ward back in shape, and now we also have a visit from the Orchestra of the Americas. But two swallows do not a summer make.

The Ward is what we have, but it is woefully in need, and perhaps too small for the staging of large-scale works as well. It also needs to be equipped with a large concert acoustic organ. Many countries are generating interest in all adult age groups by staging works such as Beethoven's 9th Symphony. South Korea recently had a performance with 10,000 singers drawn from across the nation. This is more than the capacity of our National Arena itself. One year this could be a fitting Independence Day tribute, and to forestall objections it could be pointed out that Beethoven's father was of African descent.

Anyway,the Spanish-speaking countries of this region have, in general, been more pro-active in having thriving groups, conservatories and academies to train the young who so desire. In the English-speaking territories, classical was, as is typical in colonies, and in England itself, overladen with notions of class and status, and so more or less patronised by the top one per cent. These outdated class distinctions are dysfunctional and so it is a good thing that we presently have genuine organisations such as the National Youth Orchestra of Jamaica led by Nigel Coke, and international grade performers now resident in the island such as pianist Orrett Rhoden and organist Kaestner Robertson at NCU. They should be encouraged to make recordings in Jamaica and to perform more so as to add to the musical tapestry.

Though the elegance surrounding the art still exists, the days of rigid elitism in this art form, outside of the European continent, have gone. In Venezuela, for instance, even former gunmen have been rehabilitated by the Government's hands-on strategy of getting music to the depressed areas (via "el systema"), and one such formerly violent youth has amazed the world of classical music by conducting a symphony played by a leading European orchestra.

Jamaica has much it can achieve.

Cathy Brown

cathy291181@yahoo.com

Long live the classics!

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Harsher sentences for rapists

June 23, 2014, 2:00 am
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Dear Editor,

Reference is being made to the news report of Monday, June 9, 2014, entitled 'Court of Appeal reduces sentence of man who raped 12-y-o girl, woman'.

After reading the news report I was left more confused than ever. I could not seem to understand the rationale behind the court's decision of lessening the convict's sentence. Does the admission of possessing the guilty mind (mens rea) make the crime less reprehensible than if he denied possessing same? The facts clearly suggest that he violated two persons who entrusted him with the responsibility of taking them safely to their respective destinations.

Rape is a very serious criminal offence that should be treated accordingly. Before coming to its conclusion, the court must assess the gravity of the offences committed: The victim's state of mind, among other things, must also be considered.

While the court sought to strike a balance, the perpetrator violated the rights of two females, one being under the age of 16. The Court of Appeal has erred in its setting aside the initial sentences of 23 years and 19 years and substituting same with lesser sentences.

Considering all the relevant circumstances, I think that longer sentences than the initial and final ones combined should be imposed.

"Women are entitled to decide when, how and with whom they should have sex. The law ought to protect that right," says Anika Gray, attorney-at-law.

As espoused by Jeremy C Taylor, senior deputy director of public prosecutions: "We live in a highly sexualised, phallocentric and vagicentric age." Thus, with the Jamaican society being a classic example of art imitating life, where dancehall music portrays women as being mere sexual objects that you 'stab up''dagger' or 'haffi get even at gunpoint', the courts should be careful not to send the wrong message to would-be offenders.

Sobrena D Anderson

andersonsobrena@yahoo.com

Harsher sentences for rapists

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The world needs freedom of religion this 2014

June 24, 2014, 1:00 am
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Dear Editor,

The freedom of the 27 Christian Sudanese woman over the weekend from a pending death sentence is welcome news. Many in the international community were sent into a state of shock to learn that apostasy was a crime punishable by death. Apostasy is the total rejection of Christianity by a baptised person who, having at one time professed the Christian faith, publicly rejects it. It is distinguished from heresy, which is limited to the rejection of one or more Christian doctrines by one who maintains an overall adherence to Jesus Christ.

Sudan introduced Islamic Shariah law in the early 1980s under the rule of autocrat Jaafar Nimeiri, contributing to the resumption of an insurgency in the mostly animist and Christian south of Sudan. The south seceded in 2011 to become the world's newest nation, South Sudan.

The condemnation from the international community was swift and forceful and probably led to the freeing of this Sudanese woman, who was pregnant at the time the death sentence was handed out.

Among all religious groups, Christians are the most likely to be persecuted worldwide, according to a 2014 report by the Pew Research Center. At the end of the day all countries should and must respect the religious choice and freedoms of their citizens.

Wayne Campbell

waykam@yahoo.com

www.wayaine.blogspot.com

The world needs freedom of religion this 2014

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We have to decide what we want for this nation

June 24, 2014, 1:00 am
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Dear Editor,

I find it interesting that we want to be a nation where by 2030 Jamaica is the place to raise our families. For it to be such a place we have to first recognise the importance of family and instil in the society the attitudes and the values to produce good families.

We have a tendency to want the end without establishing the means to make it work. In addition, one group might be trying to establish the means but another is undermining the very effort.

For example, some people are fighting to protect our children from certain influences through music, while others are fighting against them through their intellect and support of pornographic and sexually explicit music. We have to resolve in our minds what it is we want in this nation.

We make up plenty of noise when children are having sex with children on buses, whilst adults are having sex with children. Several people, however, see nothing wrong in promoting children having sex. We seem to want to remove all barriers when it comes to sex. With this great promotion of sex without restrictions, in respect to our value system we are going to increase and multiply teenage pregnancies, HIV cases, paedophiles, incest, children having sex with adults, and rapes among both males and females. The end result, our values and morals will be disfigured and we will end up not knowing what a real and healthy family is all about.

Right now we have a problem, with many men not taking responsibility for their children because they do not know nor understand what a real family is all about. They do not end up being committed to their families, which include their children and the children's mother. It is said that one of the best things a father can do for his children is to love their mother.

What we sow is what we will reap; no matter if you are the USA, the UK or any other nation. Jamaica is already reaping from its sowing in the 70s and 80s with respect to the promotion of violence in our inner-city communities, what more do we want in this nation?

We cannot build our nation on the values of others. We tried that and it did not work for Jamaica as well as for many other nations. We have to come up with our own value system and one not based on pressure from outside. One US Government might believe in same-sex marriage, however,when the next one comes into power they have a different view and the pressure from the US changes. We cannot let them decide our values, morals and attitudes, thereby our destiny.

If we were to take a leaf out of Singapore's book we would establish our own values, no matter what the big nations say, and hopefully these would be the right values, then we would turn around our country and have the possibility of reaching our vision 2030 goal of Jamaica being the place of choice to raise our families.

Bruce Fletcher

Bruceaf@hotmail.com

We have to decide what we want for this nation

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