Dear Editor,
The name of any country should say something about the people who have always lived in it. A most fitting honour for us, I think, would be to honour the first known inhabitants of this country. I think we should restore the name that our country's first inhabitants gave to this country. Let's change Jamaica's name to Xaymaca.
I also think that our flag should be more representative of who we really are and who we should aspire to be. While the colours and their meanings can remain the same, if we are truly proud to be black, then that colour is greatly under-represented in our present flag. A proud people should want to have their colour being the dominant one.
Also, we should have a national symbol that can be instantly associated with us. Many proud nations adopted a symbol that is instantly associated with them. The Soviets had their hammer and sickle, the Germans had their swastika, the Israelis have their star of David, and the Indians have their spinning wheel. Even tiny Barbados has its three-pronged fork. Our national symbol should be placed in the flag.
I propose that our national symbol be a diagonal cross, coloured green and gold. Each of its four arms should be arrowed at the ends. This will symbolise our desire to grow; not just economically, but in influence, both regionally and global. The cross itself will signify our name — Xaymaca.
We should replace our national symbols like the Coat of Arms with ones that have this national symbol in the background.
I have always thought that our current flag looks too Scottish and doesn't really represent us. This proposed flag seems like a more fitting representation of us.
Michael A Dingwall
Kingston
Let's change JA's name, flag and symbols
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The name of any country should say something about the people who have always lived in it. A most fitting honour for us, I think, would be to honour the first known inhabitants of this country. I think we should restore the name that our country's first inhabitants gave to this country. Let's change Jamaica's name to Xaymaca.
I also think that our flag should be more representative of who we really are and who we should aspire to be. While the colours and their meanings can remain the same, if we are truly proud to be black, then that colour is greatly under-represented in our present flag. A proud people should want to have their colour being the dominant one.
Also, we should have a national symbol that can be instantly associated with us. Many proud nations adopted a symbol that is instantly associated with them. The Soviets had their hammer and sickle, the Germans had their swastika, the Israelis have their star of David, and the Indians have their spinning wheel. Even tiny Barbados has its three-pronged fork. Our national symbol should be placed in the flag.
I propose that our national symbol be a diagonal cross, coloured green and gold. Each of its four arms should be arrowed at the ends. This will symbolise our desire to grow; not just economically, but in influence, both regionally and global. The cross itself will signify our name — Xaymaca.
We should replace our national symbols like the Coat of Arms with ones that have this national symbol in the background.
I have always thought that our current flag looks too Scottish and doesn't really represent us. This proposed flag seems like a more fitting representation of us.
Michael A Dingwall
Kingston
Let's change JA's name, flag and symbols
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