Dear Editor,

I read your article 'Stark Reality' and I am in total agreement with you. I live here and I look like a 'tourist'. I can't walk without someone harassing me for one thing or the other. The worst I have seen now is the young boys at the stop lights, especially at the 'Kentucky intersection' in Montego Bay. You can't pass them because they don't take 'no' for an answer; they insist on being 'paid' for washing your windscreen.

Once I watched a boy being refused, and he walked closely to the side of the vehicle, scratching it as he went along. I wanted to give him a good beating, but this is Jamaica.

Many years ago, I offered my services, free of cost, to the St. James Parish Council to paint and clean the dome. This is a national monument; no one responded. Now, I see some effort has been made, but what of the men who tint motor vehicles in that area? The pieces of tint and whatever else are left at the same spot, get blown into the gully across the road and I need not say what happens.

Why is it so difficult to get the 'north gully' cleaned? If this is done on a regular basis, say, once a week before the rainy season, and certainly before the visitors who think it makes wonderful photography start taking photographs, this would make a world of a difference.

What of our civic centre? Have you ever been at the back, facing Strand Street? This area is used by the homeless and mentally challenged as their bedroom; our civic centre!

Look at any of the countries you have visited. Have you ever seen this total disregard and lack of civic pride? I once drove behind a motorist who threw cane trash through his window and I honked my horn. His response was to flash his hand while saying "gu wey gal, yu tink a yu yard yu deh?"

What do you do with these people? Can they be educated? And where are the municipal police? Have you ever wondered why garbage piles up at a 'no dumping' sign?

I have seen tourists walking on our back streets and I worry for them. How do they refuse the 'tour guide' who wants to share a beer; the self-appointed guide who wants to show them some 'irie spots', then charges them.

But the 'funniest' and most glaring display of lack of civic pride I have seen (and I am sorry I was not equipped with a camera phone) was when I saw a marked police car parked on the left side of the road (outside the gates of police headquarters on Orange Street), with flashers on, and two policemen in their uniform, firearms slung over their shoulders, back facing the traffic, up against the wall urinating.

My 12-year-old, who was with me, thought this was ridiculous and wondered what they would have done if someone tried to relieve them of their firearms.

Keep on doing what you are doing.

I am, etc.,
Joan Harvey

Dear Editor,

First, I must say that I think that your columns are really fantastic and you hit the nail on the head 100 per cent always on issues.

This particular article has interested me, as your findings and analysis are in sync with my own. While studying for my B.Sc. (Hons) in tourism management in England, I worked for First Choice Holidays, the third largest holiday tour operator in the United Kingdom (U.K.), and based on my three years' experience, I also realise that the quality of our tourism offerings all-round are poor.

In the grand scheme of things, folks from the U.K. are not going to pay large sums of money to come to Jamaica when they can experience Costa Blanca, Costa Del Sol, the Balerics, the Canaries and others with aesthetical beauty and friendly/hospitable societies for far less and shorter flying times.

This, among other factors, makes me really want to say a prayer for the current minister and his quest because the decision-makers have to wake up and smell reality and act fast. I also tried as I worked for Tourism Product Development Company for two years as a product development officer and did what I could to contribute and did well. However, at 27 years of age I get the big picture, but they don't, unfortunately!

Anyway, thanks for the attention you bring to the important issues and continue on your path. God Bless!

I am, etc.,
Walter J. Davis