The Editor, Sir:

Recently, I read a sorrowful, tragic story in your newspaper about a Jamaican family living somewhere in St. Catherine - the 15-year-old son having sex with his mother; his father seemingly unable to do anything about it; the family is living in appalling conditions, with another child with maggots coming from a wound in her head which was 'dressed' by her father with crushed crackers.

As I read, I was moved to tears, and shame, as I could hardly imagine the anguish of the sick child or the awful squalor under which this Jamaican family exists. I wondered how many of my fellow Jamaicans were living under similar conditions, with such ignorance and poverty.

Surely, one of the answers to these two major problems (ignorance and poverty) must be early effective social intervention by the Government. If the Government does not intervene, the dons will, and then Jamaicans who could become useful productive citizens, could fall victim to crime, other undesirable behaviour and become slaves to the pariah of society.

Professor Barry Chevannes and several of our respected social scientists have on several occasions advocated the need for the Government's early interven-tion to reduce and prevent crime, however, it would also give Jamaicans, especially those living on the fringes of society, new hope, allowing everyone to achieve his full potential. It is the least our country can do for its citizens.

I am, etc.,

HENNIS SMITH

hennis@cwjamaica.com

Kingston 8