I was truly baffled by the situation at St. George's College with the sixth-formers clamouring for a graduation ceremony. Haven't most of them already graduated from the school, and is it truly necessary to graduate from the same school twice within a space of two years?

Yes, some of the female and transfer students may argue that they did not experience a 'Georgian' graduation, but they would have had the opportunity to experience a graduation ceremony at the previous school they attended. These students are simply 'graduation greedy'.

Going to sixth form shows an intention to pursue your education at the tertiary level, therefore obtaining that first degree is the ultimate goal.

If these students intend to stay the educational course, then they can be assured of an elaborate graduation in the near future. In short, the whole idea of graduating from sixth form is simply ridiculous, and principals should really consider scrapping this practic>- M.E. Robinson

mariaineiwa@yahoo.com

Higashi-Osaka, Japan

Serious issues concerning our nation do not seem to be getting the attention they should in the current election campaign.

With a forecast for a boom in population and rural-to-urban migration at a high, can the current infrastructure of our 'developed' capitals and urban areas hold up to the pressure?

With the near outbreak of malaria recently it became apparent that our health service is not able to handle any form of mass treatment or containment in a timely and efficient fashion.

We seem to have forgotten the plight of our watersheds, catchment and distribution systems and the worryingly low levels in the reservoirs, as well as the dwindling number of farmers and cultivators. We need to foster in our people a general sense of purpose and a progressive mindset along with proper values and attitudes. Let's stop putting the cart before the horse and start putting in the framework to develop our nation.

- Duane Smalling

duanesworld@gmail.com