Bird shooting ban
I sincerely hope that the Government under its new ministers will see it sensible to institute a ban on birdshooting, or at a minimum a 10-year moratorium on the practice. This would have two effects: We would make more money from bird-watching (one of the most lucrative ecotourism products) because we would actually HAVE an abundance of birds, and hopefully, the bird shooters' guns would be obsolete by then. They might even be encouraged to take up other leisure activities, such as fruit, bird-feeding and tree planting instead. The trees will provide shelter and nesting areas for the birds, be a useful component of Jamaica's tourism, a tangible boost to food security by "bringing forth fruits in their season", and act as windbreaks against hurricanes!
- Capt. Johnathan Lamey, President, Portland Environment Protection Association, Port Antonio
Bad manners
Has the world gone mad? Recently the President of Iran was invited to give a lecture at the University of Columbia in the United States and the president of that university in his introduction made some very disparaging remarks about his guest. Why did he invite him? Was it to insult him? And then offer him up to the students for more insults. This is certainly th of bad manners.
America is always patting itself on the back for freedom of speech, but what about good manners. America should always remember that there are no innocents there. They should really look into their backyards and speak to the problem of racism in Louisiana - do they remember the incident of the five persons who ill-treated the black American woman - I hear no cries from Americans about this gross act. What is good for the goose should be good for the gander. They are equally as evil as the president of Iran.
- Barbara Cover, Kingston 6
Help the helpless
Prime Minister Bruce Golding should take the initiative and launch the coming year as the year of the mentally challenged. We need to feed, clothes and shelter the mad people in this country. They are physically and verbally abused, neglected, scorned, ridiculed, reviled and despised. Such treatment does not augur well for a nation which is supposed to protect its people regardless of the condition they are in. Please act now, Prime Minister. It is a national disgrace how we ignore these citizens. Am I my brother's keeper? Yes. We are all God's children. 'Out of many, one people'.
- Sharon Plummer, Brown's Town, St. Ann
