The Editor, Sir:

Agriculture is the answer. It should be the cornerstone of the Jamaican economy. Mining, tourism and information technology are all important sectors and have secured their places in the country's economy - but agriculture in my view has the potential to create a great deal of employment and wealth simultaneously for the country. There's no doubt in my mind that if agriculture is properly developed, it can be quite lucrative and attractive. And with the rapid development of the hotel industry, it could be a goldmine.

Over the years, Jamaica has been importing agricultural products it ought to be exporting. I am afraid if this trend is not curtailed, the country could very well continue to import itself into abject poverty. First, there should be new and direct approach in regards to agriculture. It should be viewed and run as a serious business - all aspects of it.

Quality control

This should include trans-portation, storage, packaging, marketing, crop rotation and, of course, quality control. Some of the hotel's investment portfolio should include and go towards this effort. Therefore, I would like to see all the interested parties working together. Namely: the various farmers groups, the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA), the ministries of Agriculture & Environment, Industry and Commerce and the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce.

Nature has blessed Jamaica with a production of some of the finest agricultural products on Earth but somehow it seems the country is unable to satisfy world demand - when the country has everything in place to accomplish this - water, sunlight, land and a more than adequate labour force. Jamaica should stop exporting its raw products such as sugar, coffee and cocoa beans and others. The price of these finished and refined products, in comparison, can be as much as five times higher than in their unfinished or natural state. The coffee interests should also consider producing flavoured coffee as well.

Multi-purpose sugar refinery

Take sugar for example, why can't the country build a state-of-the-art multi-purpose sugar refinery and stop importing refined sugar? We could package our own sugar in many varieties and sizes for our domestic as well as the international markets. Splenda, a leading no-calorie sweetener, is made from sugar. The country should develop and expand their fruit orchards, vegetable and fresh flowers industries along with greenhouse and organic farming. We shouldn't be importing orange or pineapple concentrate from anywhere unless it is a case of dire emergency. The idea is to create employment and wealth for the country while growing the economy.

Just imagine if Jamaica had a smelter, instead of exporting bauxite we would be producing aluminium for the building, aeronautics, and auto industries. Just imagine what this would do for employment and our economy. I am sure by now we all can see the bigger picture.

I am, etc.,

NOEL MITCHEL

Nlmworld@yahoo.com

Westchester, New York

Via Go-Jamaica