The Editor, Sir:

As we approach the next local government poll on December 5, we need to examine the 2003-07 period in two areas: (1) getting the balance right (2) consulting the citizens. With regard to the former, urbanisation is unstoppable. Globalisation has accelerated the spread of free markets and modern technology, shaking ever more people from their rural roots and luring them to towns and cities in Jamaica.

The Jamaica Labour Party local government, with extremely limited resources - as the former administration raised bonds for everything else except local government needs - has done very well in this respect, especially in the Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation.

Although town planning, especially in areas such as Port Antonio and Mandeville, to name two areas, needs to be fine-tuned, the 2003 local government gets high marks in this area.

With regard to consulting the citizens, this was done on numerous occasions on numerous issues, and there were a number of citizen campaigns with regard to creating awareness of critical maters.

We now look forward to a continued and renewed thrust in local government post-December 5.

I am, etc.,

Dr. CHARLES

DEMONTAQUE

Stafford University

c/o 101 Weybrige Road

Addlestone Road, Surrey

United Kingdom, KT152QS