The Editor, Sir:

Your editorial on traffic congestion contains some sensible solutions that should have been put in place long, long ago. The trouble is lack of strong leadership and a willingness to face the real problem, which is to confront and re-educate road users. Adjusting the flow of traffic is easy when compared with the challenge presented by human beings who have grown accustomed to indiscipline, disorder, discourtesy, rudeness and nearly unbridled freedom to do and say whatever they please in the name of democratic rights.

The country needs to enforce carpooling, restrict the number of vehicles entering the centre of towns and cities, encourage the use of public transportation, put a limit on the number and size of gas-guzzling vehicles being imported and vary working hours to lower peak-hour traffic. However, if these steps are taken by a government it has to be prepared to endure howls of protest about inconvenience, political exploitation by its opponents and the fire-pushing by some with glib tongues and easy access to the media. This is where bold, innovative and progressive leadership becomes essential.

The remarkable Lee Quan Yew has related how he managed when faced with "a hazardous political task that unless carefully and sympathetically handled would lose us votes in the next election". In his famous book From Third World to First, he recites how he dealt with a similar traffic problem in Singapore:

"Incomes were rising and the number of cars registered yearly was rising exponentially. No matter how many underground passes, flyovers, and expressways we built, the car population would increase to clog them all up.

"By trial and error, I learned that if I wanted to get an important proposal accepted at all levels, I should first float my ideas with my ministers, who would then discuss them with the permanent secretaries and officials. After I got their reactions, I would have the proposal discussed among those who had to make it work. If, like the transport system, it concerned large numbers of people, I would then get the issue into the media for public discussion. Hence, before we decided on an underground Mass Rapid Transit, we had a public debate for a year on the merits of an MRT as against an all-bus system using dedicated roads."

Lee fearlessly introduced a number of other far-reaching solutions, despite the fact that certain of them were unpopular and caused "endless letters to the newspapers by would-be car owners." The fact is that his actions resulted in the people of Singapore enjoying easier travel, cleaner environment and less need for expensive imported oil. The question is: Can Jamaicans find it possible to work together for such desirable ends?

I am, etc.,

KEN JONES

alllerdyce@hotmail.com