The Editor, Sir:

The area around Green Island, Hanover, is one of the last unspoilt and accessible parts of this beautiful island. Now there are proposals to use it as a cruise ship harbour with all the attendant pollution these ships put out.

Cruise ship passengers are not 'visitors'. They are here for a few hours and are notorious for not spending money, apart from in the duty-free shops, which do not put significant amounts of money into the economy. In fact, they export it.

The article in your December 5 edition, quoting Tourism Minister Ed Bartlett, gives the impression that the Government (of whatever name) has lost touch with the needs of the vast majority of Jamaicans and is in fact only interested in making promises, as opposed to keeping them.

The infrastructure around Green Island/Negril is unable to cope now. A new port would only mean more traffic and make the travelling time from Negril to MoBay even longer.

I am, etc.,

NEIL HUSSEY

carterowner@yahoo.com

Hamilton, Ontario