THE EDITOR, Sir:

I AM a passionate lover of beautiful flowers and beautiful surroundings, and I do not forget in the '80s how places in Kingston looked attractive and pleasing to the eyes. There were beautiful flowers everywhere along Marescaux Road, along Heroes Park. In fact, everywhere was adorned with lovely cannas, palm trees, poincianna trees, to name a few. And what was amazing to me, and I am sure to many others, was the fact that people cared and admired them instead of destroying them.

I even recall on a visit of Her Majesty the Queen to the island, she was moved to speak about the exquisite cleanliness of the parks etc., saying that on her return to London she would have to make special mention of it. Imagine!

So, I am wondering what has gone wrong with our people, why they have lost their sense of pride. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the wanton destruction of the palm trees along Heroes Park. Do they realise how long it takes a plant to grow?

Another shocking thing that caught my attention was the daring and deliberate attempt of some citizens, somewhere near Montego Bay, to throw boxes of garbage into the already overflowing gullies in the presence of the police. Have our people gone mad?

What can we do to bring back some sanity to this country? You are hurting yourselves when you do these things. Well, I say don't stop trying. Revive the beautification campaign and sensitise our people to the need for clean surroundings. Jamaica's beauty is our duty!

I am, etc,

PATRICI POWELL

Southfield P.O.