The EDITOR, Sir:

I would just like to express my heartfelt thanks to Culture Minister Olivia 'Babsy' Grange for the wonderful display of our Jamaican culture on Independence Day. I salute her for bringing back what has been so dear and meaningful to many Jamaicans from all walks of life. As I took my family out to enjoy what I experienced as a child, I could see the delight on their little faces as they watched the parades. It was great to see Jonkonu dancing on the streets again. It was good seeing the effigies, floats and the marching bands. It was good seeing Jamaicans in good spirits and greeting and chatting with friends and strangers on the streets. I have just one request for the minister, and that is that she reintroduce costume king and queen competi-tion to the Festival calendar.

Many of our corporate entities seem more willing to sponsor carnival (a Trinidadian-based cultural event), rather than our own Festival celebrations. I believe a lack of commitment to what is truly Jamaican contributed to the demise of our Festival celebrations in the first place, and we should not allow that to happen again.

I am, etc.,

J. Bartley

Kingston 6