The Editor, Sir:

As the Beijing Olympics get into full gear, with many of our athletes expected to mine gold, I cannot help but reflect on how blessed we are as a nation. It never ceases to amaze me how such a little island, barely visible on the map, can dare to be such a formidable force in all aspects of life.

I am filled with so much pride when I read on the IAAF website headlines such as: 'The blue-ribbon events of the Olympics will be a battle royale between Jamaica and the US'. Can you imagine that? A nation just under three million in population, small enough to fit in Lake Michigan in the United States more than five times, is the country to beat in the main events at the greatest sporting spectacle in the world!

Where else in the world can a tropical country boast to have not only entered, but made a name for themselves at the Winter Olympic Games? Which other country can boast to have produced the two fastest human beings on the planet? Which other nation can boast to have produced the most decorated female sprinter in the world? No other but this nation, Jamaica, land we love.

Now, since we are such a great nation, why are we murdering our people? Why do we negate all these wonderful accomplishments with the grim title of 'murder capital of the world'? Why am I afraid to walk the streets of this nation that I love so dearly? I am only 17 years old and have so many dreams, goals and aspirations, yet I fear that I may not get the chance to see them come to fruition; not that I don't have the potential, but that we live in a nation where even a simple walk to the corner shop may turn out to be fatal.

We cannot go on this way; we cannot have our youth, who are truly our nation's future, fearful of their very being. We need to unite to make Jamaica a land of peace, love and unity. As our athletes do us proud in Beijing, let us do our part in working toward peace; let us practise the 'one love, one heart' that the great Bob Marley sang about.

Senseless violence

Let us not negate our greatness and our glory with senseless violence and crime. Let us be our brothers' keeper. Let us make this nation a land safe for our youth ... for our future. Let us stop waiting on the Government and the police to wave a magic wand and rid Jamaica of this problem; they alone cannot do it, it must be a united effort in which each of us must take part. We are too great a nation to be in this state.

I am, etc.,

ANDRé MARRIOTT-BLAKE

andre.sean134@gmail.com

Independence City

Portmore, St Catherine

Via Go-Jamaica