My girlfriend recently went to a bank in Ocho Rios to open a savings account and was told that she needed a document signed by a justice of the peace. She went to a JP at a local pharmacy to have the document signed but was told that the JP was busy.

She went to another JP who told her he did not know her. She had a government-issued ID card with her picture on it. I cannot believe in this day and age that someone has to have a document signed by a JP in order to open a bank account.

The only required documents to open a bank account should be government-issued IDs (with picture) and a TRN. Now if she cannot get a JP to sign the document she cannot open the account at the institution.

This makes no sense in today's business world. It is time to leave these colonial requirements back in the past.

- Peter Brown

petbrow7@yahoo.com

Ocho Rios,St. Ann

I am one of those Jamaicans who felt pride as I watched our Olympians triumph in Beijing. Even though I only saw the delayed broadcast as I'm in the US, I read everything online and felt the excitement as though I was in Jamaica.

However, while I was peeved at NBC for not showing the events live and for mainly highlighting their athletes, I still have to admire their patriotism, something that I think that is lacking in our country.

It's not uncommon to see the American flag in their yards and at businesses and not to celebrate any particular event. Not only that, but at the Democratic National Convention, it was the national colours that were on display, not the colour of a particular party.

I wish that as Jamaicans we could adopt this attitude and not wait for special events (such as the Olympics) to be waving flags; that political parties would adopt the black, green and gold as their colour, and that every home in Jamaica would have a flag in full view somewhere.

Let's not wait for four more years or until the next World Cup Football qualifier to be proud of our country.

- J. Reid

bandylegjoy@yahoo.com