The Editor, Sir:

I trust that the prime minister, his colleagues, the Opposition and leaders in our country read Martin Henry's two pieces on production. The second, 'Talking Productivity' (October 26), was a gem.

In reference to a meeting with some Israeli education consultants years ago, he quotes Val Chambers: "Martin, bwoy, yuh nuh hear how them man yah soun', different from wi!'

Then he goes on to say, "They certainly did in the crisp, pointed clarity of their presentation. And Israel certainly is different from Jamaica in performance and productivity." How true!

Global rankings

The Global Competitiveness Index rankings (2008-2009) were recently published. Our prime minister bemoaned the fact that Jamaica (86) had fallen from 78th in last year's rankings.

Let us look at Israel (23). I'm sure its leaders are bemoaning the fact that they have fallen from 17th and that economic growth is not what it should be.

But, Israel is just behind Ireland and ranks ahead of several European countries, including Spain (29), Portugal (43) and Italy (49). It also ranks ahead of New Zealand (24), Chile (28), China (30) and Thailand (34).

Jamaica ranks below Vietnam (70), a few African countries - South Africa (45), Botswana (56), Morocco (73), Namibia (80), Egypt (81) - and a number of countries in the region such as Panama (58), Costa Rica (59), Mexico (60), Brazil (64), Colombia (74), El Salvador (79), Honduras (82), Peru (83) and Guatemala (84).

Pull up our socks

Let us perpetuate the myth that we are a great nation because we have the two fastest men in the world. Let us give more holidays after our sporting exploits and not pull up our socks. Even while our athletes were running their hearts out, Jamaicans were murdering other Jamaicans. We could be overtaken by Gambia (87) in next year's rankings.

Barbados (47) is the only positive note in the English-speaking Caribbean. (Puerto Rico came in at 41.) Did Edward Seaga refer to Barbados in the 1980s as 'Little Barbados'?

The countries in the top 10 - United States, Switzerland, Denmark, Sweden, Singapore, Finland, Germany, Netherlands,Japan, Canada - are there because of hard work and a sense of nationhood. Come on, Jamaica! We can do much better. Yes, we can!

I am, etc.,

NORMAN W. M. THOMPSON

nwmt31@yahoo.com

c/o Dept of English and Modern Languages

Northern Caribbean University

Mandeville