National registration Prime Minister Bruce Golding, in January this year announced a national registration system that is to be introduced in the 2008/2009 fiscal year. This registration system is intended to be part of the Government's arsenal to tackle the escalating levels of criminality that have taken hold of Jamaica.

The call for a national registration is not a new one. The then Electoral Advisory Committee proposed this in 1994. I have also previously written to this newspaper requesting the registration of all citizens age 12 and older. However, it still seems to remain just an idea, a beautiful concept. This fiscal year is already in its third quarter and I am really hoping that the groundwork for the introduction of the national registration system is being done.

- David Allen, dallen72@gmail.com, Kingston 6, Via Go-Jamaica

Tears and fear

In reaction to the headline 'Tears for Ananda', my heart goes out to the family of this little girl. As a parent myself, this story brings not only tears to my eyes but fear in my heart as well. Even though I do not live in Jamaica now but it still hits home because such things can happen anywhere.

I have always prided myself about my country but I almost want to second-guess telling certain people where I come from now. She was a little girl of 11. What could she have done that was so wrong for this to happen to her? All this nonsense is getting out of hand and something needs to be done.

- Aldith Menzie. soft;love29,@hotmail.com

Echoes of freedom

Freedom indeed has echoed through all the states of the United States - Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi and even our fair Jamaica land. "Thank God Almighty we are free at last!"

I am free. You are free.

We are all free. Let's channel our freedom into awesome wonders and break the mental shackles that beset us. Let's reach beyond the sky's hovering astrology with the 'righteous wind behind our back' and claim the rich fruits of our blackness, in the same zestful and adamant fashion that Barack Obama and many others before him did.

- Shawna Kay Williams, shawna201@gmail.com, Clarendon College

Short answer

Regarding the rape crimes. Only one sentence for the whole situation: "Don't wait, just castrate".

- Concerned Jamaican t.lady22@yahoo.comVia Go-Jamaica