The Editor, Sir:

Reading is a critical and fundamental skill that is absolutely necessary for the proper functioning of the individual and the society.

People who cannot, and do not read are missing one of the most important activities of life. The era in which we live is called the Information Age and if a person does not read, he or she will be left behind. Reading is the heart of education. Children who read usually do better than those who do not.

In the Bible, Paul the apostle, underscored the importance of reading when he told his hearers in I Timothy 4:13 "to give attendance to reading".

Power of reading

Reading is power because it opens us up to an abundance of information that assists us in the thinking process. The more you read is the more you know. The more you know is the more you grow.

Reading is the ultimate weapon for obliterating illiteracy, poverty and despair. There is a notion that he who does not read does not know much and he who does not know much will, from time to time, make foolish decisions. This looks like a picture of Jamaica.

We need to teach our people to read. In 1961, the government of Cuba mobilised the population and in that same year taught two million people to read and write.

Some time, ago our pollsters declared that 75 per cent of all Jamaicans had never heard of the Financial Sector Adjustment Company (FINSAC) and how it was affecting the entire nation.

A popular aphorism is: If you want to hide something from a black man, hide it in a book.

As we continue in the 21st century, let us strive to be a well-read and literate people so that we can improve our decision-making skills and elevate ourselves to First-World status.

I am, etc.,

DERRICK W. CLARKE

vladimirz1@yahoo.com