As an only child who no longer lives at home with my elderly mother, I accompanied her to the bank with tons of paper that they had requested in order to get my name on her account. Her thinking was that, if anything should happen to her, I would be able to take care of her or the funeral expenses.

I even had my birth certificate if they wanted proof of relationship and also I was not holding a gun to her head. Still, the bank refused to allow my name to be put on the account.

When I asked the individual who I was told was the manager what if anything should happen to my mother what would happen to the cash, he was not able to answer. I am not interested in what my mother has in the bank for myself. I am well able to take care of myself, but will someone please inform me if my parent dies before any change is effected whether the bank would take care of the funeral expenses? Or would they or the Government be allowed to keep what someone else has laboured for?

Since the manager of the bank could not answer the question maybe someone else can. I was speaking to a couple of friends who had similar problems and gave up although they are living in Jamaica. What makes mine such a bother to me is that I am the only child.

- E McDonald,

jmcdo62658@optonline.net

Unequal before the law?

I note with interest that the father of the man involved in the attempted hijacking incident in MoBay is being charged in relation to the misuse of his gun by his son.

Has a similar charge been preferred against the policewoman who left her gun under her pillow and it was later reportedly discharged by a child leading to the death of a toddler?

- Lenworth Gordon, Grenada

Bad money move

I'm absolutely disappointed by the central bank's plans to issue of a $5,000 note. At best, this motion should be deemed cavalier, considering that this introduction is not based on an inflation-riddled economy where it is costing more to make purchases but rather to celebrate the life of the late prime minister, Hugh Shearer.

Jamaica does not need this; our dollar is already in a dismal enough state without further compromising its image with this high value note. So, what's next - the $10,000 Louise Bennett-Coverley note? Or the $50,000 Bob Marley note? How about the $100,000 P.J. Patterson note?

We do not want the image of our dollar to be like that of Zimbabwe and, as such, Jamaicans should seek an avenue of redress for this mistake. A more appropriate celebration of the life of the late prime minister could be a statue built in his honour at either the newly built bus park, in downtown Kingston, the National Heroes Park or the UWI's Mona campus.

- Derrick bernarddbjr67@yahoo.com