The Editor, Sir:

It is interesting to note that on the same day the governor general was receiving his knighthood, the BBC had a presentation in the morning on the release of a new book, The Dead Yard, by Ian Thompson.

The programme which lasted for about three minutes was a big time bash of the failure of the Jamaican people to achieve anything of substance since its so-called independence. The presenter and writer highlighted the corruption of the political system, the proliferation of drugs and the deep poverty of large portions of the Jamaican people.

While I agree with him, I felt that it should not have been coming from the mouth of our former slave and colonial masters. However, when I see how important the trinket of knighthood is to the gentry in Jamaica I say it is no wonder the country has not been able to find an identity as asserted by Ian Thompson

Unnecessary trapping

I believe the Jamaican ruling class cannot get rid of the mentality of our former colonial masters. That is partly the reason they are unable to seize the opportunity to discard the unnecessary trapping of the British system. For example, I have not been in the courts recently, but I bet the judges are still wearing their wigs and I dare say, some of them would not been seen in court without it. On the other hand, in Barbados, they have done away with the wig. What is important for a country to find its identity and truly develop its human potential is not knighthoods and wigs, but the quality of care in the minds and hearts of those who claim leadership.

Failed leadership

I think the leadership of all sectors of the country has failed miserable in my time to do anything of substance for the children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of the former slaves, but have been content to receive honours even the "Most Honourable" knighthoods and wigs, while our people, for the most part, do not experience what it really means to live in a well-ordered society free from the kind of insane violence and rampant corruption

Sir Patrick would do better to appeal to the leaders of his own generation to develop compassion, empathy, belief in the worth of the average Jamaican than to beg for more money from Jamaicans living overseas. From I was a boy I have always been hearing that "we are approaching the morning of hope with everything before us". I think that is just another of the endless illusion so common in Jamaica

I am, etc.,

ALLAN CARTER

aicarter@yahoo.com

Barbados