I have (for the most part) recovered from the initial shock of a few years ago of seeing water being sold in supermarkets and restaurants.

Reacting to the whole concept, my father would often recount how back in his younger days, no matter how posh a restaurant was, one thing that they could not refuse you, was a drink of water. He further stated, "All that is left for them to do now is put a metre on our nose and mouth and charge us for the air we breathe."

We in Jamaica have taken things to another level. We are now importing water from Trinidad.

Foreign brand

Having studied in Trinidad for two years, one thing I know for certain is that the water quality there cannot compare to that in Jamaica. So imagine my surprise when I go into a supermarket in Portmore and see among the usual local brands, that they are also selling a foreign brand.

What is our country coming to? Why are we so eager to promote our Caribbean neighbours products while they do not share our sentiments? The snacks aisles in Jamaica are filled with Sunshine Snacks, Holiday, Charles products - all from Trinidad, while it is so hard to find even one bag of banana chips from Jamaica in Trinidad supermarkets.

We need to stop buying into this idea that foreign products are better, because it is not helping us at all.

I am, etc.,

ROBIN HARRIS

animalfreakrobin@hotmail.com

Passagefort

St Catherine