As a person of Jamaican heritage living in England, I am very, very angry, but more disappointed that a so-called celebrated journalist as Sir Trevor McDonald was allowed into Jamaica to give such a negative and unbalanced view of the country.

'A haven for drug pushers and con artists'. How dare him! Is this why he visited a prison, to confirm drug-pushing in Jamaica? Or why else, when there was so much more of the island he could have shown. Visitors from all over the world appreciate Jamaica for what it is: its beautiful scenery, its architecture and, most important, its friendly, industrious, hard-working people. Sure, there are areas of deprivation and violence in Jamaica, as there is in most countries, including Britain!

Show me a country where there isn't some deprivation and violence, but this is never the be-all and end-all of a country, nor is it of Jamaica.

Sir Trevor McDonald painted a rosy picture of all the other islands he visited, particularly Barbados (Little England). Perhaps this tells us something about Sir Trevor's mindset. It will take more than Sir Trevor Mc Donald's bird's-eye view of Jamaica to mar the reputation of the beautiful island.

I am, etc.,

R. Taylor

rubyrt @hotmail.com

Edmonton, London