I TAKE offence to Mr Everton Eastwood's comment about Jamaican women in his letter of August 27. After all, Mr Eastwood, the Jamaican motto is 'Out of Many, One People'.

Is Mr Eastwood implying that all 'light-skinned' women in Jamaica are foreigners? My family came to this country as merchants from Portugal some 170-odd years ago and I consider myself nothing other than a Jamaican. I was born, educated, live and work in Jamaica and have never held a passport other than a Jamaican one.

'tribalistic racism'

Is Mr Eastwood also implying that I do not belong here? Is Mr Eastwood also aware that the representative from the United Kingdom is a black woman?

I, for one, am sick of the 'tribalistic racism' that ignorant people in our society have created and into which our country has sunk. I am tired of being referred to as 'Mr Chin' when I stop on the road to buy something.

Please, have a long, hard look at our motto with a view of understanding it Mr Eastwood.

I am, etc.,

Richard Veira

Kingston 19