ACCORDING TO the recently released productivity summary report, Jamaica's productivity is lower than it was in 1972, and much less than that of our smaller Caribbean neighbours. This, the research concluded, meant lower standard of living for our people.

I believe that there are many explanations for this low produc-tivity, but I think that two major factors are our increasingly tribal politics and corruption. In that regard, I am extremely disappointed with the stance taken by some politicians in defending the emolu-ments given to former BOJ Governor, Derick Latibeaudiere. I am not surprised by the utterances from chairman of the People's National Party, Robert Pickersgill, and General Secretary Peter Bunting (as they are tribalistic about their politics); but Mark Golding totally surprised, if not disappointed me.

It is my observation that the gap between the rich and the poor and middle class got progressively wider under Omar Davies' economic policies. It is also my observation that under Dr Davies and Latibeau-diere's high interest-rate policies, many in the securities industry, to which both Bunting and Mark Golding belonged, (Dehring, Bunting & Golding), made signi-ficant profits at the expense of the productive sector. No wonder our productivity per capita is so low.

Misguided leaders

Under Davies and Latibeaudiere, the number of millionaires in this country grew (check out the number of $20m-$40m houses that have been sold in the past years) while nearly one million people squatted, barely able to eke out their existence.

It is amazing how Messrs Bunting, Mark Golding, Pickersgill and Dr Davies are led by someone who is so much in love with the poor yet they were allowed to defend such atrocious acts of oppression against the nurses, the civil servants, the police and the poor in this country.

I am, etc.,

J. BARTLEY

Kingston 6