THE EDITOR, Sir:

I READ with interest Mr Wilmot's letter titled 'Professional beggars' on November 20. This issue is one that I also find rather troubling and I did not even grow up in the 1960s, as he did, but instead in the '80s to '90s. It seems many within our society have found it quite acceptable to eke out a living at stop lights and 'pon di corna', not giving any thought for how they may turn their circumstances around in a more meaningful way.

Then, to add insult to injury, there are some who, though employed and by all means doing the best they can, feel the need to 'supplement' their income by the same means. I am very much sympathetic with them, though, as I am convinced that not all beggars would choose to stay on the streets if given the chance to be more progressively employed.

I was recently taken back, however, to find that this issue exists outside our borders as well. I had the privilege of travelling to Guyana for a workshop and, while preparing to board my return flight to Jamaica, one of the customs officers very politely asked if I would be so kind as to buy her breakfast. I was shocked, to say the least! I almost did not know how to respond to her request. And although I kindly said no, I spent much of the flight home going over the incident in my mind.

Guyana's exchange rate now stands at just over GUY$200 to US$1 and it has actually slipped since I visited. The economic challenges being faced are not much different from ours here in Jamaica.

A hard task

I believe that it must have been a hard task for that lady to have made such a request of me, knowing that I was a foreigner, that I was on my way out of the island, and that her encounter with me would probably be the last I ever have with any representative of her country. However, in all of that, she felt she had to take the chance and ask nonetheless.

I would hate to think that there are persons here at our ports of entry and exit who find it so hard to make ends meet that they feel have no choice but to solicit the help of tourists as they come and go. I would hate to know that the tourism product which we depend on so much is being undermined in such a disastrous way because our people are more and more finding themselves with their backs against the wall. I pray that our Government will find some way to change the path that we are now on.

I am, etc.,

R. BAILEY

rtmbailey@yahoo.com

Kingston 20