The pulse of many countries is felt strongest in their capitals - throbbing centres of commercial activity and vibrant entertainment peopled by a cosmopolitan mix of personalities and characters.

When the pulse weakens as a prelude to the heart ceasing to beat, it's usually an indication of the body going dead. City capitals are no different. They capture and reflect the culture, aspiration, ambition and achievement of a people.

So, for many resident Jamaicans and visitors alike, the gradual abandonment and resultant decay in large sections of Kingston symbolise the underlying state of affairs in the rest of the country. For despite Kingston being a prime piece of real estate, boasting outstanding commercial centres, educational institutions and a potpourri of arenas for the performing and visual arts, the overhang of crime and grime carries with it the pallor of death. The result is that downtown Kingston is seen as a place to engage in mainly commercial activities in daylight hours, from which one flees as night falls.

Kingston's dual roles

Yet, the business and banking districts continue to hold their own, employing thousands and handling multiple millions of dollars each day. Kingston, the home of the justice system, is equally the nerve centre of criminal activity. Thugs ruling the underworld take charge in enclaves and, through extortion and intimidation, ensure compliance by residents and business owners alike to their crooked modus operandi.

When life returned to the capital city on Wednesday, Jamaicans were once again provided with a brief glance of the potential, not only of Kingston, but the country as a whole. Leaders of Government, the professional and executive classes intermingled with the so-called ordinary man in the street, celebrating what essentially is the Jamaican community spirit in commercial activity and entertainment. This, for many, has been a faded memory for too long.

On Wednesday, the presence of goodwill and the essence of camaraderie brought memories of 'the good old days', when preacher, teacher, doctor, farmer, postman, housewife and children all lived in the same community, each playing their indivi-dual roles, on the lookout for the safety of all.

Christmas in the City was a great shopping experience, but it can be so much more if we are to fully grasp the potential of what we can be. We must reclaim our culture, aspirations and ambition, and celebrate our achievements as we take the critical steps to rescue our Jamaicanness, community, capital and country.

Concerted and sustained effort

This means there must be a concerted and sustained effort by state and commercial entities to tackle some of the social and infrastructural problems, including overflowing sewers and overcrowded tenements, that lie in the shadows of thriving, profitable businesses. The residents of downtown Kingston need to have reinforced in themselves the idea that they are more than charity cases waiting on benevolence and handouts. Rather, they have to be encouraged and enabled to emancipate their own entrepreneurial and creative spirit and to see tangible fruit from their efforts in the very heart of the city.

Kingston will not recapture its vibrancy if urban blight, crime and derelict buildings remain its main features. Shoppers must be able to move around with a reasonable sense of security and order - not competing with vendors for use of pavements, or with pushcart men dashing pell-mell through narrow lanes.

This week provided a glimmer of hope. Municipal and central government authorities, commercial bosses and residents can all make it more than fleeting, but a sustained reality.

The opinions on this page, except for the above, do not necessarily reflect the views of The Gleaner. To respond to a Gleaner editorial, email us: editor@gleanerjm.com or fax: 922-6223. Responses should be no longer than 400 words. Not all responses will be published.