THE EDITOR, Sir:
BACK WHEN oil was barely $40 a barrel, I suggested to the appropriate authorities that there was a critical need for a comprehensive fuel conservation campaign and that I would pull it together.
When I indicated that the JPS and the oil companies would be expected to take part, I was told that they would not support anything that reduced their sales. To their credit, the JPS has shown that it acknowledges that oil at $63 a barrel represents a national crisis, even to the extent of suggesting the country endures scheduled blackouts. The oil companies have shown no such initiative.
PROMOTING FUEL CONSERVATION
It was to my surprise, however, that I saw a full page in a recent New York Times edition, paid for by Chevron - who competes in the U.S. with our own Shell, Esso and Texaco, etcetera - promoting fuel conservation. The advertisement carried a number of recommendations, stressing in particular the benefit of cutting back on driving speed.
In its closing statement Chevron declared: "If each one of us took just one small step towards conservation, the impact would be huge". Is not this the kind of message that should be heard loud and clear throughout Jamaica? Or do we, as usual, put our head in the sand and hope the problem will go away?
I am, etc.,
ANTHONY A. GAMBRILL
CGR Communications Ltd.
