Jamaicans overseas should be honored too

Dear Sir:

I noticed that last week during Jamaica’s Independence celebrations, a long list of awards was announced honoring Jamaicans from all walks of life. That is very good, and is something that happens every year.

But why can’t Jamaicans overseas receive similar awards. Look, if the Jamaican government is serious about building up a strong relationship with Jamaicans living overseas, one ways of building this bridge is to reach out to Jamaicans overseas by honoring them for the work they do to make the Jamaican communities overseas function well. There are many educators, medical people, business people, entertainers and so on who are from Jamaica, who although they live in America, England and Canada make sure that the Jamaican flag is always flying proudly. They should be honored too,

If memory serves me I think that Mr. Ricardo Allicock (Jamaican Consul General) started something like this when he just took office. I remember reading that some people in Florida got awards from the then prime minister. What happened to that? Or did bad mind and cass-cass kill the initiative? All I know whatever was the problem, Jamaicans overseas who do well, should also be honored by the Jamaican government.

Paul Webster, North Miami Beach

More terrorist threats

Dear Sir:

This world is really becoming such an unhappy and troubled place. May the Lord have mercy! Imagine, there are plenty people who believe that the report that terrorists were planning to blow up planes going from England to America, was a ploy by the government to win the elections coming up soon. Some even said it was a gimmick to make Mr. Blair of England and Mr. Bush of America look stronger as the head of their countries.

But, we can’t be so suspicious of everything. I hear a man on the radio giving every reason why the terrorism thing is all a scam. If this man knows so much why is he not in Washington or running some big country?

We have to look at things more real, and stop seeing a suspicion behind every thing. Everything just can’t be a conspiracy. If so, we will not be on our guard, and if and when the real enemy attacks we will be exposed. We must balance our arguments and seek the truth, or else we will perish.

May Wright, Miramar