The Editor, Sir:

I read Wednesday's poll with some bewilderment and am forced to question the motives of the media as they relate to this upcoming election.

What does it matter who the public would rather have dinner with or share a car ride with? I too would prefer to sit with Portia and eat or converse and I would be more comfortable begging her for the piece of meat she did not want. After all, she is Sista P.

If I were playing domino for money, I would want Bruce for a partner as he is a player of some note and if I needed a careful hunting partner, again Bruce would get the nod. If I wanted somebody to cook me a killer oxtail dinner, Portia would be my choice as I feel sure she is more capable in this respect but none of this addresses the problems with which the country is faced.

That said, I would ask (all Jamaicans) of the two candidates (Portia and Bruce:

Who would you trust to make the right choices and plot the course of your children and grandchildren's education?

Who would you choose to ensure that the intrinsic value of Jamaica is retained and the 20-year plus downhill slide is halted?

Who do you want representing you to the World Bank and the IMF and negotiating the terms of our foreign debt?

Popularity and personality are Portia's strong points, and I like the lady, but she needs to propose sensible and real solutions to Jamaica's problems. She has no real solutions, so that is a major problem for her campaign, and the media, instead of asking the hard and real questions, keep putting out this nonsense.

Please cancel next week's poll about which of the party leaders you would prefer to paint your toenails and change it to which prime ministerial candidate would make the greatest reduction in crime or who would put the most young people to work over the next three years.

Jamaica deserves to get the best candidate as their Prime Minister and it is the media's job to expose the truth and pertinent facts instead of promoting smoke and mirror-type fluff to confound and confuse.

I am, etc.,

STEPHEN F. SMITH

puttus@walla.com

Sunrise, Fl.