The Editor, Sir:
In pursuit of Prime Minister Bruce Golding's laudable concept of inclusive engagement inviting the Opposition Leader Portia Simpson Miller to dialogue concerning the matter, it is hoped that the objective will become a reality focusing on a retrieval process dealing with the reform of the socio-economic, moral, and the general decay the country has been experiencing. A rehabilitation programme is vital.
Some suggestions that may contribute to the process include:
Establishing a non-political organisation headed by a senior member of government together with a senior representative of the Opposition party etc., with the mandate of national unification and general moral reform.
Establish and pursue a theme based on general reform incorporating love, peace, brotherhood and an attractive environment.
Identifying and implementing purposeful programmes to facilitate these objectives.
Some relevant programmes that could be pursued include:
Preparing youth
Special skills training and youth development - to prepare the idle youth in inner cities for the labour market and build self esteem by engaging HEART Trust NTA etc., to facilitate these programmes and encourage enterprise development.
Employment - to identify and embark on productive enterprise/enterprises aimed at employing at least one thousand idle hands from inner-city communities thus averting the tendency for anti-social behaviour.
Community beautification - to enhance self-esteem and general morale by improving the quality of the environment. Motivate residents to participate in regular voluntary 'work days' dealing with general repairs; face-lifting; tree-planting; painting; general clean-up etc. Contests should be promoted and prizes awarded for inter and intra-community appearance achievements.
Refreshments to be sponsored and the day ending in a social and/or sporting activity.
Sporting activities - organise inter and intra-community events to promote unity.
Promoting relationships
Moral upliftment - to promote cordial and amicable relationships. This could include regular dramatic presentations within communities culminating in a major presentation by all communities at the National Arena etc. Then a major gala would be an annual event at the National Stadium with the support of all Jamaica. Again prizes to be awarded.
Art and craft festival - to be put by all communities at an appropriate venue showcasing and promoting items made in these communities.
Community sponsorship/adopt a community - A business enterprise and or uptown community would be persuaded to adopt/sponsor a particular inner-city community to enhance the welfare of that community. This will not impose any burden on the sponsors whose responsibility would be to take an interest in the advancement of the particular community in the various aspects of development and interacting with community members promoting cordial and amicable relationships through motivational programmes.
Non-political adoption/sponsoring grouping could include for example - Sandals/Cherry Gardens/Jones Town; Issa's/Beverly Hills/Franklin Town; NCB/Barbican/Red Hills Road and the like.
Details of these and others could be pursued.
I am, etc.,
ALFONSO F. JACQUES J.P.
Padmore, St. Andrew
