Distasteful rebuff

I am quite aware that journalists take unpopular positions to enhance their ratings but I still find Ms Ritch's strident rebuff very distasteful. Without doubt, Senator Obama is a blank slate. I am sure she has no substantial basis to vilify him, none that she has cared to share with her readers. Senator Obama has proffered his arguments and they have found great traction in the Democratic primaries and in all likelihood he will be the nominee and a strong contender for the top job.

Why the ad hominem comments? Criticise his platform by all means but eschew the personal. I have read Ms Ritch over the years and have concluded that she must be a most unhappy person. She is so vile and uncharitable. By all means, extol the virtues of your choice whether it be Portia Simpson Miller or Hillary Rodham Clinton, but do it without denigrating your opponent. History has shown that this style says more about the character of the author than that of the target. Ms Ritch has so much more to offer than this vitriol.

- Capt Ian Grant, Senior Commander A330, Jet Airways (India) Ltd, Mumbai

There are two parks in Montego Bay, one at the Freeport - which is virtually unused - and the other in the centre of the city which is continually in use by many of the town's people. The one in use is the only open green space in town and has been so since the hospital was moved from there to its present position. There is apparently yet another plan afoot to sell the site for development. Why do the developers repeatedly try to remove from the people of Montego Bay their only open space? Why not sell the other park that is not used, up near the cruise-ship pier, and put the hotel there?

Let's get our values right. Sometimes, we do need to put people first and this piece of open land belongs to the people of the town. In fact, the Chamber of Commerce has in hand specific plans to beautify the site as a public park.

- Geoffrey de Sola Pinto, desola@cwjamaica.com