The Editor, Sir:

The Jamaican economy needs to be restructured before campaign promises that are made to attract votes are actually implemented to the detriment of the nation's development. It may be a well-intentioned policy, but not one that this nation can afford at this time.

An example of a more sus-tainable approach would have been to earmark all revenue for health-care services for several years to the purchase of state-of-the-art crime-scene investigation tech-nology, personnel and training, which may reduce the violent crime and murder rate (as evidence could be gathered to convict perpetrators with less reliance on unwilling witnesses). This will not only improve the physical and mental health of the nation, but also improve the business climate and economic plight of the nation.

Improve tax base

This in turn will reduce unemployment, and improve the tax base to ease the eventual implementation of a free health care system. There is a need for more strategic planning for development, rather than just blindly implementing the ambi-tious goal of free services for all, while hoping that the means of achieving the goal will just work itself out in the process.

I am, etc.,

ANTONN BROWN

Hatfield, Manchester

brown.ant@gmail.com