Today, we praise internet access for its ability to facilitate commu-nication.

Aside from business, government, public and private utilities, not to mention personal use, we are all well aware of how educational systems in particular can greatly benefit from this capability.

Today, all of our schools, regardless of their individual ability to meet basic student needs - desks, chairs, lighting, effective class sizes, and so on - want to have this internet access.

Yet, more than most of us realise, that means them having stable power and electric infrastructure, up-to-date computers and com-munications equipment, capable software, not to mention viable Internet service providers and constantly updated security.

However, with Jamaica's well-recognised inability to meet basic educational needs, particularly within rural communities, one has to ask whether it is wise to continue spending so much money on technologies that require far greater maintenance and which become obsolete far faster than do basic-needs materials.

Improvement at grass roots

Today, with the level of hope now rising with respect to the promise of a beneficial change in relations with its big neighbour to the north, Jamaica needs to be thinking of what it can do to improve itself and be of greater service to the world community.

That means improving education at the grass-roots level and obviously, knowing what it needs and what to ask for is the key.

For years, the United States Peace Corps, as well as private philanthropic groups, have concerned themselves with bringing computer technologies to Jamaican schools. They are to be praised for their efforts.

But, dare I ask in retrospect, if it wouldn't have been better if they had brought generators, lighting and water systems, building-repair materials, chairs and desks - not to mention money - for teachers, textbooks, scholarships and the like?

I am, etc.,

ED MCCOY

mmhobo48@juno.com

Bokeelia, Florida