Are we really independent?
published: Monday | November 22, 2004

THE EDITOR, Sir:

WE THE Jamaican people say that we are independent since 1962, which is now over 40 years. What does independence really mean? I think it means financially self-reliant, capable of acting for oneself or on one's own.

Independent what? When every single worker of an agency of the state has to be paid by money that is borrowed? Now our debt stands at over $600 billion. Now we have to pay over $300 million per day, which we do not earn per day.

This is logical, if the cost to run my home is $40,000 per month and my salary is $25,000 per month and with little or no investment, then I must borrow the rest of money to take care of the home. This cannot be independence. We could not run the telephone company of Jamaica, Jamaica Public Service, Jamaica Flour Mills, Carib Cement Company, glass factory and some banks that they group up together and probably many more, because we are not independent enough. Some of these companies are now run by people from some small countries with smaller populations. So why sing independence when it seems like its only the 60 people in Parliament who are independent.

I am, etc.,

IVAN TAYLOR

106 Hope Road

Kingston 6