THE EDITOR, Sir:
I READ with utter disbelief an article published 15/06/06 entitled, 'Is the Hope Gardens project necessary?' The article was pretty interesting but quite disturbing from my point of view when I reviewed over and over again who the author of the article was - Mr. Lloyd O'Connor of the National Youth Council.
I am of the opinion that this article was not cleared for publication by this council, and if it was, I am indeed amazed that this would have been approved by a body which first and foremost looks at what is now needed by youths to teach them about life and nature in a realistic way, to give them a boost and some sense of direction and heritage, and also a sense of positive belonging where they can be outdoors with nature, friends and family without being dictated to by television.
Does this gentleman even know or visited The Gardens of Hope back in the days when it was the envy of the Caribbean and the place where every Jamaican youngster would die to be?
Mr O'Connor, I beg of you to fulfil the distinguished role that that you have been placed in. You are a youth advocate and should be thinking how this project will add positively to youth or if it will take away much from them? I believe you should start to think how to utilise such resources when it comes on stream, rather than to shut it down in its baby stages.
I am, etc.,
C. ANTHONY FRANCIS
CountC2002@yahoo.co.uk
Redwood Close
St. Catherine
