THE EDITOR, Sir:One of your readers submitted a letter in The Gleaner, June 23, in which he noted the need to put a stop to the 'rapidly growing practice of persons nailing signs and billboards on trees in Fern Gully'.
I endorse his request wholeheartedly, and would like to add that if the authorities regularly and systematically dealt with this level of environmental disrespect, then perhaps the country would not have to face an environmental uproar of the magnitude of the Bahai Principe hotel case.
Further to this, if the persons in authority at home, school and church were to impress on their charges the value of life, in all its forms, then each Jamaican could develop a consciousness of his/her dependence and unity with these life forms, and the environmental protection authorities would have an easier job.
Perhaps if the architects, engineers, contractors and general workers at the Bahai Principe site had already acquired this awareness and respect, then, long before any environmental organisation or government agency was necessary, these same workers would have been able to bring to the attention of their employers the possible environmental damage that certain building practices would cause, and refuse to be a part of such practices.
When the mass of our people buy into the benefits of environmental protection, then we will no longer need to pay out huge sums of money to prevent and/or repair the constant environmental damage which the country currently experiences.
So let us help our children to make the connection between the environment and their own well-being, then we will all be on our way to the new, efficient, Jamaica.
I am, etc.,
D. RAMHARRACK
windcreation@yahoo.com
Liguanea P.O., Kingston 6
