It's so simple to blame all our ills on our colonial past (as did Allan Carter in his letter of June 15), which in reality means that we are incapable of directing our future. It's not about the past; its about the future. Being knighted or wearing a wig in court has nothing to do with crime and poverty in Jamaica.

The problem in Jamaica is corruption, and leaders who have exploited the poor and created a culture of tribalism centred on their political parties. The distribution of guns to the criminals had nothing to do with being a former colony. There is no example of this being done in Britain. On the contrary, the British left a great legacy of education that even today, is better than that of the USA.

We need to get over this colonial stuff. It's like Fidel Castro, who blames all his problems on the United States.

- Concerned Jamaican principal88@aol.com

Miami Beach, Florida

While watching the Twenty/20 match between the West Indies and England today (June 15), I read a letter to The Gleaner from one Allan Carter out of Barbados, talking about British trinkets and Jamaicans being unable to get rid of the former colonial masters mentality. He was specifically addressing the knighthood of Jamaica's new governor general.

They, however, are continually advertising Crop Over dance on the TV which is to take place in Barbados sometime in July. This 'dance" is a relic of colonialism, representing the time when the slave masters and their big-shot friends would put on the event to signify the end of the sugar-grinding season.

The slaves who worked in the cane fields and the sugar factories were not invited to these dances. Jamaica used to have these Crop Over dances, but got rid of them many years ago.

Carter, the letter writer, should be aware of the above. Why doesn't he try to get Barbados to get rid of this colonial carry-over, rather than criticise the Jamaican people for the knighthood of their governor general?

- Roy Wilson Roy.Wilson@ajasja.com

There are great advancements in solar power today. Does the public know how positively profound the implications would be for the passage of legislation of net metering? Jamaica could be saving millions of US dollars annually. The Jamaica Public Service would benefit from this supplemental sun energy also.

It would be a win-win scenario, most of the civilised world has net metering, which causes the power meter to run backwards during sunny daylight hours when a homeowner's solar panels are producing electric power.

This is also good from an environmental perspective; it is high time to stop the foot-dragging and pass this legislation.

- Michael Williams

mwilliams@earthlink.net

Auburn, Alabama