Is the whitewashing necessary?

THE EDITOR, Madam:

It is with disdain that I write to query the necessity of whitewashing the kerb walls in Kingston at this time. One would think effecting repairs to the inches-deep craters carved out on our public roads by the recent rains would be more important. I am particularly disturbed that there are now splashes and lines of white paint on my recently renovated grey driveway and columns.

I have noticed, since week, droves of individuals are on the roadways, machetes in hand, chopping and painting kerb walls. One morning, I saw a young man almost chopped his own foot, as he ‘cleared’ the sidewalk for painting. It looks obvious that people were chosen at random to do this job. The irony of the situation is that (dare I say most?) would scoff at the opportunity to be paid regularly for gardening/yard work.

How long will this handout mentality continue? Does the Government have nothing better to do with my hard-earned tax dollars? It grieves my soul that these ‘workers’ have been led to believe that they are being helped, when in truth and in fact they will go right back to square one when the ‘two gran’ done.

In a time when there are shortages of hospital beds, overworked/underpaid public servants, roads that have disappeared and an agricultural sector that is dying unnecessarily, was the whitewash really necessary?

I guess this is Christmas in Jamaica, where there are no problems…

KERRY-ANN CURTIS

editsbykerryann@gmail.com