Dear Editor,

Valentine's Day just passed and it was then that I realised that the country is really broke and needs to be fixed.

My son, who is six years old, decided to send me a greeting card just to show some love. Well, I really wish I could send you a photo of the envelope that the card came in. The envelope had been opened! Yes, Editor. The envelope had been opened.

Across the entire left end of it was tape with the words 'Jamaica Customs Enforcement'.

It also bore the standard of the Customs department with their irrelevant motto of 'Country above self'. But what is country without a few 'selves'? Alas, I did not know Jamaica had moved to prison standards where simple mail must be opened and inspected before it can be mailed.

I'm not sure what my six-year-old son could be smuggling. The good doctor must be looking for a new tax. Do they suspect that my son is sending money out of the country to me, which is the reason the country is broke? I'd like to know exactly how they determined that this envelope should be opened.

Did sniffer dogs bark at the envelope? If it is to be opened to prevent smuggling, then shouldn't every envelope be opened just to make sure that none escape?

Mr Editor, I feel like Jamaica is a prison and we just don't know. There are a few innocuous signs which infer as much. You pretty much can't leave Jamaica without permission; every baccra massa wants a visa from us these days. All the houses have big bars to keep us securely locked inside, and last but not least, your mail gets read by the warden before it is mailed.

I reconcile myself by saying this poor Customs officer must have needed some love so he read my card. Let me hope that I never need to mail a picture of me dancing in oil, mud and paint in just my undies.

One love, Jamaica Customs; it's Valentine's, after all.

Robert Howell

10 Ottawa Avenue

Kingston 7

roberthowelljm@yahoo.com