Dear Editor,

I write not only to defend the credibility and performance of our member of parliament for East Central St James, Mr Edmund Bartlett, but also to set the record straight for Mr George McKenzie whose letter was published on December 31, 2009 in the Observer. The letter sought to discredit Mr Bartlett who was named Man of the Year by Mr Ken Chaplin, who is a respected public voice and someone who writes things as he sees it… from a position of fact.

For the record, let me state that Minister Bartlett represents East Central St James and not St James North East as stated by Mr McKenzie. There are many projects which Mr Bartlett, even with his workload as minister of tourism has been able to accomplish some of which I outline.

EDUCATION

* $5m was spent in 2009 on scholarships for teachers, GSAT awardees and high school students;

* School uniforms have been provided to hundreds of students annually for the past 12 years;

* Breakfast feeding programme implemented in all schools in East Central, which benefits hundreds of students;

* GSAT textbooks for 1,200 students in every primary school in the constituency.

The education programme has produced several doctors, teachers and other professionals, some of whom have returned to East Central St James where they have been making positive contributions in the schools and other areas to help develop the constituency. While education may not be important to Mr McKenzie, we put a lot of premium on the building of the human capital in the constituency.

INFRASTRUCTURE

Road improvements include:

* Adelphi to Kent

* Fording to Somerton

* Plum Tree to Williamsfield

* Camrose

* Paisley Phase one with Phase two to start on January 4

* Cornwall to Spot Valley

* Barrett Town, where all roads have been rehabilitated

* Lilliput, where $300m has been allocated for work which started in December

* Buck Toe Lane

* John’s Hall breakaway where a contract has been awarded to YP Seaton for work to start later this month.

* Grange Pen

* Barrett Hall

* Palmyra

HOUSING

* Hundreds have benefited from housing grants as well as from low-income houses.

AGRICULTURE

* Production Development programme with hundreds of residents for seedling, fertiliser, livestock, etc.

Minister Bartlett has also assisted hundreds in setting up income-generating programmes, which continue to positively impact lives.

A major concern which I have with what Mr McKenzie wrote is his reference to the productive people in sections of East Central as “peasant farmers” and his disclosure that some residents are too far removed from main stream for them to benefit from tourism. Mr McKenzie, the area from Somerton to Rose Hall in which the vast majority of the residents live represents the tourism belt of the constituency, and these residents either work in the industry or supply products and services to the industry. The tourism sector employs people from East Central, as farmers from the constituency sell their products to hotels and the funds generated from those areas are spent within or among the constituents.

Minister Bartlett holds the distinction of serving Jamaica for over 23 years in both the Parliament and as a member of the Senate. He has always taken on challenges with pride and has a determination to succeed.

I think Minister Bartlett being named Man of the Year is most deserving. As president of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association, Wayne Cummings stated in Mr Chaplin’s “Man of the Year” column, Bartlett is the hardest working tourism minister Jamaica has ever seen. With that endorsement from Mr Cummings, we join the JHTA in endorsing Minister Bartlett as Jamaica’s undisputed Man of the Year. I find it ironic that Mr McKenzie, armed with mis-information and half-truths, would want to pour cold water on not only the article by Mr Chaplin, but also the efforts which Minister Bartlett has been making to keep Jamaica on the map.

Kudos to Mr Chaplin for recognising the work and worth of our MP and for awarding him the prestigious title of Jamaica’s Man of the Year for 2009.

To Minister Bartlett we say, “On with the show!” 2010 is yet another challenging year and we are looking forward to another year of outstanding service from him towards the development of not only East Central St James, but Jamaica in general.

Yvonne Stewart

Secretary

East Central St James Constituency

Barrett Town District

Little River PO

St James