Dear Editor,

I want to thank your columnist Lloyd B Smith for his article of March 26 on the issue of divestment of our natural resources like Dunn’s River Falls.

Attending the opening of the Falmouth Pier highlighted for me the concerns raised by Mr Smith. Recently I was forwarded a copy of a letter sent to the mayor of Falmouth about the proposed divestment of a park and the public beach known as Bur-wood (coincidentally the only public beach in Trelawny).

I sent a letter to the mayor and followed up during my visit where at a Trelawny Diaspora and Council-convened meeting the subject was raised again.

Mr Smith is right. Our local political leaders are interested only in self-praise. At the meeting I asked what was so hard in developing a Bur-wood or Trelawny local development bond in which we in the diaspora and locals could participate with the council in raising the needed funds to keep the resources in the public domain, and as Trelawny residents enjoy some of the spoils. The puzzled look on most of the faces said it all – they have only one way to think and anything outside the box is frightening.

You are so right, Mr Smith. The silent but loud cry in Falmouth is that the residents are being left out of the opportunities as nothing is advertised locally first as it should – only to see outsiders coming in. I looked at most of the workers doing the square and the courthouse – all outsiders. Who made the “boneheaded” decision to put a heliport across from the library and the Catholic church?

Mr Smith, having been privileged to attend the opening ceremony as a born-Trelawny man, I can tell you that 90-plus per cent of those attending would not have been to Falmouth previously.

Mr Mayor and Council, let us do what is right – withdraw whatever divestment you all have promised and let us together put together a Trelawny development bond.

Patrick A Beckford

USA

pbeckf01@yahoo.com