Dear Editor,

Many Jamaicans are void of the power of independent thought. Their minds are clouded completely by partisan politics. This imbecilic behaviour has set the country back more than the days of slavery.

Now that the IMF has approved the loan of US$2 billion to a country that has leaders who are bereft of ideas of how to increase production, how will the taxpayers be able to even pay the interest rate on a loan of this size? The Jamaican dollar is now trading for almost $100 to US$1 and poverty is on the rise.

There are 2.7 million people living in this country and most of them are living in absolute poverty unable to provide their children with proper nutrition and the Government expects to put the majority of the burden on the poor. This is ludicrous.

On a practical level, if this money was distributed evenly among the 2.7 million Jamaicans, regardless of their political affiliation, every person in Jamaica would receive J$74,000, which would be enough for a small business.

With the amount of corruption plaguing our island — on both sides of the political fence — one has to wonder how many individuals will benefit from this loan? History has proven that ordinary Jamaicans often do not benefit from these loans and persons are forced to leave the country or become victims of the unjust system.

Rev Tanasha Buchanan

tanashabuchanan@yahoo.com