Dear Editor,

There are those who seem to think that the United States might have retained some proprietary rights to the Goat Islands and the other Jamaican territories that were used as American bases during World War ll. This view, I suppose, ignores the fact that in December 1949, the US formally handed these interests back to the British Government, lowered the Stars and Stripes and bade us a fond farewell. The public ceremony took place at Vernamfield.

However, bearing in mind the words of the departing American Brigadier General Bean, the act would have included the Goat Islands installation. He said: “The deactivation of this base today, in my opinion, is a monument to world peace. It is my sincere hope that the base — as a war base — will never be used again, or that the necessity will never arise for it to be used again. It goes with our best wishes to the British Government.”

With that the national anthems were played and the troops departed for the airport where the Jamaica Military Band played what was described as “the final farewell to the Colours of America”.

Some may recall the large front page picture in the Gleaner, showing Brigadier Bean taking the Stars and Stripes from the flagpole, while a soldier of the Jamaica Battalion hoisted the Union Jack. It was Governor Sir John Huggins who received the instruments indicating the legal changeover, and it seems to me that this right of ownership would extend to independent Jamaica by way of the present Constitution as it relates to laws existing prior to 1962.

The fate of Portland Bight, including the Goat Islands, is solely in the hands of the Jamaican people. Its tremendous natural value, as a vital support for our seafood industry, is now under threat, and the ultimate guarantee against its destruction by desperate men must be our exclusive responsibility; not the American government, not the British government and not the Jamaican government, and its own subordinate officials.

Ken Jones

kensjones2002@yahoo.com