Dear Editor,

It appears that the media continues to fancy grand announcements. It is simply unacceptable that one person or entity can state publicly that they have hundreds of million, and sometimes billions in investment, lined up but fall short on giving even an iota of evidence to support their claims.

This again was on display on the front page of the Jamaica Observer yesterday (Tuesday, September 15, 2015), with a headline screaming ‘US$100-million ganja deal; Canadian company to develop medicinal products from J’can marijuana for int’l market’. The story went on to state in the very second sentence that “Courtney Betty, the Jamaican-Canadian who heads THC, did not go into great detail, but said the deal would create job opportunities for many Jamaicans.” Unbelievable!

Just recently Dr Lawrence Williams, a scientist at the Scientific Research Council, sought to “clarify” by letter to this very newspaper on July 24 for speaking of getting a US patent that leads to a US$100-million deal for anti-cancer drugs he claims to be creating and for which there exists no solid evidence or action in support its viability. Likewise, we have seen the foray of Industry Minister Anthony Hylton who took an entire nation around the mulberry bush with the Krauck Systems/Anchor Finance MOU noting the companies’ commitment to a US$5-billion investment in our nation’s still-to-be-realised logistics hub project. On top of that, there is deafening silence about the multimillion-US-dollar Hollywood movie-making project that was being coordinated by a number of Jamaicans living in the US and prominently highlighted in the press. The list of grand announcements and no facts goes on and on.

I would ask that our media take careful note and not fall prey to sensational traps laid by people unwilling to back up their grand announcements with the hard, cold facts. After all, it is widely known that some use luring announcements to sucker potential investors.

Terry-Ann Williams

Coral Gardens

St James

tawtaw079@hotmail.com

Tues Sept15, 2015 cover