Dear Editor,

With respect to Great Britain’s vote to leave the European Union (EU), I bemoan the divorce it represents, as with any other divorce.

On the other hand, I am in objection to any form of peer pressure which may stifle, disrespect or fail to appreciate the individuality of a member of that group.

Britain is, and perhaps will be for a while from now, a traditional and conservative society. One just has to look at the sacrifices that it has made in delivering basic health care through its National Health Services (NHS). They are still widely using normal saline nose drops instead of more effective, but more expensive, nasal products, and penicillin antibiotics that require four to five doses when there are others which may be administered three times, twice or even once per day. A security challenge once arose in the face of possible terrorist attacks, where a large proportion of English police officers rejected the authorities’ calls to be equipped with firearms, for fear of getting into trouble from police shootings. Now, that is being “too OK” by most international standards. The irony is that those who supported “the leave” campaign, blamed the marriage with the EU for all this, or out of pride, felt too pitied by it.

Regardless of what Great Britain decides to do, though, in this tentative Brexit, I wish them, our surrogate motherland, all the best in their endeavours. Cheers!

Andre O Sheppy

Norwood, St James

astrangely@outlook.com