Dear Editor,

It seems the Government is in a rush to dump all the companies they can on to the Jamaica Stock Exchange.

What I’ve realised with the companies they’ve listed so far, and those we expect to be listed, is that there really isn’t much room for expansion of these companies. That is, Wigton Windfarm Limited and TransJamaica Highway. These companies have limited earning potential, and thus aren’t very attractive to an educated investor.

That brings us to the Jamaica Railway Corporation. Here we have a company that can tap into every aspect of Jamaica’s economy — freight transportation, passenger transportation, tourism, bauxite, etc. Listing a company like this and using the capital for rehabilitation and expansion would provide real value to the country, the economy, and investors.

Benefits to the country would include:

* reducing road traffic and thus reducing accidents;

* providing quicker transportation between the major towns and cities in Jamaica;

* creating more jobs;

* becoming a major tourism asset; and

* facilitating a more environmentally friendly means transport than cars.

Jamaica’s main train station is in the heart of downtown Kingston. This would also help to breathe life back into the capital city while reducing congestion. Everyone would win!

Hugh Magnus

magnushugh@yahoo.com