Thanks for your story on December 23 on the prevalence of open burning. This is a public-health scourge that affects the respiratory health of all citizens, but particularly the young and old. And it is allowed to occur in full view of the environment and health authorities who make no meaningful response.

At the Jamaica Environment Trust, the most common phone call we get from the public is about burning - burning by neighbours, burning on construction sites, burning by government agencies themselves as they go about the relentless "sprucing up" that masquerades as environmental management.

Nearly everyone who calls us has already tried to get action from either the Ministry of Health or National Environment and Planning Agency (or both) to no avail. I too have been reporting this matter for at least a decade. At its worst, open burning has resulted in the well-publicised destruction of acres of forest and farmland.

Is there no way to hold our regulatory agencies accountable for their areas of responsibility? Instead of spending millions of dollars on fireworks, could we not run public education and enforcement campaigns on the dangers of open burning?

I am, etc.,

DIANA MCCAULAY

Chief Executive Officer

Jamaica Environment Trust

11 Waterloo Road

Kingston 10