Bolt, don't generalise

I was very disappointed to read Usain Bolt's comments to the press in Germany when he stated "When you're a child in Jamaica, you learn how to roll a joint," he said. "Everyone tried marijuana, including me, but I was really young."

I grew up in Jamaica and spent half of my life there and have never "rolled a joint" or smoked marijuana. I have lots of family members and friends who still live in Jamaica and have never used marijuana, and I am sure that all kids in Jamaica even in this troubled times that we live in have not tried marijuana.

Usain, you are representing Jamaica and should do it honourably. Do not go around talking things you do not know about. Maybe in just your small area that you grew up in that may have happened but do not say that it is the norm for Jamaican children, just speak about yourself.

- Sonia Ellis

sellis@telusplanet.net

Alberta, Canada

Unfair policy

It is so unfair to public-sector workers that ministers and ministers of state have been allocated just under $346 million in the 2009-2010 Estimates of Expenditure to take care of remuneration, housing and entertainment allowances, travel expenses and chauffeur grants, while public-sector workers cannot pay their mortgages, make loan payments, buy and drive decent motor cars and buy basic food supplies.

It is grossly unfair for the prime minister to freeze wages of public-sector workers unilaterally and autocratically. Mr Prime Minister, this is unacceptable.

- Vinnette Mitchell-Forrester

vinmitchforr@cwjamaica.com

Portland

A. J.'s misplaced lecture

After reading A.J. Nicholson's lecture on the Constitution, I was forced to come to the defence of Mrs Shahine Robinson.

It seems to me that the learned gentleman has failed to understand that our mockery of a Constitution is predicated upon a notion of the people being served by elected leaders. Being elected member of Parliament twice, once under the People's National Party (PNP), and under the current Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) administration, in my opinion, it was quite in order for her to describe the by-election as a waste of resources.

My advice to Nicholson is, instead of lecturing, why not devote some more time in assisting the Government to bring some real constitutional reforms to our out-dated and inept system of government?

- Michael Thompson

michaelt@aol.com