There is every reason to believe that president of the Jamaica Teachers Association (JTA), Doran Dixon, has it wrong again in suggesting that reports of dissatisfaction over payments of retroactive salaries owed was not widespread.

I have been a teacher for the past 16 years and I have already removed my membership from the JTA as I don't believe the organisation is ever on the side of the teacher when it comes to government and negotiations.

Teachers should withdraw from the association until the leadership has redefined itself, outlining their plans for the future and position itself as the association we once knew.

- Andrew Johnson

church21@hotmail.com

Santa Cruz, St Elizabeth

I have watched in amazement as the private sector in Jamaica has silently supported the policies as implemented by the Jamaica Labour Party under the Bruce Golding administration. These policies have become similar to those attempted by Michael Manley in the 1970s but labelled as democratic socialism. Free education and free health are laudable, but someone has to pay the bill.

Lately, calls for personal sacrifice have been made by the Government, but Golding seems reluctant to include a pointed call on the private sector to relinquish some of the interest earnings due on our trillion dollar debts, for fear of being labelled as 'defaulters'.

The councils of private sector organisations should convene a meeting with the Government and the trade unions at which they should offer to accept a voluntary 15 per cent cut in the rate of interest payable on the stock of debt for at least 24 months (as the Argentineans have done).

- Wilbert A. Witter

wittybert@hotmail.com

Kingston 20

Have we not learn from our past mistakes? What would it profit the country if there should be any riots at this time?

The Government is trying to find a way to take care of our country, which includes the poor, and this would have to be done one way or the other.

Courtesy of our huge debt, they have decided to forego getting additional loan, showing us Jamaicans who claim we love our country to be much more prudent and help to take care of our needs.

I don't want to go political, but if blame is to be passed around then we need to look at what and who created that huge bill of $309 billion.

- MAB

Portmore