The Editor, Sir:

Having just completed another long stay as a visitor in Jamaica, I feel compelled to respond to the excellent articles on the environment, and in particular, the problems with fires at the Great Morass in Negril, published in the April 29 edition of Hospitality Jamaica.

I was in Negril from April 13-20, and during that brief period, there were two episodes of dense smoke at the beach-front hotel where I stayed.

When I questioned staff, I learned that the morass was burning. One of the reasons I leave the Chicago area is to breathe clean Jamaican air, so this was very disturbing. The excellent article provided the background on the causes of these fires and what can be done to solve the problem. Restoring the wetlands is critical, and it can be accomplished with the support of The Gleaner and concerned environmental groups. However, it points to the need to place the environment as a high priority for Jamaica.

Increase Public awareness

How can this be done? I believe that hotels and tourists would support environmental issues if they understood that Jamaica's future as a tourist attraction could be interwoven with sound environmental practices. But first, the people of Jamaica must understand the importance of clean rivers, streams, sea, and land. When in Jamaica, I snorkel twice a day and am appalled to see the amount of plastic debris in the sea - cups, bags, styrofoam food containers, etc. This is a danger to fish and bird life and unattractive to swimmers. We must start with the children in school and churches - educate them about the environment and its needs for the future. Stop the littering and use of disposable plastics, which are not recycled in Jamaica, as far as I know.

When I talk to young Jamaicans about the land, sky and sea, I find that there is a lack of information about plant names, creatures of the surrounding sea, constellations and planets, and limited resources in the environment.

We must educate children so that they can make a difference in future behaviour. By directing attention away from the land towards television, music, dancehall, cellphones, and other distractions, we have raised a new generation of individuals who are separated from the beauty of Jamaica - the natural environment. Many have left farming because they see it as too hard and not profitable enough. Bringing young people back to farming, and especially organic farming, could help Jamaica in many ways. We must dedicate ourselves to preserving that which attracts environmentally sensitive tourists like me.

Hotels' efforts

On a positive note, I am happy to see some hotels adopting policies of not using disposable plastics, of less laundering by retaining towels and sheets for more than one day, and by trying to use local produce from nearby farms. Perhaps it is time to limit development of any new mega-hotels. When 2,000 rooms are added to the hotel inventory, there can be a major negative impact on the environment. There is always a struggle between development, which provides new jobs, and saving the environment. Each time permission is granted for large-scale development, the environmental impact must be considered and acted upon. We can see that something like a fire in the Great Morass can significantly affect tourism. A tourist who has asthma and experiences smoke in the air would probably not return to Negril.

My love for Jamaica - the land and its people - motivates me to urge Jamaicans to now dedicate themselves to keeping Jamaica beautiful - even if it means some short-term sacrifices.

I am, etc.,

Roberta L. Raymond Kirkland

(Visitor to Jamaica

for 45 years; now 70 years old)

bobbie.raymond@gmail.com

Oak Park

Illinois