The Editor, Sir:

With regards to Omar Azan's letter in Tuesday's Gleaner regarding "buy Jamaican", I agree with him emphatically that we have to curb imports, especially those imports that can be produced locally. Notwithstanding the fact that we are in a market-driven economy and imported products can be sold more competitively, we should endeavour to buy locally produced goods in the interest of our country.

Every US dollar used to buy goods which can be produced in Jamaica places the country in more debt and it seems a mockery to return to the IMF to pay for supplies that could already be obtained in Jamaica.

Great concern

Of great concern is the importation of cement from China. Why, when we have that commodity to supply local demand? Are we having a construction boom? Where? Why borrow from the IMF to pay for cement which is already in our country? Somebody needs to wake up here! I also notice the importation of ginger tea from Thailand and packaged in Jamaica. For goodness sake, we have the best ginger in the world, why should we be importing ginger?

We should all try our level best to help build our country by importing less, supporting local products until we get back into jump-starting the engine of production.

Unnecessary red tape

It's our country and we can do it! However, the government needs to create a climate to stimulate production by removing unnecessary red tape and bungling, allowing the operation of a business with more ease. Incentives should be given, especially with any business to do with saving energy, such as the removal of duties from the manufacture of solar water heaters and solar panels.

Windmills should be high on the agenda, enabling the country to import less oil as this eats up a big chunk of our already depleted foreign dollar. Let's get serious about building Jamaica for the better of all.

I am, etc.,

Luci Eanes

luci_emanuel@hotmail.com

St Andrew