Dear Editor,

I read an article in your paper on March 22 that Minister Andrew Holness is encouraging international educators to invest in Jamaica to assist in secondary education. This project would cost the government $1 billion and is aimed at building 120 schools, 300 classrooms, reduce classroom sizes to 35 students per class and promote universal secondary education.

An investment in education should be priority for the government. Our representatives should pattern countries like Cuba. That country has one of the highest literacy rates and every citizen is entitled to tertiary education free of cost. Jamaicans have stopped thinking about production and education and are now too caught up in politics to understand the reality. American champion of civil and women’s rights Frederick Douglass said, “The road from slavery to freedom is paved by education.” While I applaud the minister for the research the educaton ministry has done, he should be lobbying for more funds from his government to invest in secondary education.

Political tribalism is destroying the country and Jamaica is not friendly to investment. Crime and corruption have taken over the country. Young people are not encouraged by their leaders to believe in education. When young people become educated, what are their employment opportunities? Many educated Jamaicans are underemployed or unemployed; some even migrate for a better quality of life. The primary purpose of investment is to create opportunities for people to earn a living. What is Jamaica producing to attract investors? The government must understand that its greatest asset is the people and the children are the future. Until we can show the international community that we are thinking about development and production, investors will not be motivated to invest.

Rev Tanasha Buchanan

tanashabuchanan@yahoo.com