In these times when the loss of foreign-exchange income in the bauxite, banana and sugar industries are accompanied by serious challenges in the tourist industry, one would rationally expect the Government's administration of the economy to show signs of acknowledgement of that harsh economic reality.

However, there is evidence that either the Government is not yet aware of the consequences of these losses in foreign-exchange earnings or they believe that by pretending that the losses pose no problem there will be no problem. How else does one explain the revelation, that in anticipation of overcrowding that is to arise in some primary schools, as a result of the exodus of children whose parents are no longer able to afford preparatory school fees, the Government is to import classrooms from Florida to address the problem?

It is good that the Ministry of Education is thinking about the situation in September but is the importation of classrooms from Florida the answer to the problem? This expedient quick-fix reaction may cover the cracks in the inadequate planning by the ministry but the question must be asked, At what cost to the economy?

Temporary arrangements

Good sense would dictate that the need for classrooms should be met by the construction sector of our economy.

We are now in June with still 12 weeks or more to the start of the next school term, could not the Government construct some classrooms in 12 weeks?

Even if there was to be some delay and some temporary arrangements had to be made to start the term, would it not make more economic sense to put Jamaican construction workers to work building classrooms for our children? The decision to import classrooms in these circumstances defies rationality.

I am, etc.,

Lucius C. White