The Editor, Sir:

I noted with some surprise Dr Omar Davies' letter yesterday complaining about my comments on the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) and my not acknowledging him as the originator of the strategic plan for developed status, titled Vision 2030, and instead crediting Prime Minister Golding for this initiative.

In my column, I stated that the PIOJ "was chartered to be responsible for continuing socio-economic research and planning to position the country to be always knowledgeably able to pursue economic development". Regrettably, the PIOJ seemed no longer employed in the development of a national vision and strategic plan to guide our still-awaited socio-economic development programme.

Instead (and I have no reason to doubt Dr Davies' explanation), they seemed to have been more utilised in "advising the administration on socio-economic issues and policies". I feel sure that Dr Davies is also proud of the many individuals and agencies, including the Statistical Institute of Jamaica, whose work on poverty reduction contributed substantially to the international accolades received by the PIOJ for anti-poverty policies and programmes.

I need not dwell on the obvious fact that the absence of serious research and a properly conceived and prepared strategic plan focused on a vision which is supported by the citizens, means the lost of an important means to guide national socio-economic development and ensuring the maximising of linkages, etc., instead of the patchwork quilt to which we are accustomed.

Dr Davies is the initiator of the 2030 plan and I have not said otherwise. But that was not my focus. Rather it was that the 2030 plan was started long after our CARICOM partners had completed theirs, as against ours being started in the final two years of that extended administration.

Viable national plan

I fear that Dr Davies being so upset did not notice that far from suggesting that Prime Minister Golding was the initiator, I instead pointed to the fact that he had placed the PIOJ in his office (which I support). Further, I said, "The strategic plan for developed status by 2030 continues to be worked on but until then a very important gap - a viable national plan - is absent ... ."

Dr Davies has sadly misunderstood what I wrote but what I have written, I have written. I sincerely regret that this was the single focus of his letter and not the larger issues mentioned.

I am, etc.,

Errol Hewitt