THE EDITOR, Sir:

LET ME first commend you on a very thoughtful and on-the-money editorial in Sunday's edition, regarding the Government's rejection of an offer from the University of Technology (UTech) for the Trelawny Multi-purpose Stadium.

As a Falmouthian, it has been very disheartening this past week as, along with this rejection, came news of the termination of the contract for the partially built police station for the township.

It is against this backdrop that I ask this question of our local and national leaders: Where is the vision?

How in God's name are we building a pier to accommodate the largest cruise ship in the world and some half a million plus passengers yearly and the town does not have an adequate security facility? I would have thought this would have been at the forefront of the decision. Instead of terminating the contract, contingency plans should have been made to resume work immediately to have it completed by December 2010 when the first ship is scheduled to roll into Falmouth.

Enough pussyfooting

Enough is enough! There is too much pussyfooting around by local and central governments. Ground was broken for this station over eight years now. It's been so long, that the last time I was in Falmouth, trees were growing in the building. Someone screwed up, we are aware of that, but Falmouth and our potential guests need adequate security, as do our fine men and women who serve and protect the citizenry.

On the decision regarding the stadium's use, it is simply bone-headed on the part of the minister and the Government. The idea of sport's tourism is an excellent one and, as stated by your editorial, I believe both can work together.

The idea of getting professional teams from the United States, in particular, to use the facility, with all its shortcomings, is ludicrous to say the least. Most important, it will not contribute as much to the social and economic development of the town and its environment. If we were to get a team to use the facility, the only thing our citizens will receive will be more service (low-end) jobs.

Opportunities for advancement

UTech offers opportunities for educational advancement of numerous students rejected because of lack of space at its St Andrew campus. It would definitely bring more housing for students and the faculty, as well as more schools and better students to compete in both primary and high schools in the area. Colleges like UTech offer and do a lot of research.

It is a known fact that wherever there are institutions of higher learning, citizens in that area improve academically and economically.

I call upon my local Trelawneyites to lobby the Government and demand UTech for the opportunity to assist in the development of the the area by the opening of its western campus at Florence Hall.

I am,etc.,

PATRICK BECKFORD

pbeckf01@yahoo.com

Somerset

New Jersey