Editor,

I really think everyone in this Government suffers from severe MYOPIA or total blindness. I don’t think they have a clue, nor really care, that what to them is of paramount importance, is a complete and utter disaster to someone else.

As an interested party in a Bay Street retail shop, I hereby invite the Minister of Tourism, to take a walk down to Charlotte Street South, when the Criminal Courts are in session. Charlotte Street is at the very epicenter of our Cruise Ship Tourism product. I don’t know what Ministry is responsible for putting criminal courts in this vicinity, knowing that public safety must be dependent on a squad of police and or defense force personnel, togged out in camouflage fatigues and armed with machine guns. This can only scare the living bejesus out of locals and tourists alike. Who in the name of the Almighty thought that this would be a good place to hold court for obviously dangerous criminals ??? We have already heard that cruise passengers are terrified to get off the ships, for exactly this reason. I personally have experienced this kind of thing first hand, in other countries, including Jamaica and Turkey, and I can tell you that it is unsettling and extremely intimidating.

Mr Wilchcombe, please take a ten minute break and walk east along Bay Street to Charlotte Street, and then go south, any day when the court is in session. If you don’t conclude that the Ministry of Tourism’s budgeted advertising money may as well be flushed down a toilet, then you should not be the Minister of Tourism sir. Because you don’t get it either.

Bruce G. Raine

September 25, 2015