Dear Editor,

I refer to Michael Dingwall's letter in the Jamaica Observer of August 4, "What are we celebrating?" He is so right. Lee Kuan Yew's words, after his visit to Jamaica, should be placarded and placed in every school and workplace until we learn that skylarking cannot build a nation.

"The people were full of song and dance, spoke eloquently, danced vigorously and drank copiously. Hard work they had left behind with slavery."

I agree that as we journey we should celebrate, but a national celebration should mean an occasion to express satisfaction with achievements, not just the passing of a milestone. If we were asked to commemorate instead of celebrate, we as a people would have to face the reality of lost opportunities and failure to achieve prosperity with our natural gifts.

Now, even as we beg and borrow internationally, we are spending millions costuming and consuming, dancing and prancing, jumping up and falling down - as usual.

Ken Jones

kensjones2002@yahoo.com