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Re: 'Trying for a son ... after six daughters', The Sunday Gleaner, June 19

Like many of your readers who commented on it, I, too, wondered about your decision to publish this, and especially on a day meant to celebrate (good) fathers. Then, the more I thought about it, the more I sensed that your decision could have been driven by the fact that you wanted to gauge public perceptions and attitudes regarding philandering and careless bringing of children into the world to satisfy our own, individual, selfish agendas.

In the case of this man, it is to ensure that the "Dawkins name" is perpetuated, since "Dawkins is a powerful name".

Well, if readers' comments are anything by which to judge, we still have some well-thinking Jamaicans, even though they may be in the minority. There are Jamaicans, men included, who recognise that being a father to a child means more than simply procreating and then giving a financial contribution.

If, indeed, you wanted to use the article as a gauge of social attitudes, you succeeded in getting a good gauge. However, the downside is that the article has probably caused Mr Dawkins to be held up to public ridicule, which could also affect his children. He deserves the ridicule for his selfish behaviour, not his children. Perhaps Mr Dawkins has read some of the comments and may rethink his quest, as fatherhood goes way beyond simply giving a name to someone to pass on.

- Anthony Canute Gordon, acommentary@yahoo.com

Re: Claude Clarke's 'A disingenuous dodge, The Sunday Gleaner, June 12

In developed and emerging economies, it is the private sector which drives growth and development. However, since Independence, Jamaica's private sector has not got a clue how to achieve that. The sector is archaic and impotent, and needs to find the "courage, the honesty and humility" to acknowledge its own huge role in the stagnation of the economy over the decades.

Stop using the politicians and successive governments as scapegoats for the business sector's gross inabilities. No more juices and sodas - as that is all the sector traditionally seems to be able to come up with.

Jamaica does not need any more distributors masquerading as a private sector. We need innovators - that is how this country will move forward.

Where are the captains of industry, the Carnegies, the Fords, the Bill Gateses? It is no wonder everything in this country comes from overseas: we are buyers, not producers.

- Donna Mattis, soltaire47@yahoo.com

Re: Martin Henry's 'Here I stand on Manatt report, The Sunday Gleaner, June 19

Congratulations on your piece! I totally agree with you. I have very little issue with the commission's report. The terms and powers of the commission were too limited, in my estimation.

The legal grandstanding was a waste of time and, at times, over the top. Nobody produced any incontrovertible evidence to prove an iota of anything. When you go to argue a case, you must have THE evidence.

If you have to, get qualified investigators to ferret out the facts. Circumstantial evidence is no evidence at all (in the majority of cases). You need conclusive evidence.

Keep up the great work!

- Ranimor Manning, rmanning@research.howard.edu

Re Edward Seaga's 'The great collapse', The Sunday Gleaner, June 19

Very insightful column, Mr Seaga. As a 16-year-old, I personally adore your innate leadership ability. So the question I would like to ask is: How can I become as efficient a leader as you were?

- Tarique Plummer, tariqueplummer@yahoo.com

Re: 'Motorists may soon pay for air at service stations', The Sunday Gleaner, June 19

Most stations have no functioning pump. It does not cost a quarter million dollars annually to run an air pump.

Trevor Heaven is full of it! Why not get self-service stations with card readers at the pump and drop the damn prices! Everyone should get a little 12v compressor, keep it in the trunk, and tell the JGRA to go to hell on this one.

- Sean H

Just last week, I was at the airport and had to drive to Harbour View because the Petcom (which is a government-owned station) there did not have a pump.

Frankly, many of these places are gas stations, not service stations. A few weeks before I had to drive to four service stations before I could finally get some air. I have no problem if we have to pay to use the air pumps, because I honestly did not know that they cost that much to maintain.

However, it should be free for customers who buy gasolene from the service station.

- Sanjay

Re: 'Demolished', The Gleaner, June 20

I am happy to see that the KSAC finally carrying out some action against these people.

I think the KSAC should employ new strategies to stifle these types of illegal developments. Maybe it should become mandatory for the KSAC to provide documented approval when these places sign up for electricity from JPS and water from the NWC. I think that would go a far way in curtailing this menace of illegal construction.

- Pierre Buckley

What about that building at the corner of Caledonia Road and Old Hope Road, right by the gully that is so stink?

- TastyLasagna