LETTER OF THE DAY - The importance of afour-lane airport highway

THE EDITOR, Sir:

I THINK your editorial of Tuesday, May 4, has misrepresented the importance of developing a high-speed, all-weather road to serve the Norman Manley International Airport.

The minister of transport might have missed the point if he was correctly quoted, but the importance of having unrestricted access to the airport cannot be overstated. Short of building another airport in proximity of the capital, it is the only way of insuring that a major segment of the economy will not be affected in the event of a hurricane striking Kingston. The option of relocation is not feasible and, therefore, should be discarded. We have too much invested in Norman Manley International - and it is conveniently located to serve the needs of Kingston and, by extension Jamaica - to be abandoned.

Lest we forget, the Palisadoes was originally a series of islands which was filled in to its present state thereby blocking any flow of fresh seawater into the harbour. What you should have called for is that waterways be incorporated into the design to make sure that the harbour is flushed on a regular basic. If this is done, then the environmentalist lobby should welcome the development.

Port royal, a jewel

The city of Kingston has a major jewel sitting idle on its doorsteps, and that is the historic town of Port Royal. We are told there is a possibility of entering into an agreement with Carnival Cruise Line to develop it into a cruise-ship port and develop the town as a new attraction.

What should be encouraged is the development of Windward Road into a highway connecting downtown with New Kingston, and South Camp Road, Tom Redcam Avenue, and Oxford Road to Constant Spring Road, for the development of the downtown-uptown-link highway. Downtown Kingston has suffered badly from urban decay and a major factor is the lack of adequate roads to connect to uptown.

As far as the debt servicing of the proposed highway is concerned, I see no reason why the new road cannot be a toll road, giving free passes to all the residents of Port Royal as a special concession.

I am, etc.,

WINSTON DEAR

Montego Bay