Don't blame me for your confusion, Mr Wignall

THE EDITOR, Sir:

This is an open letter to columnist Mark Wignall in relation to the subhead 'Youre confusing me, Howard Mitchell') in his Sunday Gleaner column 'Gunmen on attack for a reason' (September 16, 2018).

Mark, you are confused because you are not listening. The Ease of Doing Business Report is an assessment of foreign investments and investors. Talk to the local small and medium-size business operators and you will have a completely different picture!

I guess you have dismissed agriculture and its potential with one simple sentence on weather effects. Talk to the Walkerswood Group, which is now Jamaica's largest earner in seasonings and sauces, if you want to see success in agriculture despite the weather.

It's easy to throw labels around, Mark, but the same arrogance that cost the Jamaica Labour Party the elections in the 1970s and 1980s, even amid the big growth numbers, is creeping back into their attitudes. Ignore the marginalisation and leave the majority of our people out of development at your peril!

If that makes me a "throwback socialist", then fine. The position of Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica president is an elected, unpaid one. If I am not in synch with the membership, I won't suffer too much, but thanks for your concern.

HOWARD MITCHELL

PSOJ President