Just last week I was on the cruise ship Eurodam with 2,000 passengers alongside Falmouth Town. The quay was so close my wife and I could literally step off the gangway and get to the place in five minutes.

No not our Falmouth - this was Falmouth in Jamaica where the island decided four years ago it was missing out on the cruise ship bonanza spreading economic prosperity throughout the Caribbean.

For years cruise ships gave Jamaica a miss because of its social problems, drugs and crime. So the authorities spent out on a purpose built quay alongside their "new town" of Falmouth which is quite safe. All done in four years.

It has been about ten years since our town started talking about encouraging bigger cruise ships to come and we have not even managed to start the dredging yet. Being green - means you stay poor, I suppose.

Not what they think in most Caribbean islands.

Keith McDowall,
Mulberry Quay,
Falmouth