Yesterday's main story about the ultimatum issued to Jamaica by two groups in Canada, one of them a church, is sure to have interested many, with ire and amusement certain to be among the reactions.

According to the story under the headline 'Gays give Jamaica deadline', the Egale Canada and the Metropolitan Country Church have given the Jamaican Government until May 12 to rescind laws against buggery. If this is not done, they promise that they will call for a Canadian boycott on tourism to Jamaica, as well as goods and services from the island, on International Day Against Homophobia five days later.

This rattling of sabres from afar is highly unlikely to move the Government even to dignify it with a reply. However, there is a very telling quote near the end of the story, where a J-FLAG member who is now in Canada with his partner seeking asylum said "as soon as the issues in Jamaica are addressed, then we will move on to another country".

So there we have it. Jamaica is the place to break and all will follow. The bottom line is that the country is on the front line in this matter of homosexuality, at least as far as attitude and vulnerability to outside coercion is concerned. After all, quite a few countries are not accommodating of homo-sexuality, but they tend to be larger and more self-sufficient. In addition, the attitude of some persons is put in song, amplifying the attitude in more ways than one.

So it is up to us as a nation to decide if we are willing to take the bad publicity. Chances are, though, the bottom line is that there will be no realisation on the bottom line.