KINGSTON, Jamaica, Observer – Two news stories we published this week have, for us, been particularly heart-warming and most encouraging. For they indicate to us that, amidst the challenges being faced by this country, and the attitude of many that we cannot do anything without an International Monetary Fund agreement, there are, among us, individuals who are engaged in constructive thought. On Sunday, we told the story of Mr Ewan Pitter, a third-year engineering student at the University of the West Indies (UWI), who has designed a miniature hydroponics greenhouse, powered by solar energy, and linked to the Internet. Mr Pitter had on show at the UWI's Research Days last week this greenhouse system which, he says, allows users to maintain the quality of their crops from anywhere in the world, using a laptop or smartphone.