Letter: Urban millennium

Urban millennium

Sir: The debate raging between the Tongan government, Millennium Adventure Company and the Republic of Kiribati is a lot of hot air about nothing (report, 28 November; letter, 1 December) - who cares which lump of desolate rock sees the first millennium sunrise?

The dawn of the new millennium is a celebration of humanity and citizenship of the world community. Surely attention should be focused on the first substantial group of people to experience day one of the new millennium. Gisborne in New Zealand has been officially designated, by the Meridian Society, the first city to experience the millennium dawn - there can be no quibbles about this.

PAUL JARMAN

Hove, East Sussex