The Editor:

Kindly allow me space in your esteemed, popular and internationally read newspaper, the Jamaica Observer, to make a commentary on the Jamaican political situation as it relates to both political parties, Mrs Portia Simpson Miller and Mr. Bruce Golding.

It can be said, with some great amount of fairness, that any criticism directed at the current regime, the JLP, with regards to its apparent, real, stifled or decelerated move to action, should be expected and not be a surprise. As an Opposition Party in the wilderness for 18 years, the JLP has led some very well articulated pronouncements, ones that not merely led many Jamaicans, including the usual PNP diehards, to "gamble" with the JLP Party on September 3, 2007 to give it a chance in directing the path of our Jamaican people even though with a slim margin of victory but more importantly, the masses have been induced and hurricaned by a sense of pyschological trance and euphoric elation not seen since Michael Manley came onto to the political scene of representational politics in the '70's! This emanated out of the shear eloquence in speech and unusual charisma, I must say, as displayed by Bruce Golding, especially toward the latter days to the elections. At the same time, the Leader of the Opposition, Mrs. Portia Simpson Miller seemed to have been waning and is still suffering from the shock of her loss! The apparent lull in progress of the Jamaican masses under the PNP coupled with a sense for change, stirred the nation to deliver the loss to the PNP regime as the governing entity for Jamaica at this time.

However, even though the stint of power for the JLP regime has been a negligible three months from a broad, political framework, because of the expectations it mounted on its various platforms during the long campaign, its apparent nervousness and timidity in the starting blocks, true or merely percieved as such, is already presenting an early sense of deficiency in the JLP's ability to solve the nation's problems. A failure that is particularly pronounced with respect to its inability and apparent desperation in its strategies or lack thereof to curb crime and to have any meaningful impact on the country. Its particular actions or inactions, when it comes to crime, if not remedied soon, could, and will, be the driving nail in Mr Golding's political coffin along with the party he leads! His dream to be Jamaica's Prime Minister will last no longer than has been Mrs. Poria Simpson Miller's!

This, indeed, could emanate in a crisis situaton politically for the country as a whole. If the JLP is forced to call elections in a year's time and the JLP should lose that election,the old problem of squabbles and leadership challenges could begin to raise its ugly head once again. This could result in a retrograde step not only for the JLP but the country as a whole. It is always good to have at least two thriving, democratic parties ready to take over the reign of the nation in case of slippage by the other. The future with Mrs. Simpson Miller and the PNP is no much better if the JLP should be forced into calling an early election, say in one year!

Portia, many believe over the years, including myself, is a lady of the grassroots and will champion the cause of the masses. That is to say, the majority of all Jamaicans. However, her current state of non-co-operation and "tight lippedness" in matters crucial to the growth of the country as a whole, will outrightly depict a sense of selfish indulgence on her part. It will, real or imagined, display a sense that the "goodly" lady is only interested in power and not her country. Mrs. Simpson Miller must be careful that she does not lose the masses in her schirmishes; the masses that have been responsible for her political and overall, general success as a human being and a Jamaican. Sometimes, one has to be prepared to lose control to acquire control. If Mrs. Portia Simpson Miller begins to show the maturity that she is capable of exuding and if she begins to sit at the "political conference table" with all the players and make a meaningful contribution as an opposition, the masses, and one and all, will take notice. This will not only get her back in power sooner than she thinks but will help in stabilizing Jamaica in more ways than one.

I don't know who Mrs. Simpson Miller's advisors are but I think she needs to fire them before she gets rejected by the people she claimed she loves so very much.

Joshua Spencer is a Jamaican author, poet and educator who resides and writes out of Toronto, Canada. He may be contacted at joshuaspencer@rogers.com

You can vist his work at : www.xlibris.com/FluctuatingLife.html

or http://www.bookfinder4u.com/IsbnSearch.aspx?isbn=1425768113&mode=direct

or

http://www.bookfinder4u.com/IsbnSearch.aspx?isbn=1424160480&mode=direct

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Dear Editor,

The reaction by the government and Opposition to the senseless and wanton slaughtering of six-year-old Tajae Smith and his sister, 15-year-old Tavia Smith is living testimony to the scant regard, neglect and callousness regularly depicted by the authorities and those who have power.

The time is more than ripe for our politicians and government to desist from being merely reactive to the wanton and senseless crime in our country. There is a need for more than prepared two-line stingers about the loss of lives and how the murderers will pay. This is obviously not working as the killings continue unabated.

Every time our children are butchered by the lumpens in our midst, it's as if the government and Opposition come out with these two-liner reactive scripts about what is going to be done to the slaughterers. What about putting the infrastructure in place to prevent this wanton waste of lives of the young, the elderly, the poor and the ordinary citizens who cannot protect themselves, instead of putting out a statement day-in and day-out about these killings?

The safety and security of our citizens is the full and complete responsibility of the Jamaican state and no one else's! If the state is incapable of protecting its citzens and its people, especially the young, elderly and the poor, how can it continue to exert governance over its citizenry? The situation that currently obtains as it pertains to crime is next to anarchy!

The perception that is mediated at this point is one that seems to state that since the government and politicians are safe and some of the upper echelons of the society are secure because of their affluence, the business of crime can be treated with less priority and be placed on the back-burner.

Such an approach is obviously myopic. It is only a matter of time that the entire country from Beverley Hills to Rema, the east to the west, the north to the south will be in total and senseless control by so-called dons.

The governement and all politicians, the police hierarchy, the army and the private sector must all stop simply reacting to crime. We must strangle this wholesale madness by its metaphoric neck and squeeze it lifeless, equally as it is doing to our once beautiful and attractive nation.

We must stand up with this zeal today. We need a more proactive approach! Where are the think-tanks? We don't have much time on our hands to eradicate or at least, contain this madness! Let's get the job done, now!

Joshua Spencer

The Editor:

The spate of shootings and criminal activities, so early in the new year, is very disheartening to a nation, that towards the latter part of last year, has begun to see a reasonable reduction in murders. The problem is that the perpetrators of these heartless activities have really been great statisticians, in their own rights. These scums, which are few but have significant influence adversely, on our Jamaican society, have really sat back and have been analysing the probability of their getting away with their daily atrocities. They seem to have had a mental and thorough calculation of how unlikely it is for them to be brought to justice. They know that of the thousand crimes or more, they commit each year, a mere handful of them will ever be charged and even worst, a fewer number (a miniscule number) of them will be brought to justice. The latter is due to the fact, it certainly would appear, that some in authority or those having access to incriminating materials (read evidence), are being paid to remove evidence, files, etc or the overwhelming numbers of witnesses are just too scared to come forward or just can't do so with the risk of losing out on their regular remittances from these criminal thugs that they use to take care of themselves and children. This is a vicious cycle. One that must be cracked immediately, to change the way the criminals operate in our country.

There needs to be radical changes in the way the powers-that-be conduct their affairs.

Here are some suggestions that will, directly or indirectly, strangle this vicious cyle of criminal stronghold on our beautiful nation:

(1) Attach the personal information such as work, criminal record, charges and dropped charges, to the licence plate(s) of each registered motor vehicle owner in Jamaica. Accordingly, a Data Base should be built that can be used by a selected group of officers to track and gather information readily and easily. Any vehicle seen operating without a licence plate, should be immediately deemed illegal and be confiscated for investigations.Simialrly, if a vehicle is checked and its licence plate does not match its registered vehicle, the vehicle should be apprehended and the operator(s) investigated.

(2)All police personnel, from constable to commissioner, should, every six-month period, make a declaration of their personal assets and valuables which exists in or outside of Jamaica.

(3) Jamaican politicians should be subject to the same rules.

(4)The wages declared, through this six-monthly declaration, should be confirmed by an independent and legal body furnished to do so. New legislations may be necessary to effect this, but this should not frustrate this very needed requirement to curtail corruption.

(5) If from (4) it is discovered or uncovered that a police personnel's/politician's assets/expenditure for a given period exhibits discrepancies in relations to official earnings, this should be turned over to the relevant body to be further investigated.

(6) Finally, there needs to be a new zeal and concerted effort to bring to justice those who are accomplice to criminals' wrongdoings. There should be no leniency, irrespective of the level of support, to prosecuting those who abett and aid criminals directly or indirectly in the proliferation of their crimes.

The Witness Protection Programme must not merely come on stream but must be sold effectively to the public so they can be assured that they will not die by the hands of criminals in coming forward to expose criminals and have them brought to justice.

I am somewhat more optimistic than the Police Commissioner, Mr. Lucius Thomas, for the future, with respect to crime in Jamaica, in the year 2007. I believe that if the foregoing recommendations are adhered to, and Mr. Lucius Thomas acts on the intelligence he has according to reports in the media, the upcoming elections will be relatively peaceful.

Sincerely,

Joshua Spencer

joshuaspencer@rogers.com

The Editor:

These days there is much chatter, here, there and everywhere, about Portia Simpson Miller, Jamaica ’s first female Prime Minister. There is talk of slippage in support and that no one seems in charge .The originators of a significant part of these rumblings, seem ignorant of the very skillful politician, Portia Simpson Miller is. Portia is quite politically savvy. It’s for her charismatic affinity, expertise and political genius, that she is at the helm today, and that she has left so many of the so-called Jamaican intelligentsia and academicians, in shock and with their political pants down.

The media houses are having a ‘ball day’, so to speak, or at least, that’s the appearances from where I stand. The questions are, however, who will have the last laugh? In the eyes of the ordinary man and woman, without a roof over his or head, what and whose interests do these critics of Portia and her style of governance represent ?

Portia Simpson Miller has what many of the so-called economists, political wizards and so-called learned experts lack. That is, common sense. A political commonsense that will keep her attractive and attracting the majority of voters to her camp, come Election Day. It takes votes but more so, a perceived honest display of love and understanding of the ordinary man, woman and child, to win an election. Who is better in such an exhibition of emotion and love for the poor than Portia does? In a democratic and fair society, unless such a perception is being received by the masses, it is going to be extremely tough for any party i.e. the JLP, to win votes much more power for a party that some are still quite wary of, in respect of their commitments. The questions should be, “What class forms the majority in Jamaica ?” “What is Portia’s targeted Class?” How will any political party, apart from indulging in outright bribery and ‘fish herring handouts’, get the popular votes, if not by displaying an understanding of the basic needs for shelter and food for the poor?

The position of political representation, put serving the majority of people and meeting of their needs aside, for the sake of making this point, is to gain the majority’s respect and loyalty. It is comparable to running your own business. This business, once you have a product and a market to sell it to, the next most important step, is customer relations. This is the Prime Minister’s biggest asset. Her customers for her business are the poor of Jamaica and the poors’ support, is what is needed to win the next election.

She is one of the best ‘psychologists’ Jamaica has today. She knows exactly, as was the late Michael Manley, how to drive tremors up your spine and into your brain’s emotional triggers.

She is aware that Jamaica , despite our crime, corruption and problems, is founded basically upon religious faith. That is to say, Christianity. Being a true believer herself, she has found it very useful and does not hesitate to let the whole nation and the world in, on this conviction.

How is this useful to Portia Simpson Miller? It is useful to the extent that the grass root people are the ones who make up the majority of this nation, and in many cases, because of their experience of poverty and deprivation, are the ones more likely to seek solace with God. Portia, therefore, projecting her religiosity has, in a sense, become ‘roommates’ with the poor of this country.

The problem with the JLP and Bruce Golding is that they seem oblivious of this simple, common sense theory. With elections just around the corner, Bruce and his JLP continue to display a perceived lack of heart for poor people every time that they utter the spate of criticisms about Portia delving into the NHT and NIF funds, etc., to provide homes for the poor. Every time they criticize this move by Portia, they are, in fact, exorcising themselves and placing the JLP Party, one slippery step further away from power.

I am predicting that the women, the youth and the undecided voters, come the next election, because of the alluded to reasons, will give Portia Simpson Miller and the PNP a new term, and accordingly, Mrs. Simpson Miller, her so much desired mandate.

Do you want to bet?!

Sincerely,

Joshua Spencer

Toronto , Canada

The Editor:

kindly afford me the opportunity to express my views in your newspaper, the Jamaica Observer re the Jamaican 'emancipendence' celebration season.

In Jamaica, August 1 and 6 are celebrated each year as Emancipation and Independence Days respectively. All reasonable individuals of Jamaican roots would naturally have no qualms with our recognizing these days. These two dates; August 1, 1838 and August 6, 1962 MUST be two of the most salient dates in our nation's history. The first brings, technically, to culmination, a period of horrific spate of exploitations of a subjugated and vilified masses hitherto unconstraint. Depriving thousands of human beings of their cultures, their religions, their freedoms, their hopes, dreams and even their names, among other things. The second date serves to establish sovereignty not merely from our so-called motherland, Britain, but importantly, sovereignty of thought, of will and the ability to think and act independently even as we seek some semblance of alliance as we are being weaned, as in the case with our current arrangements with British police in the fight against crime in Jamaica today.

Our festivities, over the 'emancipendence' period, should be done with vigour and gusto but only in the context, and with the understanding, that these achievements are in 'working progress'. We, as a people, are still struggling for true and genuine emancipation of slavery and total independence for our country and people of colour, as a whole.

In 1948 the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted over fifty years ago, proclaimed that "no-one shall be held in slavery and servitude..." But even with the drafting and implementation of this universal document legislated over half of a century ago, and even though slavery was said to be abolished in Jamaica land we love on August 1, 1838 and our independence nation came on stream later on August 6, 1962, we would be naive to be blindly coaxed in the belief that subjugation of the masses and significant droves of exploitation are non-existent in contemporary Jamaica and abroad, even as we celebrate and recognize our proud accomplishments.

The problems of slavery and slave labour continue to circumvent the lives of ordinary Jamaicans, at home and abroad. For example, the working conditions that permeate the Farm Work Programmes in Canada and the United States are solid testimonies that slavery lingers unabatingly but colourfully dressed in its contemporary disguises and brainwashing trickeries and camouflages. Farm workers are tricked into enslaving themselves for feeble wages whilst fattening the coffers of the great 'plantocracies' and often, though there have been improvements, in less than hospitable and humane ambiences. Farm workers, upon their being recruited, are still required to strip naked in the full glory of their colleagues, to test for their fitness for this slavelike endeavour that they endure for six months annually! How different is this from the 'backra massa' days?

The challenge is that we have been schooled to perceive slavery only in the context of images of the Middle Passage, black skin folks with physical shackles around their ankles being handed a machete and a hut to 'work' for free. To most Jamaicans and many individuals of African descent and extractions, slavery is simply explained as an anachronism from a long and atrocious past. However, this line of thinking is very detrimental to the true elimination and non-exploitattion of a great many folks of colour, locally and abroad.

Slavery has evolved and has now taken on a contemporary trend. Just a few weeks ago, an example of the kind of modern form of slavery came to the fore in the allegations of the deacon with the teenagers performing coerced, sexual acts for the cameras. Then there are the poor, industrial workers who spend most of their time at work, and away from home and family but still are unable to meet their basic needs of providing adequate food and shelter and a basic, affordable education for themselves and children.

It is the common belief that some young people, including Jamaicans, get caught up in what are known internationally, as 'Debt Bondages'. A person enters a debt bondage when their labour is demanded as a means of repayment of a loan or money given in advance. Usually these individuals are brainwashed, as in the human trafficking scams, into working into various kinds of jobs, mostly illegally abroad. The person is either given or promised a portion of money or valuables. These individuals are usually put in a situation that it is impossible for them to pay back these loans and are usually drugged unknowingly. They are, in essence, enslaved!

As we celebrate the 'emancipendence' season, let's not go overboard with it, but use this period as a reminder that we have come a long way. Let's employ this achievement as fertilizers to induce and elicit a more equitable relationship among the haves and the haves-not. Let our motives in celebration be for true 'emancipendence' and complete eradication of slavery here and abroad. Let us, once and for all, be in the position to scream, from the bottom of our hearts, "Happy 'Emancipendence'" but this time with a clear conscience, knowing this to be factual and not some usurped notion!

Sincerely,

Joshua Spencer

Toronto, Canada

GSAT Needs New Direction and Purpose

The Editor:

Kindly grant me the usual opportunity to make a contribution to the issues and affairs of my country via the Jamica Observer.

There have been much talk about the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT). Many are in support of it and deem it a fair and the only means to place students in the scarce spaces available in our secondary school system. Others think the contrary, and would urge Government to have a 'free flow system' as is the general case in most North American schools. Students just continue along the 'learning experience' from junior kindergarten to grade 12, without any special placement tests to determine whether they go to high school or some perceived inferior secondary school, as is obtained in Jamaica today. In this North American method, the bright students are placed with the not so bright students in terms of learning needs, knowledge and abilities. In short, all students, irrespective of backgrounds, are juxtaposed in a 'fittest of the fittest survival' ambience. The only constraints are the residential locations of students in respect to the relative geographical locations of the secondary institutions.

We are beginning to conclude that a combination of the latter mode and the current way of placing our Jamaican students may be the best compromise for Jamaica, under the circumstance. A circumstance under which many students and parents are in a state of dissatisfaction year in and year out, when the GSAT results are made public. Some students even take this 'failure' of the GSAT into their adult life and have never totally gotten rid of this feeling of being a dunse and the reject of our society.

Elsewhere, more than a decade ago, I offered a contribution entitled, "End Discrimination in New Secondary Schools. The gist of that contribution, published in that medium's Education page, was the recommendation that all secondary schools be brought to the same levels in terms of teaching facilities and offerings of the curriculum.

I am repeating this appeal on behalf of the thousands of children who have perceived themselves as failures because of the Common Entrance Examination and now the Grade Six Achievement Test.

The irony with all of this is, that most of the traditional high schools, to which most of our children are getting psychologically ruined because of not accessing a space through the GSAT, are now a mere splint of what they were in the seventies and eighties and even prior years. This is, in terms of qualification of teachers, even though the same old thinking persists. That is, that these schools are significanly better for our children than the newly converted high schools.

But what are the facts? For example, as a student of Manning's in the seventies, more than 95% of staff had, at least, a first degree and there were few with masters and at least one with a PhD. Moreover, 'undegreed' teachers were not allowed to teach further than first form!

But what percent of these traditional schools' staff membership currently has, even, a first degree? The last time I checked, a significant number of Jamaican, fifth form teachers in prominent, traditional, high schools has nothing but a teaching certificate or diploma!

So, then, why is there so much pressure on students and teachers to get students to a level that GSAT's results will get them into these traditional institutions?

Part of this is due to the fact that parents and the society, in general, have been asleep and are incognizant of the changes that have occurred in the system and for the worst, during the past several years. There is a false perception that the quality of tradtional high schools is significantly better than that of the new class of schools. The other reason is that those of us who have attended traditional high schools are in denial. We don't want to believe that our high schools are not so different from the ordinary secondary schools in the innercity of whatever name that may be used to describe these schools today. We want to cherish the notion of academic superiority over others. It's a psychological thing!

I therefore recommend to Government, via the well read Jamica Observer, that first, all secondary level schools be provided a commom curriculum and the same basic teaching aids and materials. For example, if computer science is offered at say, St. George's College, it should also be offered at say, Papine High school.Teachers offering these courses should all be exposed to, and successfully pass, them and satisfy content requirements as well as expertise in methodological offerings.

Secondly, the GSAT should only be used as a means of assessing the attainment of knowledge and skills of pupils moving on to high schools. The detailed results should be forwarded to the schools to which the students will be admitted. The high school teachers can therefore use this information as diagnostic tools to enhance the pupils' learning. The percentage score in the exam should have absolutely nothing to do with where pupils are placed in high school in this new approach as all schools would now have the same material resources, and personnel, under this new recommended system.

It is obvious that a lot of ongoing training will, and must, take shape on the part of our teachers to put all the schools on a level playing field and before these recommendations can be implemented. Note, this training need not be an effort to get all teachers acquiring university degrees. However, teachers and principals must enrol in, and complete, courses successfully to bring about this change. Some of these courses could be harnessed through distance learning via the internet from reputable institutions, locally and abroad.

This approach will mitigate the stigma and stress among schools, students and teachers over time. Importantly, students and parents will save cost in not having to travel miles across the country to high school as this new endeavour will ensure that there is a high school just a stone's throw away for every potential high school child.

Think about it.

Sincerely, Joshua Spencer

Toronto, Canada

Gov't should heed the police commissioner's call

Sunday, June 04, 2006

Dear Editor,

I write of the serious deficiencies in resources within the Jamaican police force and the dire concerns of corruption that may be rampant and rife throughout almost all levels of its hierarchy.

We Jamaicans, at home and abroad, are extremely elated at the reduction in murders in our country in recent weeks. Even though we cannot be complacent, this gives every facet of the Jamaican society some springboard for betterment, whether through increased investments in Jamaica because of a sense that the anarchy is coming to an end, or for augmented travelling opportunities to this formidable tourist Mecca.

The Government and the private sector leadership can ill-afford not to address this matter urgently. The Jamaican leadership, both private and public, must put their monies, ingenuities and genii where their mouths are in this respect.

For this beautiful nation's murder and criminal intermingles to remain in docile decline, Government must heed to the call of the commissioner of police, Mr Lucius Thomas, for significant increases in police resources in the forms of ammunitions, arms and technological advances and training.

In addition to the adequate and full remuneration and provision of all the basic and advance technological necessities, the powers-that-be must introduce the necessary legislation that once these things are in place, police officers will no longer be tempted to engage in criminal acts or to assist in, or be part of this criminal lumpen proliferation.

These laws should not only be so severe that police personnel would not break them, but should be enforced with alacrity for the good of the country without discrimination or giving preferential treatment to persons because of rank or status.

From where will the pecuniary sustenance emanate to satisfy these highly vital resources, training and salary improvement, some may ask? I think a good start would be with Parliament itself. I think the number of seats in the House of Representatives must be reduced from 60 to say, 40. At the same time, local government should be given a greater role in the representation of the people at the community levels.

It makes good sense, as the councillors are the ones who are more reachable and approachable than the MPs and Cabinet ministers. Government ministers and Opposition members could forego any pending or anticipated increase in perks and remuneration for the good of the country.

With the use of technology, ministers could reduce the number of times they travel abroad on the nation's business. Some of these conferences could be held in their bedrooms,even in their pyjamas, through recent innovations in computer and telephone technology

By the way, politicians will tell us that they entered politics for the love to serve their country and not for the money, perks and number of chances to board the aeroplane. The time has come to let our actions be in tandem with our words.

Giving parish councillors a greater role would eventually save the country millions of dollars in salaries to MPs and Cabinet ministers. That money could go towards equipping the police to win the war on crime. This is just a start. I encourage others to put their wisdom and ideas forward.Our youth, our children, our indigent folks, all await your contributions.

I am,etc.,

Joshua Spencer

We Have the Ability to be a Great Nation

Sunday, May 07, 2006

Dear Editor,

Jamaica must be one of the most talked about, known and recognised small, third world nations on the planet. This nation of 4,442 square miles has been the origin of some of the world's most educated, talented and daring individuals.

In sports, we have gotten the attention of the so-called powerful nations because of the number of records that Jamaican athletes have broken over time. This is despite all the distractions of poverty and of economic stagnation, crime and corruption in our midst. In the area of education, Jamaicans have also done extremely well.

I must mention my daughter, Kaliese Spencer, a first-year student of the University of Technology (UTech) in Kingston, Jamaica. She has recently been embarking on a path of sport. She has, so far, acquired two silver medals and two gold this year from the Carifta Games and the recently concluded Penn Relays in Philadelphia.

This achievement by her, her teammates such as Sonita Sutherland and others is, undoubtedly, the result of the expert training and programme of the University of Technology and the other institutions with which these students are associated.

I mention this to make the point that Jamaica has the ability to be a great nation. We need to believe in ourselves. We need to be more self-reliant. We need to produce and export more and import less. In short, we need a balance of trade.

We need to get off this blind track of racing to 'foreign' at every moment to solve our daily problems. The mighty USA and the so-called peacemaker Canada will assist poor countries only to the extent that it will benefit their economy. Everytime that they offer a loan, or so-called 'expertise', we should ask ourselves, "How much is in this for us, how much for them?" "Will we be better off in the long run or will our situation be made worse?"

This brings me back to the point that in the area of Toronto where I currently reside and teach, had my daughter been living in Canada, her talent might have been gone unidentified and unrecognised.

Due to the stigma of the area that it is the home of a significant number of immigrants, most students are short-changed in their education and their prospects for a good high school are nought.

A university education is completely out of the question, even though many of them exhibit great potential.

I can cite the example of one of my students who arrived from deep rural St Mary. She was enrolled towards the latter part of March, 2006. Already, this child is among the top three students in the class.

Her skills in Mathematics, English, Science and Social Studies are just superb. She is as knowledgeable in English and Social Studies as the brightest in her class. But will she be caught up in the stereotyping and stigma and left to survive as a factory worker or collect welfare in the future?

Why is it, then, that so many Jamaicans think that 'foreign' is always the answer? Does it have to do with our inability to rid ourselves of this slavery mentality? A mentality that the white person and accordingly, his/her country must be better?

Does it have to do with the lie being communicated to our relatives and friends in the renting of expensive cars upon arriving in Jamaica, during our vacations that are supported from our credit cards or is it from the precious, rented 'bling bling' around our necks?

Jamaica, the time has come to believe in ourselves and our raw talents. We can do it. The powers of the world are aware of this fact too. Don't be tricked.

Hosting Cricket World Cup - A Profitable Business Venture.

The Editor, Sir:

The proposed hosting of Cricket World Cup 2007 has seemed to turn bitter on the Jamaican Government's taste buds, including those tastebuds for detecting sweetness and the less severe, sour. At least, this is the thunderous, reverberations that are currently hitting the airwaves and other faucets of the media and the homosapien's tympanic membranes! But are the critics' rantings, squealings, and bellowings, of any foundation?

Let's examine how most businesses are established and when and how profits are derived from them. Usually, as is the case, entrepreneurs and potential entrepreneurs will input thousands, hundreds of thousands, even millions of dollars to get the business off the ground and in motion. Studies have shown, over and over again, that it takes the average business approximately two years, to begin to be self-sufficient and to derive any kind of significant profitability. Then what is up with this nonsense that the Jamaican Government is flushing money down the drain to have ventured to invest in a project such as the one alluded to in the opening paragraph of this contribution?

I am in great elation, from ear to ear, that this project will earmark as much as nine million United States dollar from ticket sales alone! If this is achieved, this would, in itself, turn out to be a remarkable feat!

Any business, (and the hosting of the Cricket World Cup must be viewed as a business,) must allow for time to generate profit and ususally, as is cited in the foregoing, the first few years are for building, for covering overhead expenses and establishing a growing market, to support the business.

In the case of the Cricket World Cup, many may argue that this is a one-time event and may not follow the form or structure on which my analogy is based. But that argument would be, at best, shortsighted. Hosting such an event is bound to rekindle and rejuvenate Jamaica's prospect economically on the international and regional market places. Peoples from every nook and cranny of the world, including Europe, Asia and even North America, are stand to develop some kind of knowledge of Jamaica and its economy from hosting this unique event. India, for example, is quickly growing to be a great third world giant in the area of Information Technology and cricket can serve to boost our relations and exchange expertise and training personnel.

If not new information, the hosting of World Cricket will serve to review and highlight the wonderful country Jamaica is now, and for years! In addition, the facilities and infrastructure are here to stay which can be maintained and used to generate income in a number of ways.

This, undoubtedly, will result in an augmented tourism market, investments and an overall economical and relatively inexpensive publicity for our beautiful nation that would otherwise cause much more to advertise and develop.

I stand in support of this one hundred million dollar investment in the Jamaica Cricket World Cup which will, in the long run, yield significant profitabilty. A profit that will emanate in increased employment and employment opportunities, more schools, better health care facility,the earning of scarce foreign exchange and a path to a more economically stable and viable country.

Dr. Omar Davies, every well-thinking Jamaican is with you on this one. Everyone who understands economics 101 (Read basic economics) will support this gutsie but sensible move. I lift my hat to you, even to the detriment of exposing, my old and balded head to the elements!

Sincerely,

Joshua Spencer

joshuaspencer@rogers.com

Recalling the early PJ years
Published: Wednesday | March 29, 2006

THE EDITOR, Sir:

The exiting of The Honourable P.J. Patterson from office has, in some ways, induced a feeling similar to the one that pervades a family when one of its members must depart, either to go abroad or get married or start a home or go off to university.

There is no question that Mr. Patterson will stand out in the minds of many Jamaicans for many, many years to come. He has managed to do what no other, including one of, if not the most charismatic politician, Honourable Michael Manley, did not achieve, that is, to bring the People's National Party (PNP) to a third term of victory, despite all the challenges and criticisms. In addition, he has also been well recognized in local and international circles and is listened to and highly respected by those to whom it matters! He has augmented our efforts to come on stream with science and technology and must be placed on record for his formidable and excellent record in having Jamaicans talking with the rapid landslides of cellular and domestic phones.

I have been fortunate to interact with the Prime Minister in his then south eastern Westmoreland constituency on many occasions where I lived, and when I taught at the Maud McLeod Secondary School, a school that was built by Mr. Patterson and principalled by the current Minister of State in Education, Mr. Noel Monteith; the first of deep, rural Jamaica to have had such a class, secondary institution manned by a very qualified principal and staff at the time.

In all our engagements, and from my years of observing him in his constituency, especially in Darliston, he has been a leader of striking difference. Bearing in mind that this gentleman was leader and P.M., he was quite down-to-earth with his constituency and was reachable and approachable by all irrespective of background. Even the children would run to him, shouting "PJ, PJ", which he always paused to acknowledge. What humility!

I write from Toronto, Canada, to extol these virtues of the great one. In doing so, it is not to be perceived as if I, and many others, do not think that mistakes haven't been made.

CLEAR AND THOROUGH PATH

Mr. Patterson, you have served us well. You have carved out a clear and thorough path for those who will follow to lead. You entered politics in 1959, the year of my birth. During my childhood, and when you were young, gifted and black and later when I become an adult, and you more experienced, noble, black and patriotic, I lent you my support and now wish you well in your retiring years. I'm sure you will lend your experience and wisdom to our beloved Portia Simpson and to those after her, for decades!

All the best.

I am, etc.,

JOSHUA SPENCER

Toronto, Ontario

Canada

The Editor, Sir:

Grant me the opportunity, please, to commend and congratulate Mrs. Portia Simpson Miller on being elected President of the Peoples National Party and Prime Minister in waiting. I am extremely pleased to see that Jamaicans have come to see that it is not solely men who are endowed with the prowess of leadership qualities and skills or bequeathed with the mantle of being Prime Minister of our wonderful nation.

It is also noteworthy that the Jamaican people have come to learn that book learning (scholarship) does not necessarily make one a good leader. There are numerous individuals who have attained a doctorate whose mannerism and mode of operandi depict a tremendous deficiency in common sense and a blatant lack of leuristics in getting the job done.

I stand a proud Jamaican today and this is despite the media being inundated with the ugly spate of indiscipline in my country, of the escalating crime rate, of economic stragnation, of questionable police, civil servants and politicians implications. I see a Jamaica of great hope and prosperity up the road. I envision an education system in the world that will be hard to surpass in contents and delivery. I envision crime a thing of the past.

Portia Simpson Miller is in charge of one of the garrison constituencies. She has the charisma and will to introduce whatever is thinkable and discernable and the same charisma and conviction will, and can, be used in reducing the crime rate. She will employ this tool, this gift to this end.

Jamaica has not only chosen its first female political President and Prime Minister but it has elected a renewal of spirit, hope and a future for the grassroots.

I, like many other Jamaicans, am ready for this change.

Sincerely,
Joshua Spencer (Educator)
Toronto, Canada

Not Sure Capitalism is The Answer!

The Editor, Sir:

Kindly let me respond to one of your Letters of the Day, 'Wealth Creation Should be taught in Schools' which was published in the Jamaica Gleaner on November 18, 2005, under the signature of one Mr. Michael Spence. This is what I think of the views expressed in this letter:

In general, the article was dead on. There is a tremendous need for Jamaicans to become more cognizant of the economic aspects of life, of investments, of how a mortgage works, of what a security such as a Mutual Fund or stock is and how it works, and how to use these vehicles to create or at least facilitate a more comfortable retirement, especially in light of the fact that the Jamaican government does not have any social programmes in place, to take care of its wider masses and marginalized citizenry, both in the realm of education and financial prowess in their later years.

It is also a fact that there are many in the top echelons of politics, and the Jamaican society as a whole, whose economic proliferation is significantly based on the capitalist structure which obtains in our country. Yet they are the very ones who because of one reason or the other, are quick to 'badmouth' capitalism. They do this as a brainwashing trickery.

However, having said that, the capitalist structure, like any political structure including facism, socialism, comunalism, etc., has its negatives. In the case of capitalism, it is my humble view that its negatives far outweigh the positives that it breeds on societies, in particular in light of the fact that the world's poor are in greater volumes than the world's rich. Capitalism, in my view, is tailored for the minority bourgeoise class and not in tandem of the interest or will of the masses, most of whom are poor and must be exploited for capitalism's survival and proliferation. By exploitation, it's not solely through unsatisfactoy remuneration to increase the capitalists' class economic coffers but it is also in denying a signifcant number of these peoples to live well, they survive in subpar squalor; long hours at work to survive, losing quality time with their family and lovedones!

Capitalism breeds an oligarchy of insensitive bourgeoises that in many cases are bent only on eeking out the last trickle of wealth at all cost. In my experience as a Personal Banker and Assistant Manager with CIBC in Canada, I have personally witnessed and experienced this greed which causes subjects(the employees) to be treated like objects to reach targets. For instance, I although dressed in suit at work and have the appearance of an achiever, I was an internal slave to the bank! I had to be at the bank by 8:00 A.M daily and sometimes, weekends, and every day would leave the earliest 8:00 P.M. but most times 10:00 P.M There is no overtime to claim in these long hours as you are not directly advised to work for these times by the powers-that-be. However, to achieve these targets and with the rest of the requirements to satisfy, one can only achieve them by literally sleeping in the bank.

I want you to note that in North American banks and certainly, in case of the CIBC, one cannot join a union! If you try to instigate members to do so, one is instantly fired! So is the nature of the North American Capitalism and any true capitalist nation. You are seen as an object, not a person. A machine to maximise their profits.

I have neither the time nor space to go into the full extent of capitalism and its wicked stance but I am sure you're aware of slavery which undoubtedly emanates through capitalism and the capitalists' ways of thinking. You are also aware of the Apartheid system of South Africa, another of capitalism's babies under which many poor blacks suffered, including Nelson Mandela. I could go on and on and on.

Socialism is no angel either but it has proven that it is more humane than the capitalist system. Prior to the fall of socialism, the USSR was one of the most powerful nations in the world, having a very healthy economy with the majority of its citizenry well educated, meaningfully employed, etc. What has happened since the fall of socialism in Russia and former members of the Soviet Union?! These nations are now the poorest in Europe, if not the world, put aside Haiti and Guyana. Poor in terms of getting a balanced diet, in obtaining quality education, in acquiring work, etc. Of course, a minority is progressing and has it all and would want us believe otherwise.

Cuba is a good example of the power of socialism and its positive impact on a society. It's the most educated Caribbean country today, with over ninety percent of its adult citizenry having a university education. Yet there are a few Cubans who will chastize their country and Dr. Fidel Castro because of selfish greed and the great influence of the Almight USA.

Below I have defined my interpretations of Capitalism and socialism as gleaned from the American Heritage Dictionary. Capitalism: An economic system in which the means of production and distribution are privately or corporately owned and its development is proportionate to the accumulation and reinvestment of profits gained in a free market.

Socialism: Any of various theories or systems of social organization in which the means of production and distribution of goods are owned collectively or by a centralized government that often plans and controls the economy.

Sincerely,

Joshua Spencer

Funky Lotto - Play For Free!

Recommendations to the Government of Jamaica to Curb Its crime.

Article 1 of 2

 

The Editor, Sir:

 

I ask your permission to publish this letter so as to express my views to the Jamaican people and leadership as well as to the media houses. I have been living in Canada for twelve years but there has not been a day passed that I do not read the Jamaica Observer and/or the other major Jamaican newspaper. I am not sure I can say the same of our Canadian papers. I am saying this, not to 'suck up' to the Jamaican media to publish my correspondence but to show that myself, and many others of the Jamaican diaspora, do feel a great bond with our homeland, Jamaica.

 

I, personally, have several reasons to be concerned and feel at roots with my country. I was born and grown in Jamaica.I was educated through its education system,  to the tertiary level. I arrived in Toronto at the ripe old age of thirty four years. I have two daughters who still reside in Jamaica, one a teacher in Montego Bay and the other, a student at the University of Technology. There are also siblings, two sisters and three brothers in Montego Bay, one is a business woman in the Montego Bay area. I, therefore, have a genuine interest in the growth and development of Jamaica and the security of its citizens, if only for personal reasons.

 

This brings me to say that everyday I get more and more troubled of the situation which obtains in my country. Crime is out of control and I have now concluded, and other Jamaicans abroad, like myself, that there will be no significant dent in the crime rate until the politicians, from both sides of the fence, desist from providing a safe haven for criminals. It has now become crystal clear that there is a number of politicians who seem to feel that the only way to proliferate their domination, rule, seat and garrisons, is to shelter criminals behind them.This makes us all very nervous!

 

I read, with with disgust, the Leader of Opposition, Bruce Golding's behaviour during and after the curfew in Tivoli. First of all, Mr. Golding and Mr. Smith have no right to be in the area during a curfew. Are these politicians above the law?

 

Then there is now the appalling, but truthful report, that another of Jamaica's Members of Parliament, Ms. Babsy Grange is not only in contact with persons alleged to be shottas (gunmen) and who are alleged to have killed many persons but was driving in the same vehicle with one of these individuals. I am sure that I am not the only Jamaican who finds this very weird, irrespective of whatever reason the Member of Parliament may furnish for their travelling together. What are these politicians saying to these known gunmen? That they have legitimate and acknowleged rights by the powers-that-be, to hold majority of people at will, sniffing out their lives and that of their lovedones as they see fit? Every morning that I read the Observer and I don't read of a brother, sister or daughter of mine being killed, I breathe a sigh of relief. It's that stressful for those of us who have roots in Jamaica.Frankly, I prefer Jamaica to Canada, even with the latter's first world stature and stronger currency but we, the diaspora, are now caught between the wheel and the washer. Even with our dual citizenships and tertiary education from both places, to remain abroad, means to continue to be a second class citizen. To return home, means more status and recognition but the likelihood of one being murdered!

 

Politicians must have no meetings with known gangsters and their leaders. Any information they have of gangsters and their leadership must be turned over to the Security Forces. The police must be left alone to do their job, if we are serious about crippling this scourge in our midst.

 

I have a feeling that some of our politicians have a lot to hide. It is in their interest that these thugs are not caught so as to protect them!

 

Attorney-At-Law, Bert Samuels, mentioned in the other major newspaper's  Letter of the Day of Tuesday, October 11,2005, some very salient facts. Among them is the fact that more people are being killled on a fortnightly basis than people who are caught and charged for these wrongdoings. My question is, how comes the police and soldiers have the names of these alleged criminals and can't get them to press charges, yet politicians can be  driving around with them to have so-called peace truce and negotiations?! Something does not smell right here.

 

The next time the police are going to these garisons which they  must continue to do, no politicians and private citizens should be allowed to crowd the officers. Anyone doing this in  a state of curfew or state of emergency should be considered aiding and abetting crime and wrongdoings and be dealt with and face the full brunt of the law, irrespective of who those people are.

 

The gangsters and their leadership are using the citizens as pawns to protect them and to continue in the killing of innocent people over petty nonsense. A stop must be put to this madness, and now.

 

Sincerely,

 

Joshua Spencer

 

Toronto, Canada

 

Article 2 of 2

 

In light of the recent killing of Priest Suresh Barwa from India (October 27, 2005) and the serious wounding of Priest Laspuna, I am resubmitting my article that gave tangible and practical guidelines as to how to eradicate this madness of crime once and for all. This is an open lette to the Government of Jamaica.

 

 The article is below:

 

The Editor, Sir:

 

The situation of crime in Jamaica is getting to a stage that anarchy will very soon be the order of the day,  if a way is not found to curb it, and soon. Just a few weeks ago (Sunday, September 25, 2005), it was in the press, that in broad daylight and the buzz of the capital city, a man was fatally shot at Three Miles, Kingston, Jamaica while doing his 'hustling' of assisting in getting passengers onto public transportation. Today, October 28, 2005, there are reports that Priests Barwa was killed and Laspuna   seriously wounded, respectively and It seems that more and more our so-called Jamaican  gunmen (shottas) are assuming a mannerism and heartlessness that point to them becoming either more insane or less humane or a mixture of both descriptions! Someone, an organization, even a thing, MUST step in immediately to stop this callous madness before it is too late. We cannot afford idle talk anymore. It is prime time for effective action to be dealt to counter this madness that is bent on dragging the nation and its people to its knees.

 

It is quite frightening that at this time, the rate at which the lives of  innocent Jamaicans and now foreigners, is being lost is pretty close to  that of Iraq's. Iraq is at a war, Jamaica is not!

I have some recommendations for the government of Jamaica. I would humbly implore that these suggestions not merely be examined but be refined and implemented in a speedy manner.

 

Here are the recommendations.

 

(1) An eight week period of amnesty on all unlicensed firearms and ammunitions be offically declared, with offenders, or potential offenders, and they be provided with a safe way to hand in their weapons to the authorities. During the act of voluntary submissions, no arrests or charges should be made and this should be communicated clearly to all persons, groups or gangs in breach of the gun operating laws.

 

Priests, pastors, deacons, Justices of the Peace and trusted community officials should be named for  the collection and supervision of  these weapons. An eight-hour period should be worked out for each team of three, or four ,volunteering pastors, etc, to work on each shift  for the eight-week period of amnesty. A respected religious official such as Father Ho lung could be appointed to head this body.

 

(2)All 'gunmen' should be given an opportunity of anonymity in handing in their guns but in cases where they are identifiable, they should be made to understand that no charges would be pressed against them, in the present, or in the future, as a result of their handing in of illegal weapons during this eight-week window but that this information would only be used to ameliorate and convert these persons to law-abiding Jamaicans through the relevant institutions and professions such as psychiatry departments, etc.

 

Note: I am not stipulating or advocating that we  set up meetings with criminals to negotiate.

 

The Government should ensure that the media houses and all methods be employed to educate the 'gunmen' on the opportunity to hand in their weapons and come clean and not run afoul of the law.

 

(3)Those 'gunmen' who are identifiable by our ministers of religion, etc should be targetted for counselling by them and/or treatment by the appropriate professionals such as psychiatrists and psychologists. All expense for such treatment and counselling should be undertaken by the state so as not to discourage 'gunmen' from volunteering. Any pictures or identities of all these persons should not only be protected from the public at large, but  'gunmen' should have a guarantee that this will be the case. Funds to cover the cost of treatment could be obtained from savings from the PetroCaribe agreement.

 

(4)Ministers of religion should be encouraged, if not mandated, to include, on a consistent basis, the need for these 'gunmen' to turn over their weapons and the positive benefits to be derived from so doing. This campaign should not take on a traditional 'preachy' methodology but should be more of a 'reaching out' to these 'gunmen' in a way to impact on their emotions or to reconstruct their lost emotions. The various media should make a united effort to ensure that the messages of our clergies reach these persons at prime time and on a persistent basis prior, during and after the amnesty period.

 

It is of a certain fact that  our religious leaders could have some significant impact in this regard as Jamaicans, by and large, are quite religious and do have, an inherited and inherent respect, some may say, fear for God. Despite the vicious and senseless killings, it's not unsual to hear criminals calling upon God, even if it be through sheer inbuilt  habit. This deep respect and fear for God needs stimulation at this point. The religious leaders have this vehicle conducive to this rekindling.

 

(5) Four weeks after the culmination of the Amnesty period, a State of Emergency  should be declared  for  a period of at least three weeks, where the JCF and JDF work together in conducting raids without fear or favour. All areas should be visited but the known garrisons and trouble spots should be thoroughly checked and any weapons or persons found  in breach of gun laws should be speedily removed and persons in offence brought to justice.

 

(6) The Witness Protection Programme should be quickly finalized so as to encourage individuals who have information but fear for their lives, will come forward and expose criminals.

 

(7) Finally, it is to be pointed out that in the industrialized world such as the USA and Canada, the use of psychics have become a very rampant and effective way to solve some crimes. I would suggest that the Jamaica Security Forces follow in this regard as well.

 

The statements of psychics are probably inadmissable in a Jamaican court  of law as in other parts of the world  but the psychics could be used to assist in locating criminals that are proving difficult to be located and are constantly on the run.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

 

Joshua Spencer

The above articles were written by Joshua Spencer and obviously represent my opinion.