FI WI CONCERNS - Michael Spence

CUBA

Cuba has done a lot of research using indigenous products. They were not hampered or constrained by multinational drug corporations or countries with multibillion dollar advertising and incentive programs. These are among the positives that came out of the decades of trade embargo against that country and they realizing the hard way that only they alone can save themselves with discipline, education, research and hard work. This diabetic drug i think is only the tip of the Cuban success stories to become the envy of scientists worldwide. 16/04/15

 GANJA

"I got reports from two principals today of students feeling that ganja is now free and that they can now smoke it, and in one case, (the principal) had to take more than one student to a nearby hospital for symptoms of psychosis, “Ronald Thwaites said in his contribution to the 2015/16 Sectoral  Debate. Hope they were given some strong sugar and water and sleep to bring them back and not psychotic drugs so now they know that ganja is decriminalized but is not for everyone to drink or smoke. I think at this stage there is need to publish in collaboration with the ministry of health what to do if one gets an overdose of ganja smoke also to give an idea of a safe way to smoke ganja for example a spliff versus a chalice that has a container that water cools the smoke before it enters the lungs. I think chalices and similar devices to smoke tobacco or ganja may be now legal as I have seen it being openly used at a Middle eastern restaurant in Kingston or is it only illegal when in possession of a Jamaican ganja smoker. This needs clarification on the heels of the decriminalization of up to 2ounces of marijuana in which case you can only get a Ja$500 ticket. 16/04/15

ISIS

Authorities in Suriname reported that he was denied entry into that country after it was theorized that he was heading to The Netherlands, then to Turkey, to join the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).This case highlights a level of mental slavery, classism and ignorance among our leaders and perpetuated among our police. This is a child of poor black rural people and highlighting the fact or fiction of a Quran found at his house trying to prove the theory of the Surinamese authorities is unaccepteable. Are we on our way back to that stage in Jamaica when you could be arrested for being in possession of subversive or communist literature eg Mao's Little Red Book, The Communist manifesto, anything on Che Guevara or even Fidel Castro. There are some prominent persons in society who have been persecuted for either having such literature or even speaking too much and enlightening persons about their own people.

WALTER RODNEY

Does anyone recall Walter Rodney who wrote a book “how Europe underdeveloped Africa" deported from Jamaica eventually died in his own country Guyana. Are we on our way back to those dark ages where now you can be refused entry to countries and locked up for having a view or literature not supported by the most powerful countries on earth. Where are the intellectuals/leadership among us why are they not speaking out some of whom have suffered, have they all been frightened into a corner of self imposed ignorance of convenience ? 16/04/15

LEFT OR WRITE

There are rackets being unearthed having to do with prescription drugs. This is no different from you know "left or Write" where persons make a rational choices however unethical and immoral it is.$9000 prescription down to 6000 saving $3000 or a $10000 ticket down to $4000.With a minimum wage for 40 hour work week $5600 the situation gets even more serious with the high level of unemployment with most  people able to do basic eat a food maths. The main thing at play here in addition is the basic economics of poverty and deprivation helping to drive these types of bandoolism/corruption. Are we sure of exactly what is going on? that needs to straighten out before it can be tackled meaningfully. For example some months ago a premises in a rural parish was raided and millions of dollars of uncustomed prescription drugs seized. The Pharmacy Council of Jamaica, Radcliffe Goulbourne, said "its members sometimes come across questionable prescriptions, and red flags are raised " Then what do i ask, will there be an introduction of tamper proof prescription blanks for all doctors to buy you know 12/04/15

“All people want basic freedom and basic dignity” Barak Obama 12/04/15