Fi Wi Concerns - Michael Spence

New Road Traffic Act 

The government of Jamaica is anxious to pass new Road Traffic Bill and Dr Morais Guy, minister without portfolio in the transport ministry, is pushing lawmakers in the Upper House to swiftly pass the new road traffic bill that provides tougher sanctions for several categories of road users. Look at the UK with a population of 62 million has an accident death rate of 3 per 100000, that figure for Jamaica is 13,among the lowest in the world is Sweden at 2,USA is10,china 18 and our CARICOM sister Trinidad it is 17. The challenges of keeping road deaths down cannot be solved by draconian laws and fines but the safety of the roads and that is a government’s role must be met. More mass transportation would reduce the average number miles per day traveled by vehicles, along with more public education and safety measures being implemented can go a far way. We need to figure out why some countries have such low rates and emulate where we can.For sure it is not the constant increase of fines and especially in this Jamaican economy where many find it difficult to provide food. A question that needs to be asked is what percentage of fines are actually collected, I bet it is not much as 50% so then why increase fines?09/01/16

Who Slashed The Tyres

A newspaper headline screamed “Comrades slash John Paul White’s tyres”. The way politics operate in this country even I could slash my own tires to prove a point so no rush to judgment is appropriate without the facts and that headline remains an allegation. Whatever the case is Paul White must "stand firm”, democracy has spoken and must remain that way. In cases where democracy has been overthrown and dictatorship took over like in Portland Moore vs. Bloomfield. Moore won and Bloomfield was given the opportunity to represent the people. I have a problem with that can’t be democracy some times and dictatorship other times so Comrades must make up their minds. ? 08/01/15

 Hugo Chavez

Hugo Chavez was good for Venezuela and Jamaica(Petro Caribe deal) while it lasted but he eventually brought disaster to Venezuelan economy and leaders must know when to quit and do something based on today’s reality. “Socialism is dead”I heard Professor Trevor Munroe say many years ago but Chavez seemed to have had the illusion like a few of us that it was alive and well apparently only in he and his followers minds. Most former socialist countries now realize that to date "capitalism has been the most productive social and economic system known to man and only a fool would oppose it" Says Hon Marcus Mosiah Garvey a Jamaican national hero and humanist. China, Russia and I suspect Cuba realizes that. Have we in Jamaica come to that full realization and the need to make the most of it for our country’s sake? 08/01/15

 El Chapo

Mexican drug kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman who escaped from prison six months ago not the first time has been recaptured. His story will be the subject for many movies to come. I ask the question though, when will he escape again or did he negotiate his recapture to save the continued embarrassment to the Mexican Government and perhaps engineer an even more technologically advanced method of a pre planned escape ? 08/01/15

  

"Give them a sentence that will bury them before freedom come their way" says one writer after two women were charged with possession of cocaine, dealing in cocaine, taking steps to export cocaine and conspiracy to export cocaine to Canada recently.  That's harsh because in years to come these things called drugs will be regular commodities like most are in the kingdom of The Netherlands. Jamaica will catch up in time to come and what you call "drug smuggling terrorists" may well be honorable upstanding citizens in the future. Do you remember slavery one of the greatest atrocities on mankind now today those families are among the wealthiest and most honorable on the planet. Within the present laws you break the law punishment is expected if caught so the principle of punishment and rehabilitation must apply and no reason to invent extra draconian punishment. 08/01/15

The Democratic Process

While Mr.Paul Burke General Secretary of the People's National Party can share  some blame most people are missing the real point as many of us want dictatorship instead of deepening the democratic process. People have now become more assertive and feel they have a stake in determining the democratic process so they make their voices heard. I say good democracy at work and should be guided and nurtured. No candidate should be imposed on the people and if that is what even some comrades want Mr. Burke to do he must stand his ground and do not comply "the democratic process must be respected" for better or for worse. 08/01/15

Michael Spence