Fi Wi Concerns - Michael Spence

Olympics

Paragraph 4 under The Fundamental Principles of Olympism of the Olympic Charter since 1894 states "The practice of sport is a human right. Every individual must have the possibility of  practicing sport, without discrimination of any kind and in the Olympic spirit, which  requires mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play”

While I am not an advocate of tolerance for doping in sports the World Anti-Doping Agency(WADA) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has much power and to collectively punish the Russians is absolutely unacceptable and a breach of the human rights of athletes and other countries should speak out against it. It is Russia today it could be Jamaica or USA tomorrow. Individuals should be punished when caught not a whole country/team of suspects based on allegations. I agree with the Russian president Vladimir Putin "the concept of collective punishment, has nothing to do with justice or even basic legal norms" This is a method of punishment Israel always uses against the Palestinians in the Gaza strip if you throw a stone or fire at the Israeli soldiers they demolish the area from whence it came. Why demolish a large portion of the Russian Olympic team that will deplete the competitiveness at the Olympics is in itself a quasi breach of the athletes human rights and discrimination which the Olympic Charter is explicitly against.

28/07/16

Andrew and Michael 

It look like Andrew has not stopped reasoning with Michael Manley, free education one step further by  wanting to put it in the constitution as a right. Him really a protect Michael legacy all dung a NHT. The today PNP what them doing? Hope them helping Andrew protect PNP legacy because they seemed not to know how to. 27/07/16

Mafia

Do you know that the MAFIA started as a defence against brutality of  the French during their invasion of Italy between 1862 and 1863 ? It was brutality against a woman named Morte a Francia Italia Annella was the chant shortened to (Mafia) the rest is history. These things could radicalize a people and lead to the formation of the unexpected. . 27/07/16

Charisma?

I think as a Jamaican my experience is that those who master the gifts of speech and charisma turn out to be the greatest disasters in terms of real development of our country over the years. So I become very wary of intellectually gifted and charismatic professional politicians because they know what you want to hear and they basically con you into voting for them. On the other hand as crass as Trump might be he is just what you see is what you get he doesn't master the art of hypocrisy/diplomacy. America is a democracy that has so many checks and balances that no one can manhandle the country and get away with it like what can happen in Jamaica. 27/07/16

Venezuelans Fleeing to Guyana

The news is reporting that Venezuelans are fleeing to Guyana in search of food and are being deported back to their country. Guyana just little bit better off because they flirted also with socialism but luckily they took corrective measures and now their economy is growing. Venezuela has a large population over 30 million with a size of 353800 square miles and Guyana approximately 800000 people with a size of 83000 square miles. Guyana has to be careful in protecting its borders as Venezuela's refugees could double or triple Guyana's population in 2days and Venezuela's problem becomes Guyana's problem. I see where Guyana is going to need help to protect its borders, can CARICOM help them or is it the USA alone in the region that has the capability? Guyana has a real problem spilling over from Venezuela and must move at it in a real way before it becomes a regional crisis. 27/07/16

Transfer of Officer McGregor 

McGregor's transfer from Central Kingston to Tivoli Gardens then to St James; I agree with those do not think that was a good move. I saw how he worked first hand in Central Kingston and the rapport he had with the people but those methods might not have worked with rural people as the incentives have to be different in line with their values and attitudes. An example of this could be you threaten not to give any permits for dances or parties if “I hear one gunshot fire” in addition to the closing of bars by 7:00 pm. In rural Jamaica people go to bed most times after TVJ and CVM news and consider Montego Bay a rural town. The police in western Jamaica should be guided by researched rural sociologists as urban policing methods do not work wholesale with rural people. I predicted that McGregor steeped in urban policing with Dons and Donnettes to work with in a very large mainly inaccessible guerrilla terrain would have been singing a sankey and finding his way back home sooner or later and frustrated. Supt McGregor tried he should have had in his arsenal a helicopter or two and deeper embedded intelligence networks for more rapid responses. Think of being in Flankers and something is happening in Cambridge you get there long after the disaster has completed. Are we serious about crime deterrent and reduction not to mention the impossible elimination? 27/07/16

RADA 

A farmer/ farmers in St Catherine and Clarendon it has been reported have graded the RADA services “F”. The fact is that RADA is understaffed and under resourced. I am sure at least up to the 1980s towards the 1990's there were at least 228 extension officers and assistants one per councilor division. One or two Extension officers per parish on their own cannot manage. Employ more EOs and you will see a change mere talk and F grading is an escape route to do nothing. The problem is island wide which must be addressed in light of rural underdevelopment one tractor per division available for rental either private or public investment is the way to go.25/07/16

 Police Handling of Citizens

Disrespecting anyone is not cool but a policeman is supposed to be trained with a brain I suppose. Or is it that when many wake up in the morning they put on their uniforms, take up their guns, batons and other brutal paraphernalia and leave their brains on their dressers at home or in a store room or locker at their barracks or at the station. Take it from me and others who watched the video those policemen are brainless and or something else because she seemed to be a good looking well shaped woman who should be caressed gently instead of being brutalized by hair dragging beasts. This kind of policing cannot take Jamaica forward.  Do you know that the MAFIA started as a defence against brutality of  the French during their invasion of Italy between 1862 and 1863 ? It was brutality against a woman named Morte a Francia Italia Annella was the chant shortened to (Mafia) the rest is history. These things could radicalize a people and lead to the formation of the unexpected movements. What is the name of the brutalized Jamaican woman ? 25/07/16

 Mangoes

We should appoint our own Ambassador for mangoes, after all it is a 20 million pound annual market in the United Kingdom mainly dominated by India. Can we match them? America is closer so why don't we go after that market? One major infrastructure needed to enter that market is USDA approved and certified "hot water dipping stations" without which the cannot be exported to the United States .If Haiti can export mangoes to the USA why not us. Let’s see if this is all talk as usual.25/07/16

 The Justice System

No Mr. Chuck you cannot blame the Judges alone they are only one aspect of the justice system. Lack of resources and personnel to the courts and  also attorney lackadaisical and sometimes strategic nonchalance. All stake holders including the government is also blameworthy for the existence of a severely flawed justice system.25/07/16

Black Lives Matter 

If black lives matter, then why do so many blacks kill blacks daily even in Jamaica? Black people must look at the situation objectively, the killing anyone is criminal all criminal acts have a socio economic impacts breeding a kind of psychology that further perpetuates further criminality. Black lives matter mainly to blacks and white lives matter mainly to the white people but in the end all lives matter to someone and should matter to all. We black people whether in Jamaica, USA or elsewhere must get a hold of ourselves and begin to build our economic base. Blacks are not cooperating with themselves and that has given room for all other races to surpass us. If a race has a weak economic foundation they will be marginalized continuously and seen as the scum of the earth by others. We must get it in our youth to know that their lives matter to them and others will see that their lives matter in fact based on the respect they have for each other. The scum bag behaviour perpetuated in even what passes for music in America and Jamaica can make black lives worthless by teaching or reinforcing decadent/negative behaviour that is taken on by black people as styles to sell clothing and other paraphernalia manufactured by others. Black lives matter must first develop the consciousness among blacks and whites that their lives matter and you have to work positively together or on their own to send that message to the other races .A race war no one wins and the white man has the wherewith all to wipe out the black man. Show me a black country with a powerful economy with powerful planes, submarines, nuclear weapons, bombs etc. That is what the black man needs to develop like Marcus Garvey says "the Blackman has to do for himself what the Whiteman has done for themselves" .Most black leaders are puppets for others who sells out and give away their assets to others none of them today is saying anything that will help the black people to develop and show by actions that in fact "black lives matter". Economic power develops; respect a psychology of confidence and self esteem. Laziness, parasitic living and being the masquerades of the world’s song, drama, sports and dance stages are not enough. Many admittedly make money from those things but instead of creating wealth acquiring assets return it for liabilities like a host of cars and overpriced mansions. No one is trying to build a powerful economy anywhere they instead sell out and give away what resources we have. Our black leaders are many times worst than poison they aid and abet the destruction of the black man. Violence is a quick fix basically saying "don't mess with me ever again" but after that what do you do go back to the lazy margins of society or you use the space to develop yourselves meaningfully, is anyone getting that in the Blackman's head that violence is not an end in itself?  We don't have to look at America look at Jamaica and you see what we are talking about more clearly perhaps. When will black lives matter in Jamaica and elsewhere?
 You see what I am saying the ball is in our court for black lives to matter.24/07/16

Michael Spence