Fi Mi Concerns - Michael Spence

Defending Ourselves

The acting Principal of Jamaica College Wayne Robinson said "nobody tried to help the teenager, no one tried to lift a hand to help, and we must not be armed". JC youths seem to have let down their guard since they have been living well with Mona High students and no more fights at busses at bus stops etc.

There is safety in numbers and should help out each other. Now that we have "offensive weapons" and most people are disarmed leaving us at the mercy of criminals shouldn't we have a category called "defensive weapons" even if we have to have background checks to have your ratchet knife, hammer or ice pick license   because if the JC youth or others who have died at the hands of such criminals were able to defend themselves or by others some may have been alive today.

Under The Charter of fundamental rights and freedoms (constitutional Amendment act) 2011, every Citizen has a right to life, liberty and security of the person and that right not to be deprived thereof except in the execution of the sentence of a court. Under this act it is my layman's belief that all citizens have a right to defend their lives and property. Many persons rights have therefore been violated by the state while being arrested, charged and deprived of their liberty in some instances by being in possession of what could be described as a "defensive weapon" while being in a state of passive resistance or utilitarian possession. So shouldn't we recognize ‘defensive weapons’ as opposed to ‘offensive weapons’ could save lives under a ‘crime stop’ programme?28/10/16

Why No Hanging?

Privy Council is no problem or prevents hanging or other executions in Jamaica. It is our slow and inefficient justice system coupled with the poor quality of police investigations that is a problem. Privy Council looks at the law and procedures and all they are saying when you sentence a person to death dispose of the body fast. If you allow 5 years to elapse and the sentence is not carried out, that is considered ‘cruel and inhumane treatment’ so you either release them or commute the sentence (Pratt and Morgan ruling by the Judicial Committee in 1993).

Privy Council is a good body because I saw a case where persons were convicted on the basis of lies and fabrications and it was the Privy Council that saved them. It works both ways don't make anyone fool you and use Privy Council or even the DPP as scapegoats. Jamaica’s Justice System –‘pure problem’ so fix that. We the People must demand no less that governments fix the police ability to investigate and do proper work and also fix the snail paced court/justice system.

There can be “no peace without justice”, Former Chief Justice Lensley Wolfe reminded us years ago or Peter Tosh in song “everyone is talking about peace, yeah, none is talking about justice, we want equal rights and justice”. 28/10/16 

That Trump Vote And The Middle East

If I had a vote I would give it to Trump because he has the right kind of thinking. Firstly America must do things to bring back American companies and reasons why they left in the first place was high taxation and lower wages combined and what Hilary plans to do is increase the taxes on American businesses. The trade deals facilitate companies that have left to places like Mexico through free trade deals so that the same companies that left can have their goods enter the USA free of duties or other encumbrances so there goes American jobs. 

In the Middle East to understand the politics you must understand the divisions (Shiite vs. Sunni Arabs) and alliances. In Iraq Saddam lead a Sunni government and in Iran you have a Shiite government. In the late 70s there was the Iran vs. Iraq war so Sunni vs. Shiite. America backed Saddam in that war so they inadvertently backed the Sunnis against the Iranian Shiites. Fast forward America changed its tune turned against and ousted Saddam and his government so the Sunnis are out of power and therein lay the birth of ISIS and a strengthening of Al Qaeda with Bin Laden from the remnants of Saddam government so indirectly America created ISIS.

Today they are fighting to get rid of their creation and inadvertently playing the hand that Shiite led Iran an American adversary wants so they can st and wait for that to happen will strengthen the Iranian and Shiite hand and remember Iran has the strongest and most disciplined army in the middle east that had kept the USA and Saddam at bay. Let say the push against ISIS is successful Iran would have the greatest influence the same country whose Ayatollah designated the USA "The great Satan" and issued a fatwa (decree) to Muslims worldwide to kill and attack Americans, their allies and installations worldwide. 

This policy by Hillary and Obama is a disaster made and being perpetuated. At the end you will have ISIS splintered to every corner of the earth making it more unsafe. In Syria their push to get rid of Assad has encouraged Russia to enter helping Assad so the Russian influence is being strengthened in the Middle East now developing in a war between the USA and Russia the potential of starting a world war. Trump understands all the foregoing and people should not be distracted by his sometimes unnecessary blurts and past flirtations and at least would not be pushing a gay agenda anywhere. My bet is that the non-traditional politician and straight talking Trump will win Hillary Obama plans will in danger America, Americans their allies and make America weaker. Do I want China and Russia to be the world leaders who don't care about dirty dictators and who will support them as long as their interests are guaranteed? I say no.27/10/16

MP Samuda!

Mr Samuda speaks as a MP who represents his people well and also as a politician I can understand. Comments like the one he made though it is inexcusable and he should know better. Usually evictions take place after several attempts to resolve those matters over sometimes long periods of time. Was he not aware of the matters concerned before now?28/10/16