A Fi Wi Concern 20160424 - Michael Spence

That Explosive Material

The Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) says a team of soldiers and police personnel discovered a tube of C4 plastic explosive and a home-made shotgun during an operation in the gritty community of Trench Town, Kingston and not Tivoli. Did they really find C4,C-4 or 4C , can we trust this news this time or is another duppy show piece? Anyway, police, army don’t be daunted just do your work. This is a serious find if it really is and needs deeper investigation because regular criminals do not need C4, if so for what purpose and more importantly the target? A pound of C4 can blow open a cheaper metal safe, a hole in a concrete wall or blow off a metal door. C-4 is a very powerful military explosive with a detonation rate of over 8,000 meters/sec Where did it come from/who made it and what was the weight of the find? 22/04/16

Minister Ruel Reid

Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator Ruel Reid, is appealing to parents not to choose entertainment over the care and protection of their children.Hope those who put hair, nails, clothes, rum, ganja and dancehall first read this or go learn to read if they cannot read this. 22/04/16

Venezuela A Economic Challenges

Recession-hit Venezuela will turn off the electricity supply in its 10 most populous states for four hours a day for 40 days to deal with a severe power shortage, the government said Thursday.These socialist experiments in side of capitalism seem to have negative impacts many years later. I wish the Venezuelan people will soon get it right in fact they are our friends and willing to help where we can. Do you know that Simon Bolivar lived at a house now a Chinese clothing wholesale at the corner of Princess and Tower Street going towards the sea on the right. This house should have been preserved under the heritage trust its demolition was a mistake. I had nothing to do with that but I apologize to the Venezuelan and Jamaican people.22/04/16

Abuse of Children

What, so many as 900 children sexually abused in Trinidad, is there a Caricom registry? Thought Trinidad was a society free of crime and immorality so to maintain their purification Jamaicans not allowed so they sending them home as they arrive. All the best Trinidad and your exclusive bad minded bacchanal immigration policies.

Treat the youths right
Instead of putting up a fight
Treat the youths right
Or you'll been playin' with dynamite

When you go and look for a job
There is someone givin' you a fight
Like they want you to go and rob
and we know that that's not right

Lyrics from a song penned by Jimmy Cliff should become the Caricom anthem. 22/04/16

 SSP Steve McGregor

A“directive from Senior Superintendent of Police Steve McGregor to implement a 9 p.m. curfew for students in St James". This seems to be mild collective punishment for now, net fishing and a demonstration of shortcut policing. So why not just install some Dons who seem to have a good idea how to police things and embrace fully positive criminality like what happens many times in Kingston. The challenge is Kingston and St James is different places and types of people. .So what is the penalty for being on the road one minute after 9:00pm.By the way who is in charge of national security Superintendent of Police Steve McGregor or Minister Montague. My advice to McGregor is to get the advice and support from experienced sociologists like Dr Harriot with experience in criminology as you are dealing with people not all criminals and I would not like to see a bad situation made worse.22/04/16

Michael spence

Fi Wi Concerns 20160418 - Michael Spence

GCT

According to news reports Jamaicans could see an increase in general consumption tax (GCT) and or be required to pay taxes on items now zero rated as the Andrew Holness administration projects to collect $16 billion more in GCT for the new financial year. Regarding the General Consumption Tax (GCT) now at 16.5 %, I hope will be lowered to a round figure like 10% easy to calculate then put it on all things in sight exempting only books just to keep education and that dying industry alive. If there is concern about the politics of poverty and love for the poor just sell the idea as a partner plan where every citizen should contribute to this partner and you get your draw when your child goes to school, when you call the police, when you drive or walk on the road or when you access any services is provided by from your GCT and other tax dollar. I guarantee you would collect more GCT due to increased buying, selling and production. As a matter of common sense dictates that every cent of that tax forgone from that $1.5 million threshold would be back in government coffers faster than you can think because more money in circulation mean more GCT everybody happy. I would like to hear from an actuary or actuaries out there to provide some kind of enlightenment us on this matter. We do not need to hear any more arguments from partisan people or book bright Tax and Borrow Economists.15/04/16

Slow Learners

There are persons in the society who want Government to put an end to streaming, a process wherein students are placed in a class based on their 'presumed' capabilities. Slow learners in a class tend to slow down the progress of fast learners and make life harder for a teacher to accomplish the relevant curricula, so what do you do? Put speed bumps on the highway to slow down the faster cars so that the slow cars look like they are up to par? No, you fix up the slow cars that they can keep up with the pace. In the case of students if they are streamed special arrangements can be made with special teachers who would target the challenges fix that then when they are up to par transferred appropriately.15/04/16

Those Murders

Last year 2015 the number of murders recorded by the police stood at 1,207, which was 202, more than the 1,005 reported the previous year. What is the figure for those missing because criminals are very creative getting rid of bodies without a trace. For example are the St Ann’s Bay police still trying to locate a family of four who went missing since November 2015 after their house was destroyed by fire? Fifty-seven-year-old Joseph Lynch, 43-year-old Lascelle Lynch, 50-year-old Ruth Lawrence, and seven-year-old Rimeka Haynes, all of Authurs Mount, Lime Hall, St Ann. recommend that the numbers of missing annually must be published alongside the murder figures to give a more holistic view.14/04/16

It’s a long time the tables have not turned where it is the criminal/duppy running and hiding even in a church perhaps looking for Divine intervention. The intensity must be sustained where decent people are not running, hiding, traumatized and cowering in fear. We must stop pet and powder criminals in Jamaica we must bring them in or bring them down from Morant point to Negril point.14/04/16

Mr. Bunting? 

Did Former National Security Minister Peter Bunting exceed his authority when he issued a certificate in January this year that shielded members of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) from prosecution for the use of mortars in Tivoli during the May 2010 operation.  Is this form of demonstrating government against justice, the people and the constitution? What a pity as he hopes to be Prime Minister one day the top man is that an example of top behaviour? Well Mr.  Do you recall the second state of emergency in Jamaica's history June 20,1976 to end of February 1977 or Green Bay atrocities in January 1978 where 10 men promised jobs were lured to that area of Helshire 5 of them shot dead by our/their own Jamaica Defence Force soldiers. It is possible that some of those architects are even revered today. Could it be that what Mr. Bunting has done is mild in comparison and is on his way to be revered one day? 13/04/16

That Coconut Oil 

Amazing isn’t it? The once vilified COCONUT OIL is now taking centre stage in helping with Alzheimer's disease also called brain diabetes, dementia and general improvement in brain function. Guess what there is now difficulty getting adequate supplies of coconut oil at a reasonable price and it could get worse as global demand increases. I stick with boiled oil as this is the old tradition don't know what the scientists are saying about that one. COCONUT OIL has a specific smell but I notice some in retail establishments have no smell for me that's not it. Check IT. 12/04/16

I sympathize with both sides of this story and needs immediate intervention as the environment and the law has to be taken seriously. In all of this though it is Jamaica that is suffering in all of this losing and have lost millions of hard currency and if we recall that society is a whole individuals ,families, communities and the attendant problems that arise like crime and other social ills. Therein lay the problems. 09/04/16

King Sugar Dethroned?

One challenge in saving King Sugar from being totally dethroned is that most drinks, ice cream, pharmaceuticals and pastry on the market use sweeteners to keep down prices so we consume them unknowingly. Let us say therefore we do not knowingly consume artificial sweeteners and what the package says I know does not lie in many cases that sugar added but many use a blend. The ones that are very clear are the very sweet items that say "no sugar added" they may as well say "artificial sweeteners added" but that would not be creative marketing. To save oneself a little self help is good make your own daily drinks from in season fruits /vegetables and travel with them in a small cooler save money and save your health.09/04/16

Michael Spence 

        

FI WI CONCERNS - Michael Spence

Attorneys & Fraud?

More allegations of fraud against attorneys not sounding good at all .Is it that because the society is over lawyered and the work is just not there they are grabbing at everything to maintain the publicly perceived high lifestyle. Most attorneys are however upright and decent people. Those going into the profession and have eyes to see and ears to hear "even if you crooked cut straight" and "Don't hang your basket higher than you can reach it".15/05/15

Naming of Places

The Balaclava High School, which is soon to be, renamed the Roger Clarke High School. At the end of this government’s term of office will there be anything left to be named. Do you recall the brouhaha in Montego Bay when they were to rename Cornwall Regional Hospital in Montego Bay in honour of Dr Herbert Eldemire or the other when What was called Foreshore Road downtown Kingston Waterfront to be named in honour of Edward Seaga how that was opposed. Both those renaming would be fitting as both men contributed significantly to their development and or creation. P J Patterson as I understand it was the political leader who pushed for the creation of the Jamaican style highways so that naming one after him is a reasonable gesture. I do not believe that politicians in power should go around naming national heroes or things for their friends, political associates and family this should be a decision made in consultation with the people by say the Heritage Trust or some other bipartisan or“independent”national body. Renaming cannot be left to the whims and fancies of a few among us to love it or like it. Let us say the Ministry of Finance building at heroes Circle could be renamed the Peter Phillips building honouring him for passing the most consecutive  IMF tests in the history of modern Jamaica and even more so if Jamaica becomes an economic powerhouse under his watch, if not Jamaica College old Boys could rename his Alma Mater in his honour. No civilized country, democracy or plantation should be run that way or else one day we could wake up to Jamaica being renamed. Any  suggestions as to a new name in honour of a friend or political associate? Come on Mr. Derby you are an innovator we are listening do not forget Riverton Dump. Anyone who turns that around into a viable land fill and city their name should be put there. The incentive now is do well wherever you are placed and it may just be named after you. We need however to develop some set nationally agreed transparent criteria to facilitate such so that there can be no argument. So Mr. Derby which high School you want your name on? 15/05/15

Gangs

The police have reasons to believe that the Clansman gang is one of the largest and most organized criminal enterprises in the island says a Gleaner article. Its extortion racket stretches from Half-Way Tree, St Andrew, to sections of Portmore and elsewhere in St Catherine says a Gleaner article. The police say based on the number of buses that use the park, the illegal haul in the Spanish Town park is estimated at $1.5 million a day. All the information is out there but this gang has become more sophisticated, trustworthy, incentivized and embedded on the ground in the community than the police. Remove the politics, incentives /money from the gang and they will be weakened. There is no real will to move against them so it’s business as usual with mere cosmetics for show. Street crawlers like me cannot be fooled by chat, more laws or cosmetics. We recognise action just catch and remove the criminals. Laws have no effect if no one is caught except a few insignificant sitting ducks.15/05/15

Attorney Arrested for running Prostitution Business

WHAT? Attorney-at-law, who was arrested  last April after he was accused by the police of running a prostitution business under the guise of operating a massage parlour. This is an allegation so let us see where this will go I suspect nowhere. If the DPP sees this nowhere destination they should end the proceedings against the lawyer and his co-defendants. By the way is anything on the agenda to legalize prostitution why or why not? Oh, another thing there is now male and female prostitution and therefore ties into buggery laws. Even if it is made legal tomorrow there will be no retroactive effect for those charged prior to its passage.12/0515

Police Robbed???

Man steals Samsung S5 from police vehicle as cop writes traffic ticket shouts an Observer newspaper article. Downtown is a disaster happening and needs more than police intervention. A criminal is an opportunist and if he/she makes an assessment of the act and it seems feasible they will go for it, its their job so if you are even a member of the security forces it makes no difference. Crimes downtown is not only a police matter it is social as well as economic and needs holistic intervention. I go there almoner every day and over the years have seen the deterioration and have had my share of crimes against me including, robbery and ducking gunshots. Criminals also come from elsewhere to work and go back home. With the weakening of strong Criminal Executive Officers (CEOs) or Dons quasi policing network it has become a real criminal free for all. You know Mr. Adams once said that when you get rid of the dons the police cannot fill the breach. Maybe so but they can learn a few logistic operating techniques from them. Presently it is set to get worse on the ground with the police operating like aimless sightseeing crime tourists and traffic ticket writers. Downtown maybe going through a phase of creative destruction with new opportunities set to arise from the rubble but in the meantime there needs to be a rapid response to save

FI WI CONCERNS 2015 - MICHAEL SPENCE

The Most Hon. Edward Seaga

Mr Seaga is the great conceptualizer because I knew of clearing Princess Street of shacked stalls also Constant Spring road,H.E.A.R.T, the Jamaica Festival Commission, Things Jamaica, The100 villages programme, Digi-Port Montego Bay, JAMPRO, Jamaica Unit Trust, Student’s Loan Fund, the Export-Import/EX-IM Bank, the Jamaica Stock Exchange, the Jamaica Development Bank, and the Agricultural Credit Bank. The National Development Bank, the decimalization of the currency, Metropolitan Parks and Markets, the national school feeding programme, the Self Start Fund, Solidarity, the Food Stamp Programme, Programme for the Advancement of Early Childhood Education (PACE), the Golden Age Movement, the Media Divestment Programme and the return of the remains of national hero Marcus Garvey to Jamaica for interment.

Mr. Seaga was also responsible for the development of the Urban Development Corporation (UDC)  and now National Prayer Breakfast which I was not aware of. Dr. Peter Phillips said said some time ago viewed from the “purely quantitative perspective (Mr. Seaga’s) contribution has been phenomenal.”

“Whether you were for him or against 09/01/15

DUPPIES AND THE MAYOR 

Notice of a no-confidence motion was served on Port Antonio Mayor Benny White during the monthly sitting of the Portland Parish Council yesterday.Last year a local newspaper published reported that a shirtless DUPPY alledgedly drove away 2014 Toyota Prado belonging to Mayor of Port Antonio, Benny White, from its designated parking area at the Portland Parish Council building? an alleged warner woman (a woman with a self-proclaimed spiritual gift) visited the council, sprinkling oil and holy water on the mayor's vehicle, while warning about judgment. Will this duppy or warner woman help him or was actually trying to drive him out of the position so is the duppy back?.Lets see who the duppy working for and maybe who set,incompetent contractors ,garbage,broken pipes,the MP and duppy pon Mayor White and Port Antonio. "WANTED! COMPETENT DUPPIES IN PORT ANTONIO"09/01/15

Peter Tosh

I always remember Peter Tosh song "sorry fi mawga(meagre) dawg(dog) mawga dawg tun(turn) roun(around) bite you" The irony of it is that is a mawga dawg kill Peter. Do not be sorry for them see it again mawga dawg kill 79 year old Hyacinth Hayden in Trelawny and she help them giving one of them even phone and money to buy the chip. I could tell from day one is someone she knew and helped kill her it is sad but happens over and over in this country don't forget "badmind" .08/01/15

Director of Elections

Excellent Director of Elections Orrette Fisher and lion of a job from the mans and mans and ladies at the office.08/01/15

Police Walk Out of Parish Council Meeting 

Several members of the St Thomas police division walked out of a parish council meeting in the parish today. The accusation follows an incident yesterday when a PNP councilor was arrested and subsequently released by the St Thomas police.  Tell me something these St Thomas councilors believe that they are  above the law ?.Acting Commander for the St Thomas police, Deputy Superintendent Charmaine Shand should stand her ground just keep on doing her work scientifically and without fear or favour so that when anyone is arrested charges stick like crazy glue all the way to prison.08/01/15

Canada

Canada has approximately 35 million people there and is larger than America by about 2 or 3 Jamaica's size. The USA has in it approximately 315 million people so in fact when you look at it is like Canada is an empty country and would have serious economic problems  down the road with a population problem in reverse. Canada is being proactive and nice to itself by draining as many able-bodied skilled persons from third countries to bolster its economy. What would happen to Jamaica if all the skilled persons migrate to Canada which has the space to take all of us if needed and does the Government have a plan to deal with a shortage of skilled and educated workforce, are we thinking or just talking? Thieves, vagabonds, scoundrels, babies, lazy people, police, politicians and an ageing population cannot build nor sustain an economy. This country when you put all the opportunities together needs a coherent rescue plan, we should take a leaf out of Canada's book, work with poor people's pragmatism and learn from successful people's actions.08/01/15

 

What's the point of contention?"Nestle has made the positions of about 30 workers redundant following its decision to cease local production of the popular drink, Milo. It could no longer absorb high maintenance and production costs." The Union is wasting time why not discus along the lines of seeing if Nestle can work with the workers willing to give up something to save the production line, what could the Government do in terms of waiving taxes as they did for Denoes and Geddes to save the investment and jobs in the country. These Union leaders need to get off the Television and be more constructive by coming up with an alternative to what Nestle is proposing. Many of the Union leadership need to understand that global capitalism reigns supreme and they have to get on board associalism is dead even in china and Russia while the Cubans will not admit it.07/01/15

HIGHLY skilled and qualified Jamaicans are being urged to take advantage of Canada's new Express Entry immigration management system which was launched at the start of the year and aims to attract 181,000 new economic immigrants.

Canada has approximately 35 million people there and is larger than America by about 2 or 3 Jamaica's size. The USA has in it approximately 315 million people so in fact when you look at it is like Canada is an empty country and would have serious economic problems  down the road with a population problem in reverse. Canada is being proactive and nice to itself by draining as many able-bodied skilled persons from third countries to bolster its economy. What would happen to Jamaica if all the skilled persons migrate to Canada which has the space to take all of us if needed and does the Government have a plan to deal with a shortage of skilled and educated workforce, are we thinking or just talking? Thieves, vagabonds, scoundrels, babies, lazy people, police,politicians and an ageing population cannot build nor sustain an economy. This country when you put all the opportunities together needs a coherent rescue plan, we should take a leaf out of Canada's book, work with poor people's pragmatism and learn from successful people's actions.07/01/15

 Police Commissioner

Is the commissioner aware that a lot of missing persons have most likely been murdered and disposed of discreetly as is a common practice among gangs and others? Do you recall the case of a convicted police constable in the murder and disposal at sea of the body of a teenage girl from Harbour View or bodies dumped in sink holes around the country or burned with garbage at our dumps. You remember "Lizard" was he cut up fine fine?. These practices are age old and I have no reason to believe have been discontinued. Commissioner should go for integrated and deep intelligence moles around the country will enhance rates of criminals being caught that makes them fret night and day and Jamaica no more a "criminals Paradise".07/01/15

;YOUR GATEWAY TO SUCCESS; ADLPHS.

Michael Spence Speaks Out!!!

By Michael Spence

Teefing is Part of Endemic Culture?

Really fraud or only alleged fraud at the Accountant General’s office where if you go there in the flesh with all the verification they insist on having your "death certificate" in order to pay the little pension to the old suffering pensioner.Dem tight dung deh so till a di last place I would believe a big thieving a gwaan and I bet is years it a gwaan nuff people eat good food dung deh. They must be locked up till dem produce dem death certificate. On the other hand it seems everybody a teef so what is it part of the endemic culture so "a nuh nutten'.My advice though do not steal as prison life nuh nice  ask Ninjaman or Jah cure and mi nuh know how Kartel a gwaan? phone him tell him fi buss a tune mek wi hear what a gwaan.28/10/14

Abortion

Why not women need to decide on their own destiny if this was a real cooperative society where all children and pregnancies belong to everyone of us then abortion would be almost unnecessary. This society has become even more individualistic by the passing hour so preventing people from doing things in their best interest via laws only wastes time and create criminals out of people unnecessarily. Section 72 of the Offences Against the Person Act saying anyone found guilty of having or facilitating an abortion could be sentenced to life in prison, with or without hard labour. In this day and age a law like this in is ridiculous and going nowhere it is time indeed to legalize abortion as it is happening all over the place underground and over ground.28/10/14

Everybody knows that boards reflect party in power and so do principals in many cases.Dr Omeally-Nelson what is your solution to this an embedded situation,it couldn't only be to sensitize MPs on the issue as they already know they have been fostering it for decades so why change now is there a compelling reason ?27/10/14

Dealing With IMF Barbados Style

Finance and Economic Minister Chris Sinckler of Barbados is right they can if they have the discipline to do the things needed to be done without an IMF big stick. Jamaica could do the same but it is obvious we lack discipline and engage in "run wid it" economics that puts politics over sensible economics. I hope Barbados succeeds and demonstrate what self discipline can achieve.27/10/14