Showing posts with label Vernon Derby. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vernon Derby. Show all posts

Sunday, 26 February 2023

Agricultural Delegation in The Cayman Islands Lead by Minister Pearnel Charles

 

Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr. greeted by Sophie, Countess of Wessex of the British Monarchy right and Premier of the Cayman Islands, Hon. G. Wayne Panton, JP, MP, (far right).
 

From left to right: Mr. Collin Henry, Principal Director, Field Services and Operations, RADA, Sherman Campbell, Chairman, Potato and Onion Producers' Association, Na-Shima Davis, Senior Technical Coordinator, MOAF, Courtney Cole, Chief Technical Director, MoAF; Hon. Pearnel Charles, Jnr., Minister, MOAF, Hon. Jay Ebanks, Minister of Planning, Agriculture, Housing and Infrastructure. 
 

Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr. observes the lush lettuce produced by climate controlled vertical farming at the at the Primitive Green Vertical Farm in Cayman.


Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Pearnel Charles Jr. and a delegation from the  Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries are currently in Cayman on an official visit to enhance trade and investment opportunities and attend the Cayman Islands Agriculture Show led by Minister Jay Ebanks, Caymans Minister of Planning, Agriculture, Housing, and Infrastructure; being held under the theme “Agriculture for the Future.”

The goal of this visit is to explore further trade and investment opportunities for Jamaican high-end coffee, to develop additional strategic partnerships thereby establishing an increase of exports of fish and fish products to the Cayman Islands, bolster cross border investment, expand export opportunities, establish capacity building in border surveillance, provide support to Cayman re pest management and propose knowledge sharing in livestock services. 

Relations between our two nations has facilitated a fruitful working relationship and our bilateral arrangement allows Jamaica to export crops such as yams, sweet potatoes, avocados, peppers, coffee, citrus, cocoa, Irish potatoes, bananas, pumpkins, pineapples, and pimentos among others. Communications Advisor to the Minister of Agriculture & Fisheries, Pearnel Charles Jr.

This business dialogue aligns with the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MoAF) Grow Smart Eat Smart national programme to improve food security and increase strategic partnerships within the region. After a two-year hiatus due to the global pandemic the Cayman Islands Agriculture show returns to the Lower Valley, in the district of Bodden Town – the first capital of the Cayman Islands. The show has grown into the largest cultural and social event in Grand Cayman in the last ten (10) years. This event features displays of produce and livestock as well as the rich culture and history of the Cayman Islands through arts and crafts demonstrations, traditional music and dance and food. 

Jamaica has for several years exported live cattle and goats to the Cayman Islands. This has led to a further request for live cattle and now has us working towards the exportation of thirty (30) Red poll cattle to the Cayman Islands. These animals should be arriving March 2023.

Today Minister Charles Jr. will be attending the Cayman Brac Agriculture Show which will be held at the Agriculture Show Grounds. 

Charles Jr. said “The Grow Smart Eat Smart national strategy’s goal is to improve food security which includes expanding linkages and partnerships to elevate the agriculture and fisheries sector in a tangible way. Through securing these relationships we will bolster our ability to achieve food security, increase economic growth and enhance the livelihoods of our farmers and fisher folk.”The Cayman Islands is among Jamaica’s largest trading partners for agricultural products within the region and Grand Cayman is Jamaica’s largest trading partner in the Caribbean for a variety of non-traditional plants and plant products. They are also ranked fourth among Jamaica’s top four export markets for plants and plant products. 

The country produces an estimated 1% of all the food they consume. Their industry and agriculture sectors represent 7.6% and 0.4% respectively of their GDP in 2021.

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Sunday, 15 August 2021

Mr. Steele From Manchester With A New Music - 'Soon Come Back'

Nigel Quailo did a song recently with a young girl who also has an amazing voice at a garage in Manchester. Someone used a phone to make a video of the impromptu show. The video has now gone viral internationally. I was so impressed with the video when I saw it, that I had to send out a search warrant to find this talented personality. I had no name nor where he was from but I was able to track him down in a few hours.

Nigel Quailo whose stage name is Mr Steele, was born in the parish of Manchester in Jamaica. He lives in Greenvale in the same parish. Nigel started his musical journey over thirty years ago. He love's to sing and dance but he says that he continues to entertain with his music because that is his passion.

Nigel's says his dream is to make people understand that a dream can only work with the support of the family and good financial backing, but he will never stop from singing. He has performed with URoy, Charlie Chaplin, General Trees and Brigadier Jerry. He has toured Canada and Jamaica with international and local artists.

Nigel Quailo known as Mr. Steele has performed with  URoy, Charlie Chaplin, General Trees and Brigadier Jerry.  He has toured Canada and he has performed across Jamaica with many big international and local artists.  

Click on the link below and listen to his new song. On a scale of 1 to 5 add your score as a comment where:

1 - Very Poor

2 - Poor

3 - Good

4 - Very Good

5 - A Hit

Click to Play

#Reggae #MrSteele #VernonDerby

Covid-19 Guns Are Barking - Time To Fight Back

Covid-19 Cases Continue To Increase!

The number of Covid-19 cases in the world continue to rise, and yet many Jamaicans are not taking the threat of this virus to their lives, seriously. Many employees are not wearing their masks at their offices and the management of these offices don't really seem to care.

The Prime Minister and his party are reluctant to make vaccination mandatory because this could have a negative political impact. Sometimes I wonder if the anti-vaxers want us to all lose our lives. I recalled that the cry once was, 'We do not have any vaccine' and now the cry is, 'We have vaccine and enough  persons are not taking up the offer'. We are a dichotomous nation. One side pulling north and the side other pulling south and then we wonder why we are not progressing.

How Many Understand The Covid-19 Terms?

I believe that one of the challenges that we have is that persons do not understand why government has implemented certain measures. People still ask, "Why do we have these nightly curfews, Covid-19 only walk a night like duppy, dem it no walk a day?" We cannot understand why the authorities limit the amount of persons who are allowed to attended a funeral for example.

Those who are versed in statistics are not educating us about this positivity rate. Why are we restricting the hours of human contact? I should point out that the job of getting accurate  information out to the public is not just the responsibility of the government but also the responsibility of doctors, scientists and other professionals.

The Probability Of Getting Covid-19

We need to understand why only a limited amount of persons are allowed to attend church services, funerals or even to come together. My understanding is that it is a matter of reducing the probability of getting the virus. While we cannot stop Covid-19 abruptly in its tracks, we can reduce the probability of its spread.

If we have one persons with Covid-19 for example, and that one person can spread it to at least one person each hour, then if we limit the interaction between that one persons and the public from 10 to 5 hours then we could reduce the spread of the virus by 50%, assuming all other things remain constant. If we ascertain that persons who attend funerals have a higher probability of getting the virus and if we increase the number of attendees then we increase the probability of persons getting the virus. If we increase the probability of getting the virus then the probability of our hospital becoming overwhelmed with Covid-19 patients, and for the country to reach a chronic stage with the virus would be extremely high.

We hear talk about this positivity rate and herd immunity and sometimes I am convinced that many of us do not comprehend these terms. If you use a word which persons do not understand, then what you say afterwards might not be understood also. My understanding of this positivity rate is it is the percentage of persons who test positive for Covid-19. A high positivity rate could mean that you have more persons capable of spreading the virus and it can also mean that enough tests are not being done.

The Propagandists

There are many propagandist out there stating that the vaccine has not been properly tested and that the vaccine does not protect you 100% from getting the virus. First, your seat belt for example does not give you 100% protection from being hurt in an accident, but the probability for serious injury and death is reduced by wearing a seat belt so we wear it.  The WHO (World Heath Organization) The CDC(Centre for Desease Contro) in the US would not endorse a drugs for human beings that have not been properly tested by very qualified scientists. We are willing to have a single doctor operate on us yet we cannot trust possible hundreds of scientists worldwide who have developed and tested a drug!

Recent Deaths

We must bear in mind that Covid-19 has caused over 4 million deaths worldwide so far. Here in Jamaica we have had over 1,285 related Covid-19 deaths. News just coming in is that the owner of the Versalles(I assume the name comes from the French word Versallies) Hotel in May Pen has died from Covid-19. His wife is now critically ill.

Jim Thomas


Versalles Hotel in May Pen

I have received information also that Blackie, the owner of Little Ochi has lost his wife and  the owner of Phils Hardware in Kingston is now very ill.

Covid-19 is not a duppy, it is real and it kills. Do the right thing. Please go and take your vaccination NOW and follow the protocols.

More Readings


#Covid19 #Jamaica 



Monday, 19 October 2020

Freddie McGregor Speaks Out About Music Criminals

International Recording
Artiste Freddie Mcgregor

I am still reeling from a major problem concerning our beloved brother Toots. There is an ongoing problem with producers not paying royalties to artistes. Most of these icons die without financial strength. Oftentimes after an artiste dies the talk is that they didn't save, or what dem do with dem money. No one ever ask whether they have been paid royalties for their work or not.

I personally know of many producers who have never paid one red cent of royalties to the artiste. I am sure of at least one major record company which has not paid over anything. 

One record company as far as I know, has not paid one red cent in maybe 40 years because when Toots and I talk, he told me about these things. There are plenty other producers who Toots have worked for, who enriched themselves from Toots' work. Many others have suffered the same fate also.There is one studio which stands out in my mind as the main culprit. I am personally going on a mission to expose many of those who continue with the practice today. 

Now is the time to call them out and they know I'm not afraid to call them out.so look out for a lot of people who will be embarrassed.  I am concerned about the fact that there are persons who think it's cool to rob others so they can live big. Live big off singers and musicians when nearly all of them can't even show you the note G on a key board.

It is time to expose those criminals because I have been in this business from I was 7 years old and I know a lot. It's now time to talk. Stay tuned and this is a warning to music criminals. 

Have a great day people and please get well fast brother Ken Boothe  - love you.


Tuesday, 18 August 2020

Prime Minister Holness Extends Quarantine Period for Communities in St. Thomas and Clarendon


The Government has extended the quarantine and curfew measures for communities within the parishes of St. Thomas and Clarendon. 

The current measures will expire on Thursday, August 20.

The extended measures are in response to continued transmission of COVID-19 within St. Thomas and Clarendon. The measures will run for a further 14 days ending September 2.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness made the announcement during a media briefing today.

Further to the announcement, the curfew orders for the parishes have also been increased from the current 11:00 pm to  5:00 am. The new curfew period will begin August 18 and will run from 7:00 pm to 5:00 am.

According to reports from the Ministry of Health and Wellness, some 89 persons tested positive for COVID-19, 45 of that number are within the parish of St. Thomas. In Clarendon 22 persons have tested positive for the virus. 

Additionally, the Government has placed a stop on all funeral services, weddings and public gatherings. 

However, burials with a maximum of 15 persons including the funeral directors will be allowed.

In the meantime, the Government has placed a number of communities in Kingston and St. Andrew under surveillance due to COVID-19 spread over the last two weeks. The communities are: 

  1. Duhaney Park
  2. Patrick Gardens
  3. Pembroke Hall
  4. Cooreville
  5. New Haven
  6. Half-way Tree
  7. Hughenden
  8. Arlene Gardens
  9. Molynes Gardens
  10. State Gardens
  11. Zaidie Gardens
  12. Constant Spring
  13. Barbican
  14. Meadowbrook
  15. Havendale
  16. Delacree Park
  17. Olympic Gardens
  18. Waltham Gardens

Prime Minister Holness underscored that the cases within these communities cannot be traced to either a confirmed local or imported case. 

“This fact indicates the possibility of spread in the communities and therefore requires that higher levels of surveillance will be conducted. During the coming weeks, the Ministry of Health and Wellness will therefore deploy more health officers to visit these communities to conduct community surveillance, community sensitization sessions and health promotion activities,” said Prime Minister Holness. 

The Prime Minister closed by encouraging the residents of the communities under surveillance to cooperate with the health officials upon their visit to conduct the necessary health inspection. 

He also noted that Nomination Day, set for tomorrow Tuesday August 18, will proceed with strict protocols. 

Saturday, 25 May 2019

Thanks for Your Support for The Workers on Labour Day - Vernon Derby, Consumer/ Citizen Advocate

Many of you have been following my campaign for us to 'Put The Workers Back In The Centre Of Labour Day'. Many of us are just aware of the theme, 'Put Work Into Labour Day' and not the real reason for the Labour Day celebrations. This change came about when former Prime Minister Micheal Manley decided to make this change some years ago. While giving voluntary work on labout day is a laudable thing, we cannot afford not to know our history and for us to understand and know the history of Labour Day. Some of you might have seen my letter to the Editor which was publised in the Gleaner about this matter.

Labour Day was a day set aside for us to celebrate the achievements of the workers. The irony is that while we celebrate these achievements many workers are losing their rights which have been fought for by past leaders such as Sir Alexander Bustamantee, Sir William Grant, Aggie Bernard and others.

Steve Lyston in the Jamaica Gleaner under the headline, "The Real Meaning Of Labour Day".said a bit about the history of Labour Day although I belive he could have said more about the history and real meaning of Labour Day. 

We hear of contract workers such as security guards who work under such conditions which reminds us of the period prior to 1938.Many are not even getting minimum wage I understand. I hear stories of security guards working up to seventy hours each week. We definitely need to put back the workers at the centre of Labour Day and we need to change how we threat some of our workers. 

Vincent Morrison and John Levy from the Union of Technical and Supervisory Employees (UCASE) appeared on a special Labour Day show which I hosted on Nationwide Radio on Labour Day. between 1 pm and 2 pm. After the one hour special Labour Day Show, I went on to contribute my service on Labour Day by giving two hours on air which was dedicated to the workers of this country.. 

Matters discussed on the special Labour Day show formed part of the major news on Nationwide Radio on Friday, May 25. Since then Mr. Levy has been on CVM TV exposing the plight of the contract workers. Recently Danny Roberts head of the Hugh Lawson Shearer Trade Union Institute spoke to this issue which was reported in the Gleaner.

I started this lobby for us to recognize the plight of many workers and specifically so called contract workers after getting a number of complaints. I sent out thousands of messages to my friends, union leader and political leaders. I also spoke to a few person in the Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions and other labour related organizations..

The Jamaica Confederation of Trade Union had planned to have a radio broadcast to communicate with the Jamaican people about the plight of workers at this time but they were unable to go ahead with their plan. UCASE which is not a member of the Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions decided to sponsor the broadcast on Labour Day.

I must thank the news media, the leadership of the trade unions and my supporters for giving this initiative such a strong support. Due to the support given, many Jamaicans were learning for the first time what is the true meaning of Labour Day. Many became aware also of the events of 1938 which resulted in many changes at the workplace in this country and also about the development of our trade unions and our political parties.


Other information on Labour Day::



Monday, 29 January 2018

Festival Song Seminar Urges Focus on Financial Management



Robin Levy
Kingston, Jamaica: Members of the performing arts industry are being urged to utilize the financial services offered by the nation’s credit unions to manage their financial affairs and organise their retirement plans. The call came from Chief Executive Officer of the Jamaica Co-operative Credit Union League, Robin Levy, as he delivered the main address at the first 2018 Jamaica Festival Song  Competition Developmental Seminar held at JAMPRO in Kingston on January 23.

Levy outlined a number of services that credit unions make available to musicians, singers, writers, composers and others who earn a living through the cultural sector.

He told participants: “Many of you who earn a living from the creative sectors do not have a nine-to- five job and that makes it difficult for you to access financial services and benefits from some mainstream institutions. But the credit union is a people’s cooperative which means that you are lending and borrowing from each other. In many cases there is no registered company and you have to try and navigate your way on an individual basis. The credit union understands how difficult it can be to get investment for creative purposes such as producing music but there are conversations that you can have with a credit union of your choice that can assist you greatly.”

He also decried the sad state of affairs that often surround the deaths of some entertainers whose financial portfolios have not been kept in good order.

Alaine Laughton
“It so sad when you have to see hats going around seeking support to bury some of our legends; It is time for this to end. Take charge and take responsibility and don’t exchange fame for disgrace.” Levy said.

Other presenters at the seminar, which was geared towards preparing entrants for this year’s competition included singer and songwriter Alaine Laughton who gave a practical lecture in the art of making a good song.

Freddie McGregor
Djenne Greaves demonstrated the art of stage performance and was well received. Mark Thomas spoke on the important issue of image of branding while reggae superstar Freddie McGregor gave a first class account of life in the business of music. McGregor recounted his career from the early days in Clarendon to the formation of his record company Big Ship Productions. He held the audience in awe as he told of the challenges he faced in trying carve out a career as a young singer and the wonderful relationship he had with producer Clement Coxsone Dodd.

McGregor also endorsed the Festival Song Competition and urged interested participant to write songs that will seek to build a patriotic spirit in the country and lift national pride. He noted that over the years many of the country’s successful artists emerged from the competition but the prize package and stakes are so high now that professional artists should consider participating.

Regional seminars are also being held in the Western, Central, and Northern regions.

Chairman of the Festival Song Committee Mr. Vernon Derby said the seminars are very integral to the staging of a professional competition that will see songs of the highest standards vying for pride of place during the Independence season and beyond.

All registered participants in the seminars are presented with certificates of participation. 

More details are available at www.jcdc.gov.jm, by email at festivalsong@jcdc.gov.jm, all JCDC offices island wide and by telephone at 926-5726-9.    

Monday, 31 July 2017

Big Bully & Brother By Octavia Smith


Big  Bully and Brother
Seemed hardest to ignore
You delved into our lives
And and made it your own

“Donned” you the hat of a perfect dude
We just had to listen
Always had to answer
Why? Where? When?

Someone could have warned us
You had a plan to stay, to reign
And always to hold our hands

Yes! We staged our freedom
To outsmart you even
Ranted raved
Always ready to run
To breakfree; to escape
Your charge, your challenge
And your company

The world seemed unready for you
You startled, stunned and confused
The minds of many

Now you no longer grasp our hands
But carefully you hold our hearts
We bounce balls against your thick skin
You now listen to our dissent
And our gripe

Happy you’ve  found a new way
To express your love.
Welcome home

And Happy birthday.


Note: Thanks to my sister Octavia Smith for writing this for me on by birthday. I love you sis.

Monday, 10 October 2016

NATIONAL IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM TO ROLL OUT JANUARY 2018 IN JAMAICA


KINGSTON, Oct. 10 (JIS):
Prime Minister Holness
 Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, says the National Identification System (NIDS) is set to roll out in January 2018.

He said NIDS is expected to have a transformative effect on Jamaica, providing a comprehensive and secure structure to capture and store personal identity information for citizens and persons resident in the island.

The Prime Minister, who was addressing the Anti-Money Laundering/
Counter-Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Conference at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston today (October 10), informed that NIDS was the first item on the agenda for discussion at today’s meeting of the Cabinet.

He said that given all the processes involved in setting up the system, he recognises that the 2018 target date for it to be operational is ambitious, but achievable.

 Mr. Holness said the Government has identified the setting up of NIDS as a strategic priority. What is envisioned is a cradle-to-grave biometric identification system with a unique identification number being used for every Jamaican, with the appropriate anti-fraud features.

“This source of identification will be considered as conclusive for the purpose of customer due diligence, not only for banks but for all businesses which require customer identification and verification,” he pointed out.

Biometric and demographic information will be accessible through databases and computer networks, he added. “We must leverage every technological resource at our disposal to meet the demands of the global business environment. Government’s use of technology in regulation and compliance must be in step with international practices,” he said.

Mr. Holness noted further that NIDS will serve to eliminate some procedural steps and make compliance with AML/CFT regulations in the financial sector easier, while also leading to greater financial inclusion.

The NIDS project is being implemented by the Office of the Prime Minister, through funding from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and was allocated a sum of $14.98 billion this financial year for its continued development.

The project aims to establish a reliable identification system for Jamaicans and other nationals resident in the country, with a unique National Identification Number (NIN) as the primary key identifier of a person in the system.

NIDS has been in development since 2009 and will result in improved governance and management of social, economic and security programmes.


The two-day AML/CFT Conference is being hosted by the Jamaica Bankers Association (JBA) and the Jamaica Institute of Financial Services (JIFS), under the theme ‘Understanding Our Obligations… Safeguarding Our Future’.

Saturday, 16 July 2016

Speech by Mrs. Dorrett Campbell at the Rita Marley Foundation Essay Competition Presentation


Mrs. Dorrette Campbell

It is a pleasure to be associated with this, the Third Annual Rita Marley Foundation Essay Competition Awards Presentation Ceremony.

I bring you greetings from the Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Honourable Ruel Reid, who is currently overseas on the Ministry’s business and could not be here today.

The Ministry of Education, Youth and Information welcomes the continued partnership with the Rita Marley Foundation and its sponsors, particularly the Heart Institute of the Caribbean  which is the main sponsor of this competition.

I admire, approve and applaud your long term goal of eradicating poverty and hunger in specific selected communities using as its tools: empowerment of those communities through the creation of economic investments, improvement of education opportunities and the development of knowledge and proper practice in nutrition and health care.  This goal resonates so much with the goals of education that it is an imperative for us to sustain this partnership in all the ways we possibly can.

 [You know, ladies and gentlemen: we get a lot of things right in Jamaica through collaboration and partnerships. If we could just learn how to work together to build the kind of partnership that guarantees the safety and protection of our children – the kind of community partnership that erects walls of protection against the diabolic, hollow, heartless onslaught of bloody murderers of innocence - If we could just get that right, then that would be what’s right with Jamaica.]

I am especially proud of the schools and students who have participated in this competition and I commend all of you as winners this afternoon. You may not earn the coveted prize of first place but I know that your essay would have been at very high standard to have been considered in a competition that places a high premium on creativity, quality and excellence.

Not only that, but you benefited from honing your writing and communication skills, as is one of the objectives of the competition.  The results and outcomes from our national and external exams tell us that our language capacity is less than excellent; but this lack of excellence in language skills is not reflected or even measured by external exams only. It is painfully obvious in our daily interaction and communication with each other and cuts across all echelons of the society.

In fact I chuckle when I hear some blaming the Jamaican Creole for our inability or rather failure to master the standard English, because the good speaker of languages, particularly the English Language, is the one who is able to flow seamlessly and effortlessly on the language continuum – comfortably mastering and manipulating the Creole and comfortable with what it represents, yet firmly grasping the rudiments of the English Grammar [I am not talking about speaking nicely – the painful truth is that many of us who decry the Creole are neither good speakers of the Creole nor good speakers on the English Language. And I am not hurling stones at anyone; I am merely making an observation].

But that aside: I am absolutely sure that my teachers played a coaching role in the students’ final entries and I would like to recognise and thank them for their continued selfless service to this country. You are a major part of the landscape of national development; not only in the subjects – I prefer to call them disciplines - you teach but your commitment to ensuring that our students get their culture through the many co-curricular and cultural activities you lead in your schools. [… er and I don’t see that in your job description… and perhaps in the next round of negotiations, you should ask for an allowance for that as well…]

But you and I know that is what every called teacher does and what every teacher is called to do  – to harness the rich experiences of our students and channel them in such a way to helping them become ideal Jamaican citizens.

 Ladies and Gentlemen: Please help me applaud students and teachers of Papine High School; York Castle High; Wolmers High School for Boys; Wolmers High School for Girls; and William Knibb Memorial High School.

The Rita Marley Foundation is a front runner in promoting positive values and attitudes in this country through initiatives such as this annual Essay Competition. And what better organisation to do so, than one that has bragging rights for supporting the development of and propounding our culture across the globe.

One of the aims of this essay competition is to spread positive messages about the impact of Bob Marley’s music on the youth, Jamaica and the world.  In observing all that is taking place around us today, God knows we need the positive vibes and messages.

And if we are pessimists, we would conclude, like the late outstanding Guyanese poet, Martin Carter that:

    This is the dark time, my love,
    It is the season of oppression, dark metal, and tears.
    It is the festival of guns, the carnival of misery
    Everywhere the faces of men are strained and anxious
.


Or like Richie Spice’s: earth a run red, ten year old a look dem owna bread; I hear a next yute dead, for that’s part of our reality too.

It is true that at the forefront of our consciousness is a world in turmoil and chaos, where efforts to make peace often end up in war and attempts to reduce poverty frequently produce dislocation and pain. We watch the “strained and anxious faces” of our people as we continue to experience what the late former Prime Minister of Jamaica, Michael Manley, expressed as our “struggle in the periphery”. We note the “carnival of misery” being experienced by some people and we must respond to their call to improve the conditions of their lives.

But I prefer the optimist’s perspective: It says, ‘the cup is half-full…’ and in the abundance of water the fool is thirsty: And why do I say this? Instead of lamenting what we are not and what we don’t have, what we ought to have and ought not to do; we ought to build on what we have and seize the opportunities that exist. It was the Governor General the most Honourable Patrick Allen who said, there is nothing wrong with Jamaica that cannot be fixed by what’s right with Jamaica.

We just need the right kind of wisdom in the right kind of leadership in the right kind of organisations to ‘run things;’ and it is this appreciative inquiry perspective that the Rita Marley Foundation has worked tirelessly to uphold.

This essay competition therefore serves to remind us that our dark time is really a sliver of our reality – a subculture that threatens to subsume the positive culture, if we continue to accept the former as the norm. We cannot allow the noise of the negatives to drone out the bigger and more sustainable point that there is still good in Jamaica and that there are still those like the Rita Marley Foundation; like our teachers; like our essayists, who work daily to promote wholesome values and attitudes through their creative talents.

One of the most fundamental constructs of culture resides in the concept of “identity”. This relates to how we see ourselves, and the values we place on our lives, our environment and our realities, and on each other. Hence, there is a direct correlation between cultural identity and the values and attitudes that we display.

I believe our artistes, who are proponents of our culture must see as an imperative the need to give our young people a positive mirror in which to see themselves and the people with whom they interact. I posit that Marley Music does exactly that.

By using lyrics from Marley Music as the theme for the essay, the Rita Marley Foundation is constantly holding up to our young people and to the rest of Jamaica another alternative – a better alternative – another mirror through which they can see themselves instead of what they see in the distorted looking glass of lewd, violent and crass lyrics that are peddled on a daily basis in all our spaces.

In Marley music our young people see strong caring yet resilient families communities and who bend sometimes under the pressure of extenuating circumstances, but with sheer will they pick up themselves knowing that their feet – their will to live is sometimes their only carriage so they have got to ‘push on through.’

In Marley Music our young people will find positive ways of asserting themselves, advocating for their rights, pursuing their goals relentlessly without having to step on anyone’s neck to do so, for he tells us to get up and stand up for our rights; he tells us to wake up and live; to flee from hate, mischief and jealousy that invariably result in crass and violent behaviour; lotto scamming …and St James.

In Marley Music our young people are encouraged not to lose focus in spite the difficulties in spite of the craziness around us; not to let go of your dreams but to work hard to translate those dreams into positive actions: For Marley music tells them, Don't bury your thoughts; put your vision to reality, rise up from sleepless slumber; wake up and live.

In Marley Music, our children are taught to appreciate their indigenous culture and to appreciate and accept themselves the way the creator has made them – yes natural locs and all – and to use the talents they have to make something of themselves to help themselves to eat a bread: Children get your culture and don’t stay there and gesture; for the battle will be harder and you won’t get no supper

The music helps to build self-esteem and self-confidence and to encourage our youth to cultivate independent thought because ‘you have got a mind of your own…and we really shouldn’t mek nobody fool you or even try to school you…

And yes the music sermonises and shows us a better way to live among each other, to love ourselves and love our brother man, forgetting the bitterness the jealousy and the hate and just get together in one love and feel alright.

Marley Music teaches us to be reasoned and reasonable in our dealings with others; to be respectful, honest, truthful and to accept responsibility for our actions [so if you shot the sheriff, own up to it and accept the consequences of your action].

And ladies and gentlemen: these are the values that our school system is trying to teach our students; these are the soft skills that we would like them to have before we unleash them to society.

There are so much values and attitudes promoted in his music and so many lessons from which our students can learn that I have got to thinking that in the same way we teach Martin Carter and other Caribbean poets in our schools as an integral part of our curriculum; in the same way we now have a whole department at the UWI focusing on Reggae Studies,  we really should explore the possibility of formalising Marley Lyrics as poetry in our Caribbean Literature courses both at the secondary and tertiary institutions and lobby for CXC to include those lyrics in the syllabi of CSEC and CAPE. Now this is not Minister’s or my Ministry’s position as yet but this is something that I would like to work with people like Dr Hope and the Rita Marley Foundation to explore and propose to my Ministry.

I have to say this: I grew up on Shakespeare and Bob Marley. I got a steady diet of the former from my high school teachers, through college right up to the University and my grandfather concertedly countered Shakespeare with Marley lyrics. He used to tell me that there was nothing Shakespeare said that Marley didn’t say in his lyrics and said it more profoundly and simply, “and after all him is we own.”

My grandfather advised me that I didn’t need to retort with crass words in any conflict, I should just quote Marley and argument done; I didn’t need to reach for a Shakespearean quote to express how I might be feeling about a situation or to make a commentary about life, I could just draw for the poetry of Bob Marley. And he was right and at a critical juncture of my life I was toying with the idea of explore for my thesis a comparative analysis of Marley and Shakespeare as two timeless poet who had a firm grasp on the varies and vicissitudes of life: Marley and Shakespeare, they hab a word fi ebrybody.

Can I therefore, ask our young people present here today to choose to consume what is wholesome and positive and empowering over what is lewd and crass and violent?

You have the power of choice and you have the alternative, choose to listen to clean conscious music that can inspire you, build you up and not to thwart your sense of self and distort your value system.

Once again, thanks to the Foundation; Thanks to Dr Marley; thanks to Bob Marley for working so hard to help make Jamaica the place to live, grow, do business, raise families and yes… retire.




Sunday, 17 April 2016

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 

        

Thursday, 22 October 2015

JUTC Needs To Take Action

The Following letter was sent to the JUTC by a listener to my programme:

  
Good day, sir. 

As a taxpayer who is employed to the Government of Jamaica, who is very near to retirement, who has been on a fixed salary for the past six years and who pays hundreds of thousands of dollars annually in taxes to my dear beloved country, I am again exercising my civic duty to write in regard to some issues that need to be addressed at the JUTC:

  1. The opening of the driver’s window in the air conditioned JUTC buses. 
Each day of the week I travel on 4 JUTC buses to and from work. On Saturday 2 buses, on Sunday four buses. I am a regular user of these buses.
While I am the first to admit that there are more buses on the road, I cannot say the service has improved significantly.  Why are there so many JUTC buses running all over the KMTR with the driver’s window wide open, ear phone in their ears, their right hand outside of the buses and music blasting at the highest decibel?  Am I the only passenger who has observed this practice by these drivers?   And where is the chairman, the management, the supervisors, the employees of the JUTC, are they ALL blind?  On a daily basis dozens of buses are seen running in the KMTR being operated by out of control drivers.  What are the sanctions being brought against these drivers?  Sir, what are the functions of management?  1. To manage! Manage! Manage!!! What sanctions are being taken against these drivers? Every institution must have systems and procedures in place that staff must adhere to or else the workers will do as they like and the institution will collapse.

How do you communicate to your workers, sir?  This is an age of information, communication. Use all the available communication channels at your disposal to get your message to the staff - {meetings, bulletins, email, text message, memoranda,}. The message of the company must be clear and without ambiguity and it must include sanctions for those who breach the company’s policy.  But, is there any such policy? 

  1. The leaking of the buses and the saturated beautiful padded seats
I have no doubt that the leaking of the buses is a direct result of the continuous opening of the windows.  The air conditioning vents are now pouring gallons of water on the passengers who have to resort to opening umbrellas inside of the buses to protect themselves.  Sometimes we step into the buses and sit only to find that we are sitting on a saturated seat from water coming from the vents.

Sir, how much does it cost the taxpayers annually to repair and maintain these multimillion dollar buses that are being allowed to be damaged by uncaring drivers?  

  1. Scheduling.  
I am again appealing to the management that the scheduling of the buses be improved, in particular number 49.  The purpose is being defeated if you have to wait in Greater Portmore /HWT  for one hour on a bus, finally one bus turns up, all the passengers are forced to get on to that one bus because they do not know when another bus will come. En route to your home or work five, six buses pass with just a few passengers, half empty on the toll road.  Now, if the passengers knew that the next half an hour another bus would be coming they would not all force themselves on that one bus.

  1. What amazes me in all of this is that the Premium buses have lost their status.  When that service started it was much better than the regular service so I made the sacrifice and took the premium.  The lick shot drivers have now taken over the premium service.  Last week I took one of the 320 the television was blasting at the highest decibel.  Up to this morning the driver of the 315 had his cap turned back ways, his window wide open and his right hand outside of the window.  Shameful!!  How do these drivers see themselves?  Do they see themselves as important human beings offering a very vital service to their nation?  I doubt it.

I am suggesting that systems be put in place immediately to curb some of these way ward practices by some of these drivers.

1.    that there be a month of grace for retraining, re socializing, communication and implementation. 
2.    first breach committed by a driver for loud music, opening of window, et cetera, a warning letter,
3.    second breach, deduction of one day’s pay,
4.    third breach deduction of two days’ pay,
5.    fourth breach, suspension without pay for one week.
6.    After three months an assessment be done with feedback from the public.  You would be amazed to see the marked improvement in these drivers’ attitude.  

There are indeed some good drivers employed to the JUTC, 17Ax, 20AX, and a number of the women.  The management just cannot allow this billion dollar company to be destroyed.     

I am inviting you to stand any day of the week  at Jamaica National in HWT across from the Transport Centre,  at the stop light at the top of Hagley Park Road, Portmore Mall and Downtown Kingston and count the number of air condition buses with the driver’s window open and their hands outside of the buses, earphones in ears and music blasting.  This needs to stop.


Management, please start managing.  In the days when there was no JUTC buses and we travelled by the Executive buses from Greater Portmore to New Kingston I have never seen one of those executive buses with their windows open.   Many of those buses are nearly 20 years old and they are still on the route.


Why is it that we have to destroy everything we call ‘GoJ property?   Mr Campbell, Mr Finnikin, it takes much more than rolling out of buses to run a bus company.  It takes policies, rules, guidelines, systems, structures, protocol, processes, and most of all communication.   Over to you, all.



YB

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