Mangoes, Mosquitoes: It’s May 26, 2013

We have had alternate sun and heavy rain for most of the week, and our garden is glowing. The house is full of a) mangoes and b) mosquitoes – the former far more pleasant than the latter of course, and mostly of the slightly tart Bombay variety.

As for the second half of the week, it has been somewhat tense – for several reasons. Firstly…

The teachers get nasty… The Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA), after many ominous rumblings, went on the attack during consultations with their members in some parishes. There are several issues at stake – all of which, I believe, could be resolved by sitting down round a table with Education Minister Ronald Thwaites. It’s something called negotiation. The JTA is, essentially, a trade union; and that is what trade unions are supposed to do with governments. Negotiate. Admittedly, the Minister’s style is pedantic, and a little condescending at times. His comments on the generous paid study leave and paid vacations that teachers currently enjoy may have ruffled a few feathers. However, that is no excuse for the uncouth, insulting remarks made by some past JTA presidents on public platforms. One referred to a “mongrel dog” – asserting that the JTA is a mean old puss that will not be intimidated – with accompanying aggressive body language. Another suggested that the Minister must be on cocaine, which his audience of teachers found most amusing. And the term “backra massa” used by another leading teacher to describe the Minister has certain unpleasant connotations. Please. Stop it.

…but may lose the PR battle: Let’s face it. There are so many things wrong with the Jamaican education system it’s hard to know where to start. But I believe Minister Thwaites is open to a frank discussion with the teachers on the many complex issues affecting the system and those who work in it. And can we start thinking about the students, please? It’s worth looking back at Jaevion Nelson’s Gleaner column from a few weeks ago. Jaevion is good with statistics, and they speak for themselves. Be careful, teachers (and yes, I know there are many dedicated, hard-working teachers out there). The behavior of some of your leaders is not endearing you to the general public. And many Jamaicans are really not too impressed with the results you are producing. In its latest report, the National Education Inspectorate is none too thrilled by the state of our schools, either. Shape up, please!

Emotions running high: We had back to back anniversaries, on Thursday and Friday, for two extremely painful events that took place on May 22, 2009, and May 23, 2010 respectively: the terrible fire at the Armadale Juvenile Correctional Centre, in which seven young girls perished; and the onslaught on Tivoli Gardens by security forces, during which at least 77 Jamaican citizens died. UNICEF Jamaica did a marvelous job with photo essays and interviews on Armadale, which can be viewed on their Facebook page and which got wide media coverage. As for the Tivoli affair, there is a strange (and to me, really disturbing) ambivalence in some Jamaicans’ attitudes (see the comments on the Jamaica Observer article “Tivoli still hurting” below as an example). The residents of Tivoli had it coming to them; they were mostly criminals; they supported their “don.” Why should we feel sorry for them? There is also the posturing of the Jamaica Labour Party, and in particular the current Member of Parliament for the area Desmond McKenzie, who does not want a Commission of Enquiry. I wonder why.

Lovely PR: On the Armadale anniversary, our glamorous Youth Minister Lisa Hanna was at a smart uptown hotel for a photo-op and a feel-good speech. At the event, an overseas-based Jamaican diaspora organization, Children of Jamaica Outreach, Inc., (COJO) presented scholarships and tablets to three former wards of state for pursuing tertiary education; and the Minister joined in. I am extremely happy for these young people, and COJO are to be congratulated for their philanthropy. Minister Hanna also congratulated the three for “braving the odds” – a term used frequently in a Jamaica Information Service release. The odds are certainly against them. Most of the recommendations of the Commission of Enquiry into the Armadale fire have not been implemented, and conditions have hardly improved for wards of state – especially the girls. All “lovely PR,” as Susan Goffe of Jamaicans for Justice commented on radio. Now read today’s front page Sunday Gleaner report about Vanessa Wint, who committed suicide in an adult prison several months ago.

And lovely trips, too: While Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller and her delegation of (at a guess?) eight, nine or ten people including the “support team” enjoy their stay in Addis Ababa for the African Union celebrations, there are other trips afoot. National Security Minister Peter Bunting is leading a delegation (size also unknown) to meet with the Vice President of the United States, Joe Biden, at a CARICOM Heads of State meeting tomorrow in Port of Spain. One wonders why a minister with just over one  year’s experience would be attending such a high-level meeting; then I thought, perhaps it’s all about security. But no. CARICOM will be signing a trade accord with the United States. Why isn’t the much more senior Finance Minister Peter Phillips or Trade Minister Anthony Hylton attending, in that case? And why is Transport Minister Omar Davies in charge of the government in Portia’s absence? I would have thought…Minister Phillips?

Am I obsessed with foreign trips? Why, you may ask, my preoccupation with the size of delegations, etc? Well, we know for sure that the African trip cost J$8.6 million. We are confused. We have been told to tighten our belts, here at home. Did some people not get that message? Oh, I see. It’s ordinary Jamaicans who are to tighten their belts; politicians can continue letting theirs out. And what does the International Monetary Fund have to say on this, I wonder? Please bear in mind that the Prime Minister says she always, always travels first class…

Quick question: According to recent reports, both tourism and bauxite mining are currently in decline. Aren’t these our two major earners of foreign exchange? Just asking.

Cheers to the following: 

• My fellow Jamaican bloggers, who came together on the first Jamaica Blog Day (May 23) to focus on police abuses. Many voices and perspectives. See link below.
• Sandals Whitehouse and the U.S. Peace Corps for a great little environmental project in Beeston Spring – recycling plastic bottles and getting students and their parents involved.
• UNICEF Jamaica for their ongoing awareness program during May (Child Month) on children at risk, which I believe has been very successful in the traditional and social media.
• Jamaicans for Justice for their series of columns for Child Month in the Gleaner. Well written, hard-hitting and asking all the right questions. Answers, please!
• Young Randy McLaren, dub poet and “creative activist,” for his moving and beautiful video in remembrance of the Armadale fire, its victims and survivors.
• Jamaican Fulbright Scholar and tweep Bianca Welds, who will be departing tomorrow for a six-month trip to Italy. Bianca responded to a tweet, offering her an opportunity to join a business startup program. She is interviewed by her alma mater, St. Andrew’s High School (which has a great online/social media presence). See link below for video interviews, and see htpp://www.f6s.com and http://biancawelds.com. Bon voyage, Bianca!
• The young and brilliant gay rights activist Javed Jaghai, whose case challenging the archaic buggery laws will come up in the Supreme Court on June 26. Such courage.
• Mr. Daniel Thwaites (yes, Minister Ronnie’s son) for an amusing and clever column in today’s Sunday Gleaner, beginning with a great sentence: “Is there anything easier to be mega-hypocritical about than teenage sexuality?” Mmm. Probably not, Daniel.
• Mr. Chris Serju for a thoughtful column on the issue of land use in Jamaica – a fundamental issue, indeed. See the link below. Chris is an excellent writer on agriculture. Well worth a read.
• The Brownies of Yallahs Primary School in St. Thomas for reaching out to the deaf community. I hope they will all learn sign language.

Although major crimes are reportedly declining, I do not see much change in the sad little list at the end of each post that I write. My deepest sympathies to the families of the following Jamaicans, who have been killed in the past four days. Please let us not forget that whatever lives these people led, they leave behind grieving relatives, friends, and some leave children without a mother or a father, too… 

Tracy-Ann Richards, 33, Duhaney Park, Kingston 20

Shandon Levy, 14, downtown Kingston

Desmond Brown, 49, Red Pond, St. Catherine

Paulette Campbell, 44, Hayes, Clarendon

Unidentified man, Spaulding, Clarendon

Killed by the police:

Ramone Wright, St. John’s Road/Spanish Town, St. Catherine

Rohan Campbell, 23, Hamilton Gardens/Portmore, St. Catherine

Damion Jarrett, 30, Latore Ave/Waltham Park, Kingston

Related articles and links (local blog posts in purple):

http://jablogday.tumblr.com/post/51181833688/ja-blog-day-2013-posts Jamaica Blog Day: links to 22 blog posts on police abuses – May 23, 2013

http://rjrnewsonline.com/local/public-defender-urges-government-to-await-balistics-report Public Defender urges government to await ballistics report: RJR News

http://rjrnewsonline.com/local/witter-challenges-mckenzie-to-tell-all-he-knows-about-tivoli-incursion Witter challenges McKenzie to tell all he knows about Tivoli incursion: RJR News

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20130523/lead/lead92.html PM, ministers heading overseas: Gleaner

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/CARICOM-US-to-sign-trade-accord CARICOM, U.S. to sign trade accord: Jamaica Observer

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20130425/cleisure/cleisure2.html Poverty has little bearing on students: Jaevion Nelson column/Gleaner (April 25, 2013)

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/latest/article.php?id=45153 Teachers accuse minister of taking “baccra massa” approach: Gleaner

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20130525/letters/letters1.html Hijacking the teaching profession: Letter of the Day/Gleaner

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20130526/letters/letters2.html Rein in police death squads: Horace Levy letter/Sunday Gleaner

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/Tivoli-still-hurting_14323359 Tivoli still hurting: Jamaica Observer

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20130524/lead/lead3.html Memories of May: Madness! Murder! Mayhem! Gary Spaulding article/Gleaner

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20130524/cleisure/cleisure4.html Revealing Jamaica’s soul: Stacey’s story is not uncommon: Jamaicans for Justice column/Gleaner

http://www.jis.gov.jm/news/leads-108/34007 Wards of the State overcoming the odds: Jamaica Information Service

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20130526/lead/lead2.html Rising from Armadale’s ashes: UNICEF article/Sunday Gleaner

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20130526/lead/lead1.html She cried, “Help!” Authorities knew troubled teen was suicidal months before she killed herself: Sunday Gleaner

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20130526/focus/focus8.html Revealing Jamaica’s soul: How others see us: Jamaicans for Justice column/Sunday Gleaner

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/A-university-dream-comes-true-for-three-wards-of-the-state_14318995 A university dream comes true for three wards of the state: Jamaica Observer

http://rjrnewsonline.com/local/policeman-charged-in-connection-with-armadale-fire-still-on-interdiction Policeman charged in connection with Armadale fire still on interdiction: RJR News

http://www.jis.gov.jm/news/leads/34015 Employment up: Jamaica Information Service

http://digjamaica.com/blog/2013/05/17/chart-of-the-week-murder-by-parish-january-to-april-2013/ Chart of the Week: Murders by parish, January to April 2013: diGJamaica.com

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/Keith-Clarke-s-family-seeks-big-compensation Government sued: Keith Clarke’s family seeks big compensation: Jamaica Observer

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20130526/news/news11.html Another challenge to buggery laws: Sunday Gleaner

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20130526/cleisure/cleisure5.html In defense of “Jacqueline”: Daniel Thwaites column/Sunday Gleaner

http://www.solarbuzzjamaica.com/2013/05/set-inner-city-electricity-rate/ Set inner-city electricity rate: solarbuzzjamaica.com

http://rjrnewsonline.com/business/decline-in-earnings-from-mining-sector Decline in earnings from mining sector: RJR News

http://www.jis.gov.jm/news/leads/33994 PIOJ Head says multi-billion projects will contribute to growth projections: Jamaica Information Service

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20130525/cleisure/cleisure1.html Agriculture digging its grave: Gleaner editorial

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20130526/focus/focus2.html Halt farmland capture: Chris Serju article/Sunday Gleaner

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/business/Interest-rates-are-on-the-rise_14323268 Interest rates are on the rise: Jamaica Observer

http://www.jis.gov.jm/news/leads-104/34017 Senate approves bill on charitable organizations: Jamaica Information Service

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20130520/lead/lead9.html Hylton living in logistics dream world: Gleaner commentary

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20130524/lead/lead1.html RADA is a failure: agri stakeholders say agency not fulfilling mandate: Gleaner

http://hill60bump.com/2013/05/24/the-2013-hurricane-season-caribbean-predictions/ The 2013 hurricane season: Caribbean predictions: hill60bump.com

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20130524/lead/lead6.html Busta, Manley get touch-up: Gleaner

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20130525/news/news6.html Yallahs Primary Brownies reach out to deaf community: Gleaner

http://sahsmuseum.tumblr.com/post/51412364253/alumna Bianca Welds, a second generation SAHS alumna: St Andrew High School Museum on tumblr.

Chris Serju, the best writer on agriculture around. (Photo: Gleaner)

Dub poet Randy McLaren with Eve for Life’s Joy Crawford at a recent meeting. (My photo)

The marvelous Ms. Bianca Welds, Fulbright Scholar, pan player and bright spirit. (Photo: panoridim.net)

Vanessa Wint died in an adult remand prison at age sixteen, on November 22, 2012.

Javed Jaghai. (Photo: Davis United World Scholars Program/Dartmouth College)

Member of Parliament for West Kingston and former Mayor of Kingston Desmond McKenzie. (Photo: Jamaica Observer)

This resident of Tivoli Gardens said members of the security forces stole jewelry, cash, food, and liquor from his home. (Photo: Michael Gordon/Jamaica Observer)

An elated Shallene Oliver (second right), accepts her scholarship award valued at US$4,000 from Chairman and Founder of Children of Jamaica Outreach Inc. (COJO), Gary Williams (right), during the organization’s annual scholarship awards luncheon, held at the Spanish Court Hotel in Kingston on May 22. Sharing in the moment (from left) are: Chief Executive Officer of the Child Development Agency (CDA), Carla Francis-Edie; and Minister of Youth and Culture, Hon. Lisa Hanna. Shallene was one of three wards of the State who were presented with scholarships to assist with tertiary-level studies. (Photo: Jamaica Information Service)

President of the Jamaica Teachers’ Association Clayton Hall. I wonder why almost all JTA Presidents are men, while women make up a very large percentage of the teaching profession?

Attorney-at-law and columnist Daniel Thwaites.

Krystal, a survivor of the Armadale fire, with her newborn child. (Photo: UNICEF)