Due to seasonal activities and the arrival of relatives from New York for a short stay, this post will be curtailed and quite incomplete. So, forgive me.
On crime-related matters:
921 “rape kits” awaiting analysis: It was admitted in Parliament last week that the physical evidence from 921 rape cases is still awaiting analysis at the government forensic laboratories (which Minister of National Security Peter Bunting said he wanted to “strengthen” quite recently). This is frightening. It will take a year to clear up the backlog, but there seems to be no indication that this is possible, and meanwhile there have been hundreds more rapes this year. This is symptomatic of the painful (Gleaner: “921 rape kits awaiting analysis, authorities struggling with backlog”).
All hell broke loose in rural St. Elizabeth on Friday. Television cameras swerved around in the half-dark, as huge crowds of residents lay in wait for a 30-year-old man to emerge from a house where he had allegedly chopped his 18-year-old girlfriend and mother of his child (she died later in hospital). The police had a terrible time keeping the baying mob away. They struggled for eight hours to extract the man from the house but eventually succeeded with the help of soldiers, while the angry crowd threw rocks and even fired shots at them. When I watch this kind of thing on our TV screen, dark shadows creep over my heart. The story behind all of this is so tragic and increasingly commonplace: the girl became pregnant for an older man at age fifteen. From the reports I have seen, it appears that her family knew that he was physically abusing and threatening her; but they had allowed the situation to continue. (Sunday Observer: “Eighteen-year-old allegedly chopped to death by her child’s father”).
But the newspaper headline was “Crime of Passion.” No, this was not a crime of passion. It was the end of a relationship that had been abusive for years (yet unreported), beginning with the rape of a young girl under the age of consent (which is sixteen) and her subsequent pregnancy. So sad. Older men, leave the young girls alone! It is not cool. Nuh guh deh!
Violent lyrics: The difficult and complex discussion continues in parliamentary committee (and in society) over a clause in the proposed anti-gang legislation that intends to ban lyrics promoting violence. Justice Minister Mark Golding specified this would refer to violence against the police and informants. (Violence against the LGBT community, children, women etc is presumably not as heinous?) Hopefully he will re-think this. Minister Damion “Rasta Yute” Crawford is, of course, strongly opposed to the whole idea, because violent dancehall lyrics are cool with him (National Security Minister Peter Bunting told him that no, it’s not the same thing as violent movies – that’s the Broadcasting Commission!) However, this smacks of censorship. Plus, it won’t work. Better to educate people on…I am not going to call it “Jamaican culture.” I sincerely hope that advocating violent rape is not a part of our culture. (Gleaner: “Split on hate music – legislators battle over proposed criminalization of violent lyrics”).
What the hell are “warheads”? The local media seem to be using this word more and more, and it has always annoyed me. But now, it has caused major PR problems for Jamaica. Private sector leader Chris Zacca has expressed great concern about the way in which a major find at Kingston’s port was reported – and then repeated all over the international media via an Associated Press report as “missile warheads” and “heavy weaponry.” They are actually the tips of regular bullets. The find of a bullet-making machine along with the bullets (not missiles!) last week is alarming, however. I hope the police track down the person that the shipment was assigned to (could they not have laid in wait and caught him/her red-handed?) Meanwhile, this description of the bullets needs to be corrected – immediately… Although, actually, it is rather too late I fear.
Sweetness and light at CHEC: I just read a lovely little PR piece from China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) – the future builders of the “logistics hub” that may destroy our beautiful Portland Bight Protected Area – about what a lovely company it is to work for. It gave me a warm glow inside… (Gleaner: “China Harbour bridges cultures through stimulating activities”).
Ganja as medicine (no, NOT to get high): Since the Minister of Health put his firm stamp of approval on medicinal marijuana a week or so ago, other doctors have come out in support. The pioneering Dr. Henry Lowe is eager to develop an extract through his firm (and presumably make money from it) and most Jamaicans think it’s a good idea, according to a local opinion pollster. Five per cent even think it’s great to wash their hair in ganja! (no, thanks). So it’s all go. Let’s see where we end up with it. (Observer: “Ganja medicine”).
Caribbean “wars”: I attended a very interesting presentation by the Caribbean Policy Development Centre, including contributions from Barbadian Julius Gittens (a former journalist of no mean order) on the matter of free movement of workers within the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) – specifically domestic workers and artisans. I learnt a great deal and there is much more to say on this issue that is consuming many Jamaican commentators. I agree with columnist Barbara Gloudon (who incidentally is married to a Trinidadian) when she says, “We must do something and quickly. We should be sensible and sensitive enough to recognise that build-up is better than tear-down.” But the “Trinis” are the mean old bad guys now (although I’m guessing that many Jamaicans still love their soca music). Come on now. As the Beatles once sang, “We can work it out.” (Observer: “Neighbours at war?”)
Hope someone can help brave five-year-old Demario Willesley, who is suffering from a rare kind of eye cancer and also has sickle cell? And his mother desperately needs a home as they are imposing on relatives. (Gleaner: “Optimistic Demario”).
Have you ever seen a headline “Eight heterosexuals in custody for robbery” ? No, I thought not. Why does a report on the arrest of some young homeless men (living in a gully in New Kingston) need to focus on their sexual orientation? Observer and CVM Television somehow thought this was relevant.
Perfumed bouquets of flowers go out to:
Roslyn Ellison and the amazing staff at Trench Town Reading Centre, who celebrated twenty years last weekend. It was a fantastic, well-supported event. Deepest thanks too to the great writers and performers who took the time to come down and engage the children. They loved every minute of it.
Scotiabank – and in particular Mr. Lissant Mitchell – for their ongoing support for the Trench Town Reading Centre. They are fantastic, and what is particularly touching is that it truly comes from the heart.
The amazing Eve for Life team for launching a brave, challenging but extremely important campaign, “Nuh Guh Deh.” Men, stop having sex with young girls! Leave them alone… The launch event was emotional, but also provided the opportunity for much sharing of information and experience. Eve for Life will now be carrying the campaign forward with community chats. And “big ups” to all the organizations who were present (including UNICEF, which has provided tremendous support). (See the Sunday Gleaner reports, “Nuh Guh Deh!” and “Wrong road!”)
Dr. Carolyn Gomes, a Jamaican woman whom I admire enormously, who has just stepped down as Executive Director of the human rights lobby group Jamaicans for Justice (which she co-founded) after thirteen years at the helm. Carolyn has had an enormous impact on Jamaican society, whether some Jamiacans would like to believe it or not. She has endured abuse, vitriolic criticism and numerous death threats over the years, but has soldiered on regardless. I wish her all the best as she moves on to head Caribbean Vulnerable Communities (CVC) – another great NGO that defends the rights of the powerless and marginalized. The Jamaica Observer wrote a good editorial about her on Friday (“Putting Dr. Carolyn Gomes in context”).
Jamaican bloggers: In particular, new kid on the block Donald Oliver (http://thedonaldoliver.wordpress.com) and cucumberjuice.wordpress.com, who did an excellent job of tweeting Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller‘s speech and Q and A session during her latest overseas trip to Brussels. Look them up and follow them! Hailing up all Jamaican bloggers, at home and abroad!
Congratulations Zahra Burton and 18 Degrees North on their award for Sagicor Health Reporting from the Press Association of Jamaica for their story on HIV. All the more remarkable because it is their first season on TVJ. Stay tuned for another season next year. They are already hard at work on new investigative pieces that shed light on issues in the Caribbean.
And in the traditional media, broadcast journalist Dionne Jackson-Miller – a regular tweeter too – who is the Press Association of Jamaica’s Journalist of the Year. Many congratulations! Dionne is thorough, rigorous and fearless. Now, I would love to see her have more women interlocutors on her excellent television and radio programs. A bit more gender balance please…
Kudos too, to all the journalists who received awards on Friday night. Special “big-ups” to the husband and wife team of Kayon Raynor and Petre Williams-Raynor, who each won awards.
Condolences to the families and friends of all these Jamaicans who have died violently in the past few days.
Kimberley Simpson, 18, Bromington Hall/Nain, St. Elizabeth
Marcine Williams, 80, Linstead, St. Catherine
Michael Williams, 53, Linstead, St. Catherine
Michael Hall, 59, Red Ground/Old Harbour, St. Catherine
Lorenzo Stewart, 40, Johnson Mountain, St. Thomas
Owen Reid, 42, Johnson Mountain, St. Thomas
Valdane Laing, 27, Beacon Hill, St. Thomas
Killed by police:
Dean Kemar Nelson, Greenwich Farm, Kingston
Mark Dwight Clarke, Swallowfield, Kingston
Davion Morris, 22, Montego Bay, St. James
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