Disturbing news from our neighbors in Trinidad and Tobago this morning: Attorney-at-law, former Independent Senator and State Prosecutor Dana Seetahal was shot dead in the early hours of the morning in Port of Spain, in what appears to have been a targeted “hit.” Any loss of life is tragic, but this murder has shocked Trinidadians. My condolences to Ms. Seetahal’s family.
Yesterday was World Press Freedom Day. On Friday UNESCO held its annual Caribbean forum, this year in Kingston. The journalists walked to Emancipation Park and read out their Declaration (from the Press Association of Jamaica, Association of Caribbean Media Workers and International Press Institute) calling, most importantly, for “Caribbean governments as a matter of urgency to abolish criminal defamation legislation and common law criminal defamation rules, as well as review civil defamation laws and all other laws that restrict media freedom.” Read the full Declaration on journalist Dionne Jackson Miller’s blog: http://newsandviewsbydjmillerja.wordpress.com.
I don’t know where to start with the appalling débacle (perhaps implosion is a better word) of the Energy World International (EWI) bid to build a 381 megawatt power plant. Throughout the week there have been demands for Energy Minister Phillip Paulwell’s resignation (from the Opposition Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and the Jamaica Civil Society Coalition, among others) and for Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller to intervene, or at least make a statement. Exercise some leadership! Her silence is deafening.
So what has been happening? EWI’s license was significantly amended at the behest of the Minister to comply with the firm’s wishes, it appears. The Energy Monitoring Committee, consisting of three private sector organizations, told the media they had decided to resign, and they want Minister Paulwell removed from the process. Yesterday Contractor General Dirk Harrison said he will not retract statements recommending that the license not be awarded to EWI, which influenced the Inter-American Development Bank’s decision not to fund it. The meddling Minister had asked him to do so, it appears, to convince the IDB that they should have no concerns, really. This is all so disturbing.
Not so very long ago, I named Mr. Paulwell my favorite minister; he seemed so upbeat, so focused, with such good ideas. I am sorely disappointed. I am reminded of the Netserv fiasco, when I had the same uncomfortable feeling – like something was stuck to my skin and I couldn’t get it off. Ugh. This is just not right at all.
Minister Paulwell explains that he really has the interests of Jamaica at heart: he is eager to obtain the lowest-possible rates for our electricity, and EWI can ship the Liquefied Natural Gas over here, so they are his choice for those reasons. (What about the regasification plant and all of that?) Anyway, he is going for it. Exuberantly.
It’s not clear to me what happens next. All I do know is that, during an oddly informal, almost self-congratulatory Rotary Club speech I saw on television a few days ago, Minister Paulwell’s eyes lit up when someone mentioned what he called “the C-word,” – China. Are they going to come to the rescue?
Meanwhile, the new President of the Almighty CHEC paid a visit to the Prime Minister, who simpered. Close at hand was a smug-looking Minister Davies. Cosy.
Amidst all of this, our Minister of Finance withdrew the controversial bank withdrawal tax. I am sure we will hear more at some point on this subject. After all, there’s still a hole in the budget to fill.
Former firebrand to take over: Mr. Paul Burke, a political figure from the 1970s, is to take over as General Secretary of the People’s National Party. Mr. Burke’s wife Angela Brown Burke is Mayor of Kingston. Mr. Burke is renowned as a skillful political strategist and is expected to out-strategize the JLP, who I am told should be quaking in their boots. Whatever Mr. Burke’s past, present or future is, it’s a pity we can’t have some “fresh” political faces.
May is Child Month and UNICEF has put out its annual report on the state of Jamaica’s children. As usual, it makes for utterly depressing reading. Apart from the plight of children in state care, the almost universal abuse of children in the name of “discipline” still prevails. UNICEF declared, “To be a boy, poor and living in rural Jamaica is a guarantee to be violently punished.” Its Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey shows that 85 per cent of children aged 2 – 14 years have endured some kind of physical punishment – mostly boys. And we wonder why we have such a violent society? These parents who are only too willing to get their belt out and whip their child don’t seem to be seeing the connection. A common response is, “Well, my parents did it to me and it never did me any harm.” (Yes, it did – you are now brutalizing your own children).
A hefty pat on the back to…
- All those responsible for the creation of the Made in Jamaica Catalogue – the 2014 Go Global Issue. You can find it at http://www.jamaicacatalogue.com. It’s not so much a catalogue as a collection of feature articles (editor-in-chief is Deika Morrison) designed to support Expo Jamaica, highlighting Jamaican products (tangible and intangible) and their global reach.
- Panos Caribbean (based in Haiti and Jamaica) for their recent stakeholder meeting with health care workers to address issues relating to their interactions with gay men. Panos are not afraid to tackle areas that other organizations might shy away from. They deserve the utmost support for their ground-breaking work, as they seek to sensitize media and communications workers on these topics. An awesome team.
- The Jamaica Bobsled team recently won a prestigious Webby Award (Athlete of the Year) for its crowd-funding achievement that allowed it to travel to the Winter Olympics. The Webbys note: “When faced with the challenge of funding their trip to the Sochi Olympics, Winston Watts and his teammate Marvin Dixon sagely turned not to local committees or governments, but rather to the Internet.” See: http://webbyawards.com/winners/2014/special-achievement/webby-athlete-of-the-year/jamaican-bobsled-team.
A woman and her two children were found stabbed to death near their home in the rural district of Ramble, near Porus, last Wednesday. I extend my condolences to the family and to the loved ones of all those who lost their lives in the past week…
Wilford Williams, 34, Banana Ground, Manchester
Nadine Carridice, 42, Porus, Manchester
Jevaughn Thomas, 16, Porus, Manchester
Roshane Ellis, 11, Porus, Manchester
Simone Grossett, Cambridge, St. James
Howell Pommells, 51, Waterford/Portmore, St. Catherine
Keino Williams, 30, Caymanas Gardens/Portmore, St. Catherine
Unidentified man, St. John’s Road/Spanish Town, St. Catherine
Unidentified man, St. John’s Road/Spanish Town, St. Catherine
On the road: It was a very bad week. Eleven people died in road accidents. There are accident “hotspots” (one of them being the main road in Boscobel, St. Mary) that I am sure could be more tightly policed. When drivers see a nice smooth road they just start driving too fast. Another major issue is that motorbike riders do not wear helmets; this is against the law, and they know it, and the police must enforce it.
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