Give All Youth the Same Job Opportunities

A recent interview in the Sunday's Outlook magazine profiled one of Jamaica's most charming personality, Dorothy Pine-McLarty, who has dedicated many years to not only the legal profession but to her country. Her interview indicated the difficulties she experienced in breaking the barriers that impeded women during her time from entering male dominated professions. But, she overcame the hurdles and have had a very successful career. However, in comparing her life of discrimination to the special opportunities extended to her daughter, it was obvious to see nepotism at its best in Jamaica. Surely there are many brilliant Jamaican students who, if they had such influential parent, they too would be able to gain first class experience working and learning from well-known executives at Grace Kennedy, JAMPRO, Sandals, Myers, Fletcher, and Gordon. Yet, unfortunately, these brilliant minds are struggling to obtain employment as they constantly receive depressing news from job applications that they do not have experience. How can these young people gain experience if they do not have any connections who will provide them with experience through mentoring. In a perfect world, we would hope that the playing field could be leveled so that all young people will have equal opportunity to gain experience working and learning through mentorship at some of the top companies in Jamaica.

Friendship Over Experience for Political Jobs

There has now been a call for the resignation of Jennifer Edwards, the director of NSWMA due her obvious incompetency in handling the many deliberate fires that have been set at the Riverton dump. Yet, Ms. Edwards is just one of the many persons, appointed to high level government jobs, who have failed tax payers by their inability to perform their jobs effectively. Yet, can these politicians be totally to blame. It is a continued bad practice of the incoming Prime Ministers to show their appreciation to supporters who helped in their election by assigning them to top government jobs in spite of the fact that these friends usually know nothing about the job. It is even more a disaster if a Prime Minister with limited intellectual capacity is given the sole reign to make such an important decision. This results in chaos in leadership as seen with too many of the government appointees. Permanent secretaries and other knowledgeable staff must be frustrated with their behind the scenes work that makes these appointees look good.On Cliff Hughes Online, he provided a great suggestion for government appointees in the future to come before parliament to answer questions as to their experience and how they would be an effective leader for their appointed high profile position. Jamaica mimics the U.S. in practically everything so why not copy the process of selection for high profile federal government positions. It is only through such a system that Jamaican will not have to continuously complain each time political leaders demonstrate how incompetent they are through their inability to successful perform their jobs.

Riverton City Dump Fire's Government Connections

News on the government's connection with the Riverton City dump fires is finally coming to light. Over the years, people were falsely led to believe that the residents of the community were primarily responsible for setting the dump on fire. However, since this recent fire got out of hand and greatly impacted the health, education, businesses of such a large cross section of the Kingston, St. Andrew, and St. Catherine, news sources finally began an investigation of this recurring problem. Not surprising, the news indicate that the government may have played a part in the spate of fires that have been occurring at the dump over the year. Reports have shown that these fires occur twice or three times at particular periods each year. The Inter Development Bank (IDB) provided $12 million to the Jamaican government with the understanding that the government would match the amount to convert the dump into a landfill. Yet, the government indicates that they have no money to secure a modern, sanitary landfill.  They claim that they can't afford to restructure the dump; however, reports indicate that the government has no difficulty finding millions of dollars every time the dumps are on fire to pay the politically connected supporters with thousands of hours of overtime and contractors such as those owning trucks and  D9 and D10 tractors that are used at the dumps during the frequent fires. Surely, the total costs to pay the politically connected must have accrued so far over $12 million which the government was suppose to match with the unaccountable $12 million from the IDB. But, there is a lot of money to be made in setting the dump on fire, and the poor residents of Riverton City are certainly not the benefactors of this money making government scheme. It is a shame that such a criminal act has been instigated at the expense and health of residents. The incompetence of the government clearly indicates the shame among their own board of directors whose names and photos are missing from its website.

UPDATE 3/19/2015: In response to an interviewer's question that Jennifer Edwards should be fired our dear Prime Minister, Portia Simpson responded - "She (Jennifer Edwards) didn't set the fire!" What an embarrassing, untelligent statement from the mouth of a prime minister.

Pedophilia in Jamaica is an Age Old Problem

People are upset over the recent spate of sexual attacks on not only girls but boys. It is quite understandable how anyone could be upset when our precious young ones are molested and violently murdered. The number of cases identified by the local media would give an impression that sexual molestation of minors have been a recent phenomenon. However, pedophilia has always been a prevalent, crime in Jamaica but has not been brought to the forefront by the media until the recent atrocious murders. This crime not only plagues children in the countryside but also throughout the cities with adults in homes taking advantages of minors. And, this crime does not solely occur in a victim's home. Places of worship, the church, are known to harbor pedophiles who portray themselves as "men of God". As a result, these "men of God" have been abusing the trust of their congregation. Throughout the years, many Catholic priests have been associated with pedophilia. But, this crime is not only common to the catholic religion since recent reports on National Public Radio (NPR) indicates that the Jehovah Witness have been plagued with child abusers, such as Jonathan Kendrick. While the Watch Tower have tried to keep this crime among themselves, a lawsuit by a member have made the troubling act known to the public. It is important for mothers and female adults to form lasting bonds with minors so that children will feel comfortable speaking to an adult when they are troubled such as experiencing sexual molestation. It is only then that children will have a chance to stand up for themselves.

Dishonest Jamaican Attorneys Continue to be Arrested

Here we go again! Within 24 hours, two well known attorneys for so many years in Jamaica are arrested for fraud. Michael Lorne and Harold Brady (Brady - possibly for the second time). These are not isolated cases since over the years a long list of other well known and unknown Jamaican attorneys have been accused of the ripping off clients' monies after selling their homes or properties for millions of dollars. Why is this situation so prevalent in Jamaica among attorneys who are expected to earn high remuneration and benefits that will enable them to live a very comfortable life? Yet, for many this income is not sufficient since their greed causes them to want to compete in their social circles to own the latest model luxury car, the biggest house on the hills, the most expensive clothes, etc., etc., etc. Quite often than not in showing off, they put themselves in debt since they are living above their means. The social climate in Jamaica is to be associated with wealth and for the most part it is not possible for the masses to live like the 2% who monopolize the wealth of the country. Sadly, the atmosphere is filled with a "red eye" mentality so deceptive practices of attorneys will continue. It is important for Jamaicans living abroad to do their homework and find the few honest, reputable attorneys who are not consumed by greed