Children Are No Longer Old Age Pension

The high bushy unkept grass surrounded a box style unpainted house. This little house stood out among adjacent homes that boasted elaborate room additions within beautiful fenced walls. Who lived at this house that appeared in its original rough-looking state that was delivered upon purchase so many years ago. Why was nothing ever done to enhance the plain original structure - not even a fence? "What? She had nine children!", shouted a neighbor to another as they looked at the property of the elderly lady who had recently passed away. No one in the area could have imagined that this lady had nine children as they didn't remember seeing any of them coming to visit their mother. "Yes", said one lady who was a close friend to the deceased woman. "She often visited some of them in Kingston until Covid when she could no longer travel so far to see them or even wanted to leave the house." "She also has those children who live abroad." "Nine adult children and not even one could make an effort to bring joy to their mother by helping her to fix up her house!" exclaimed one neighbor. Years ago, some people in Jamaica would say that their children are their old age pension. Not even having nine children is a guarantee that even one will be there to assist when parents become old. Time has changed!

The Day Jamaica Stood Up To Against England

December 21, 2020, should be remembered as a day when Jamaica got one up over the United Kingdom. No, it was not a victory in winning a cricketmatch. It was the day Jamaica closed its borders to England due to England's reported new Covid strain. No one would ever have predicted that such a day would come to pass when Jamaica would stand up to their mighty former colonizer. No one would have thought that Jamaica would eventually have shown their independence after tolerating England's mistreatment of and profiting off the backs of their slave ancestorsas they toiled the land; disrespected Windrush Immigrants whose hard work for many years was met with the threats of deportation and actual deportations; revoked the ability of Jamaicans to effortlessly travel to England that enslaved their ancestors for centuries etc., etc., etc., Next for Jamaica is to remove the queen as head of state. It is time to take a stand against England and the time is now! 

What's Up with 'Dat'!: Jamaica - Land of Sun, Fun, and Jungle Justice

What's Up with 'Dat'!: Jamaica - Land of Sun, Fun, and Jungle Justice: Jamaica has always been promoted as a tourist destination that is welcoming to all visitors who want to get away from their monotonous l...

Don't Waste Time With SERHA - Just Sue

The South East Regional Health Authority (SERHA) is intended to be the watch dog of the public hospitals throughout Jamaica. When patients experience injustices, they are expected to use SERHA as an outlet to investigate their issues and provide non-biased findings. Wrong!! The SERHA consists of hospital personnel who are investigating the wrong doings of their own workers. So, don't expect an SERHA investigator to contact you while conducting the investigation much less present findings that will chastise any medical personnel. The results will always come back inconclusive and pat the hospital personnel on the back with a final report that their personnel only acted in the best interest of the patient and did absolutely nothing wrong. The only involvement the concerned party will have is participating in a wrap-up meeting with a hospital executive and other leaders to share the hospital's findings and to obtain that person's signature and comments to close out the case. That's all anyone will get ...nothing more.  So, what's the next best option to resolve government hospital injustices that recently include the stealing of babies and the removal of a woman's uterus without her permission? Don't waste time contacting the Ministry of Health or SERHA - just find all possible ways to gather finances to hire an attorney to sue the hospital system. That is the only way any action will be taken to address health injustices at the public hospitals in Jamaica

Baby Stolen At Victoria Jubilee

Baby Stolen At Cornwall Regional Hospital

No Elevators for Pregnant Mothers at Hospital

KPH Problems

Buildings Without Consideration for People With Disabilities

  

Jamaica is an island where social services for persons with disabilities are not commonly seen throughout the country. So, people with disabilities have to contend with the daily difficulties that impede their ability to be self-sufficient during their daily movements outside their homes. Even today, newly constructed commercial buildings are not attainable to those persons with disabilities which means that they have continued to experience problems accessing not only the top level floors but even the first level. This problem was commonly noticed in the new city of Portmore where recently constructed buildings such as a medical complex, which is expected to cater to the sick and people with disabilities, do not provide them with accommodations to get  to the upper level floors. Since previous and current Jamaican governments has never given any attention to even the buildings they occupy, there is no surprise in their lack of efforts in introducing laws that ensure that commercial buildings throughout the island are constructed with disability access.

New Secondary Schools in Jamaica Set Up To Fail

The educational system in Jamaica creates a dividing environment that has throughout the years set up the new secondary schools to fail. These schools have been established since the 1940s, and at that time,  were known then as senior schools. Subsequent name changes were made for them to be called: junior secondary schools, new secondary schools, and eventually high schools. While the Ministry of Education plays with the name changes, it slyly diverts from the main issue by making no effort to balance the new secondary schools' enrollment with high achiever that normally gravitate to the traditional high schools. Throughout the years, these new secondary schools have developed a stigma that has left a negative, lasting impression on those young primary school and prep school children and their parents who will not consider those new secondary schools as suitable institutions to attend when asked to make the preferred high school choices. So, of course, the traditional high schools that have made a name for themselves over the years have continued to be considered as first choices to attend versus the new secondary schools. Therefore, the Ministry of Education, while under both the PNP and JLP leaderships, have continued to maintain the divisive practice that permits the brightest students to gravitate to certain traditional schools which, of course, will always produce many students who excel academically. On the other hand, the governments' intentional oversight or convenient silence of the need to balance students enrollment in all secondary schools based on students' varied learning abilities mean that the nation will continue with the age-old problem of segregating students from each other on their academic capabilities. This system has been ingrained in the mentality of Jamaicans since the British colonial era. So, the problem does not stop with the secondary schools, as it continues to adulthood in a country that promotes classism. Undoing a poor educational system that has been in place over decades would be a challenge especially since it may be met with objections from those stakeholders who will do all that is possible to maintain the backward colonial policies that divide students based on their academic abilities. An education system that relegates some students to succeed and others to fail does not benefit a country's development.

Education System Fosters Majority Failing Underclass

Port Authority of Jamaica - Pension Double Standards

Many may remember the 2016 report of Paula Monroe-Ellis, the Auditor General, that uncovered how the Port Authority of Jamaica's board members authorized outrageous multi-million dollar "golden parachute" pension payments to three senior officers with one receiving over $146 million dollars in pensions and gratuity. These officers had initially been entitled to pricey pension packages when the board disregarded government guidelines and approved exorbitant multi-million dollar payouts to their colleagues. Furthermore, the auditor's report uncovered that this same board at the Port Authority of Jamaica under the leadership of Messrs. Hilton and Shirley authorized payments of over $15 million in gratuity to other senior officers. However, while the decision makers at Port Authority of Jamaica did not hesitate in authorizing multi-million dollar pension increases to their equals, pension increase requests of low income level retirees do not stand a chance of any consideration although these retirees can barely survive on the minimum pension payments as they struggle daily with the constant rising costs of living. Port Authority of Jamaica's CEO and also the vice president of Human Resources' reasoning for denial of pension increase in one particular case is that the employee signed a pension contract, so the retiree is bound by the signed document. Yet, this frivolous reasoning did not seem to apply to those senior officers who were given multi-million dollar increases although they too signed and were bound by an initial pension agreement. The curt, unsympathetic response from the Port Authority of Jamaica's executives to the retiree's pension increase request is an example that in Jamaica there still exists a blatant disregard for those with no influence while systematic class-based preferential treatment continues to be shelled out to the connected and affluent.
Senior Port Authority Officers Get Multimillion-Dollar Payments To Which They Are Not Entitled

Jamaica Prime Minister's Attorney's Murder Case Lags Behind

Since October 1st, 2016, a man was murdered by gunshot and stab wounds at the home of attorney, Patrick Bailey. No one seemed to immediately know the victim's identity and the reasons for his overnight stay at the home of the attorney, so chatter around town indicates that people have made their own salacious assumptions. In normal circumstances when a murder occurs, there would be a police investigation into the case. However, this crime was different in that it was committed by a well-known attorney who not only has represented the wealthy, including politicians, but has been considered a part of the upper-class for his own rich standards of living even though a court later gave the go-ahead for him to stand trial for defrauding a client out of millions of dollars. Well after Bailey's doctor advised for the "stressed" Bailey to be on bed-rest after the murder and should not speak to the police, the former police commissioner did not mention why the case had seemed to be going anywhere. Furthermore, neither the former security minister, Robert Montague nor the Prime Minister, Andrew Holness, would respond to inquiries in parliament or elsewhere on the lack of public knowledge on the progress of the murder case. But, since Mr. Bailey is the attorney for the prime minister, this bears no surprise for their non-response that has lead to the suppositions why the case has been dragging. It appears these politicians believe that with silence, and the fact that this victim was not a public figure, memories of the case will somehow be erased from people's minds as time progresses. So, there is an expectation that no one with ever remember that Patrick Bailey's political connections affected the progress of his case. But, the records of the crime will always remain public so when people hear his name, the first impression among the many other negatives, is that a man was murdered at Patrick Bailey's home, and no other persons were present except for Bailey himself.

Death At Prominent Attorney's Home

NEWSHOUR WITH JIM LEHRER | Kwame Dawes on The NewsHour | PBS

Working-class people need to be seen, says Jamaican-born writer Nicole D...

When Government Ministers Won't Retire

Many were curious as to why efforts were not made earlier to oust Robert Mugabe from his long reign of Zimbabwe until the ripe age 93 years old. Similar curiosity lies with such Jamaican government ministers as Mike Henry, who is now over 80 years old. Why has he not yet called it quits after serving in politics and the Jamaican government for so many years?  However, ironically,  many workers are forced out of their government jobs in Jamaica immediately when they reach the retirement age although some are generally not ready to leave and are still quite capable of continuing to work several more years thereafter. But, government ministers in politics seem to be immune from the national retirement standards. Mike Henry is one of them who continues to be entrusted with cabinet ministerial positions for the ruling JLP party although he is way past the age of retirement. This selfish practice impedes the younger generation from undertaking and growing in government leadership positions. It is time, Mr. Henry, to graciously move on and allow younger politicians to take over your current responsibilities. May be the demotion from the Minister of Transport to a Minister without portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister is a signal that it is time to move on.

The Overlying Problem With Gun Photo Posing Jamaican

Rayne Russell was photographed holding a gun with an intimidating caption on Instagram that referenced the 2018 Ultra Music Festival in Miami. Any rational thinking person who lives in the United States should know that it would not be in their best interest to take such a photo and place a threatening caption during this over-cautious period when mass shootings are far too frequent. However, U.S. cable television programs and news are common throughout Jamaican households, so residents there should be more than familiar with the many shootings in the United States and the consequences of  posting such insensitive photos. Yet, Rayne Russell, from Jamaica, claimed ignorance on  the outcome of taking photos holding a high-powered weapon at his friend's Broward County, FL home. But there is an overlying problem that goes beyond Russell's poor judgement. It extends to a population of youth in Jamaica, especially those from high income families, who believe they are entitled to do and say what they want without repercussions. Their bad behavior is overlooked in Jamaica, so it is not surprising that Rayne Russell and others would take their antics to the United States with no expectations to be held accountable.The time and effort of Miami police and other security agencies in locating Russell prior to his detainment cost taxpayers. so any re-admittance into the United States should be in question.

Authorities detain man after Instagram post with rifle appearing to name Ultra Music Festival

Average or Low Scoring CXC Performers Can Succeed Too

The British Caribbean education system throughout the years has been established to give students the impression that they are failures if they do not perform exceptionally well on standardized tests such as Jamaica's Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) to warrant acceptance into a prominent high school. Furthermore, hopes are dashed when their average passes on Caribbean Exam Council (CXC) assessments will not earn them immediate acceptance into the University of the West Indies (UWI) or to universities in United States if they do not have the exorbitant fees to pay private companies to get them through the rigorous admissions process. However, where there is a will, there is a way. So, many who eventually have been given the chance to migrate have made use of the opportunities to study and become accomplished in their professions. We see their photos often in newspapers, their images on television, and hear their voices on radio programs. Although they may become recognized leaders in their own right, it is not public knowledge the path some of these successful individuals have taken to become the accomplished persons they are today. These individuals realized that they may not have been considered the best and brightest students in their own Caribbean countries but could succeed instead in other countries that have provided all persons with the chance to achieve their educational ambitions without limiting opportunities only for the brightest students. They made an effort to overcome their native countries' public education system of indifference towards average students. On the other hand, many who have now become well-known lawyers, doctors, business persons, bankers, etc. would rather maintain the secret of their enrollment in stigmatized secretarial colleges or vocational or technical schools, etc. upon completing high school. The entry level jobs that they worked at while attending colleges or universities abroad are also a chapter in their lives that they may not want to be known. Yet, they cannot deny that the difficult path taken have made them the persons who they are today. They received educational opportunities elsewhere that made them as successful as or even more successful, in some cases, than those whose path was never impeded by an education system that measures student achievement solely on a single day's performance on a test.

Poor Hospitals Conditions - Jamaica's Kingston Public Hospital

A plaque located on an outside wall at Kingston Public Hospital (KPH) shows writing in recognition of its 240 years of providing medical services in Jamaica. The public hospital was founded during the slavery era in 1776. During that period, the downtown Kingston hospital catered to the white population only until it began accepting Black residents in 1838 after the abolition of slavery. Undoubtedly, attention was paid during the earlier years to the historic hospital’s development to prolong its longevity.  However, while red-brick colonial buildings remain and newer buildings were constructed to accommodate the hospital’s rapid growth, poorly maintained interiors during the later years confirm a lack of consistent upkeep. In addition, efforts have been made to upgrade equipment with the latest technology, but too often critical care machines break down leaving patients’ health in jeopardy. Customer service practices have also drastically diminished throughout the year thereby implanting a bad reputation on KPH’s medical staff for discourteous attitude and treatment towards patients.

A typical day for a person who goes to KPH’s emergency room is an unforgettable experience. While waiting, it is not uncommon to hear people wailing in pain. One young girl screamed incessantly that she had severe head pains. Her screams and cries of others did not seem to bother the medical staff who appeared uncaring and numb to the sufferings of those in the emergency waiting area. Also, a man who was referred by his personal physician for heart attack symptoms, arrived at the emergency room at 1:30 PM. At 6:30 PM he, like others who arrived earlier, were still waiting to receive any type of acknowledgement. His personal doctor's referral letter meant nothing! After a series of miscommunication by emergency staff on whether his x-rays were completed, he was eventually assigned a bed in a ward at 3:30 AM the next morning. This typical lengthy wait time at KPH may result in critical consequences as was the case of a lady who was transported by an ambulance to the emergency unit but died in her sister’s arms while sitting in the waiting area to be attended to. Arriving in an ambulance meant nothing! KPH’s medical staff makes it quite clear to those waiting that their priority is to attend to the gun-shot and knife wounded victims from the surrounding, volatile inner-city where shootings and gang retaliations are the norm. So, persons with medical conditions such as heart attacks, possible brain aneurism, etc. will take a back seat to those who frequently arrive in speeding cars that stop abruptly at the emergency entrance where occupants quickly exit the vehicles while yelling, “Gunshot”!! “Gunshot”!! 

The procedures for visitors is another aspect at KPH that seems unusual to the standard practices of any hospital. The visiting time is from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM. and from 4:00PM to 6:30 PM. The first step for a visitor is to line up at the information center to get a worn-out cardboard which is called a pass. When requesting the pass, the only expectation for visitors is to provide a name and ward number to the service personnel sitting in an encased-type room. These service personnel do not inquire or even have the ability to check if the name and ward number provided to them is valid. So, security procedures at this point is non-existent since service personnel hands out passes to anyone. After getting the cardboard pass at about 10:45 AM, the next step for visitors is to wait in a second line to be processed by private security workers whose only gratification seems to be that they are in control of visitors entering the main hospital compound. They are responsible for checking bags to make sure no items on KPH’s restricted lists are brought into the wards, and that includes every type of food and drinks except fruits and water. They also are entrusted with a metal detector that seems more symbolic than useful. An absurd practice is that security will not allow ladies to pass through the gate to visit their loved ones if they are wearing sleeveless blouses or dresses. As a result, the hospital projects an impression that, in the gun-ridden neighborhood, harassing women wearing sleeveless garments is more of a priority than focusing on the slack security procedures of handing out visitor passes to anyone who requests one. Nevertheless, as security usurps their limited powers, they will not begin their visitor processing duties until precisely at 11:00 AM, 4:00 PM or thereafter. So, the visitors will lose some of their visiting time while going through the prison-like entry process. But, the wait time is never boring in this lively atmosphere where intriguing residents, living in the politically charged neighboring community, use the hospital premises as their main walkway. From their residences, they walk nonchalantly onto the hospital compound; boldly pass the hospital’s police sub-station; and proceed to downtown Kingston and back. It is also common to see sellers passing by and haggling their products such as water, fruits, phone cards, and even a male vendor walks by selling women’s half-slip undergarments. Waiting is frequently interrupted when security opens the tall, heavy gates to allow the entrance of luxury vehicles driven by doctors or other personnel who haughtily hold their heads high as they drive through. Further, if visitors know someone connected to the hospital, communicating with a guard at the gate often results in entry to see loved ones without standing in line. Waiting visitors may even get caught up with the loud outbursts of people with mental health issues who walk around aimlessly on the premises. Visitors could also witness a commotion from family and friends who are mourning loudly and uncontrollably over the loss of a loved one who they accompanied to the emergency unit but never survived gun shots or knife wounds. 

The outpatient clinic waiting process is an all-day fiasco. Since a computerized patient system does not exist at KPH in this 21^st century, the outpatient courtyard is overcrowded with people sitting and waiting for their names to be called so that they may move on to the next step in their effort to see a doctor. Noise and confusion abounds as people must wait for their dockets, or medical files, to be located and brought by foot to another building where the out-patient must go after leaving the courtyard in order to see his/her specialists. Others may be immediately directed to crammed rooms where they need to make appointments, obtain consultation from a nurse, or see a specialist. People must arrive during the wee hours of the morning at KPH’s patient clinic to ensure that they are attended to by a doctor since their appointment wait time could be as long as six months in between visits. But, outpatient inconveniences also extend to patients while they are admitted in KPH wards. Broken, life-saving medical equipment requires patients to get tests outside the hospital. But, the lack of ambulances to take patients to other public facilities mean that a patient must make their own personal travel arrangements to leave the hospital on a doctor’s authorized pass to get the tests at private facilities, if they can afford to pay exorbitant testing fees. If patients cannot afford the fees for private tests while admitted at KPH, then they will be released without obtaining important medical exams.

The buildings and common areas are reminiscent of a great many years of neglect that has result in dilapidated conditions. Such appearance makes visitors wonder if they are actually inside a hospital because cleanliness and order are nowhere to be seen. As visitors enter a building, they are confronted with peeling paint on dirty walls. Concrete, uneven and uncovered slab floors intermingle with worn-out linoleum covered floors. Hidden, dingy stairways in poorly lighted locations are the only way to access upstairs floors since out-of-the-way elevators are restricted to patients who are transported in wheelchairs or on hospital beds. Untidy, deplorable conditions are seen in workers’ maintenance rooms where all is visible with wide open doors or no doors. The conditions of some patient wards are unspeakable as an unmistakable, lingering stench confronts a visitor’s nostrils on approaching the entrance. The stained concrete floors are lined with rows of old beds with malfunctioning headboard recline levers attached to them. The large, open 30-bed or more wards also include limited number of rusty storage bedside cabinets with stuck doors for patients’ use. Bathrooms with no doors clearly expose a couple of cracked sinks with aged faucets and two walled urine stalls for the 30-bed ward or more capacity. But, more concerning is that ceiling fans and open windows and doors are expected to keep patients cool throughout the days and nights in the hospital’s dangerous, downtown neighborhood where even staff sometimes have to run for cover at the sound of a barrage of gunshots. When it rains, leaking ceiling and the open windows and doors cause some wards to be flooded which results in the need for patients to be moved elsewhere in the overcrowded ward. The appearance of the doctor/nursing station is consistent with the rundown conditions of some wards. The poor conditions will make anyone curious as to where all the millions of dollars donated by worldwide NGOs and international governments have gone not only for this squalor hospital but other government hospitals in even worse conditions.  

The 240 anniversary of KPH was celebrated with fanfare. The photos with stakeholders celebrating the milestone and, on different occasions, photos that highlight KPH’s receipt of generous donations from foreign entities or the handing over of medical equipment, etc. serve as a façade to the underlying crisis that plague the hospital but are swept under the rug. KPH’s vision, “to provide service by qualified, efficient, courteous and highly motivated work teams in a clean, secure and attractive environment.” will not be taken seriously until efforts are made to provide patient with friendly services and an environment to compliment medical needs.

KPH Emergency - Dirty, Neglected 236-Y-O Hospital Struggling On
Public Hospitals in Jamaica Have Become Like Death Traps

6/19/2018
Here we go again!! The improper disposal of the bodies of neonates is another problem to add to the hospital's poor performing record.
SERHA board member to lead investigation of improper disposal new-born babies at KPH

Jamaica - Take Notice of the Recent Hurricanes' Aftermath

This is a perfect time to pay close attention to the aftermath in Caribbean islands after they were hit by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria. Both the rich, with their hillside mansions, and the poor with their humble dwellings were brought to the same level when the hurricane wiped out the nations thereby changing their tourism status from islands of paradise. But, the main surprising issue was the lack, prior to the devastation, of the mainlands' attention to their colonies. The affected Caribbean residents in such islands as Guadalupe, St. Maarten, St. Martin, Anguilla, St. Thomas and St. John were quite understandable upset that attention should have been given prior to the storm so relief would have been readily available to them. But, even more shocking was the United States' low level of attention to Puerto Rico, their own territory with American citizens. It was not until a week after loud cries via the media from the affected residents, foreign reporters, politicians, etc. that the White House stepped up their efforts to aid Puerto Rican as they did so speedily with Houston and Florida. The main consideration, however, is that if these islands are connected to G-8 countries and they experienced difficulties during the hurricane's aftermath, then how will independent islands such as Jamaica fear after a severe hurricane? In a materialistic dominated atmosphere that relies entirely on tourism, Jamaica will need to consider its fate if such natural disaster occurs. But, then again, it is actually not if but when a severe storm occurs. Certainly, there will be great financial assistance along with other aid from outside sources but, as it can be seen from Hurricane Jose, Irma, and Maria's aftermath, military logistics and high powered government interventions from a mainland country will be necessary to coordinate efforts such as making major distributions; maintaining important infrastructures such as damns; or even relocating residents to a mainland or adjacent territories until the rebuilding process is completed. Haiti is an example of an independent nation that received extensive financial assistance and other aid after every disaster. Yet, the country does not show the benefits since it is not associated with a mainland that would intervene to provide long term commitment to ensure all financial and material aid are properly coordinated and used to the country's benefit. Jamaica, too, does not have a mainland to look to since the island gained its independence in 1962 from England. The aftermath of a severe hurricane or even an earthquake is an urgent issue that must be considered and planned for before a natural disaster occurs.

Is Youth Social Activism Dead in Jamaica?

03/24.2018
Today was the March for Our Lives demonstrations in Washington DC, Parkland, FL, cities throughout the United States, and countries worldwide. The youth worldwide voiced their concerns not only for the specific causes that youth in the United States have been supporting but for their overall concerns that too many lives are being lost to gun violence. In January, 2018, Jamaica declared a state of emergency over some parts of the island to curtail soaring gun crimes. Yet, there was no coming together of the youth in Jamaica today to march in support of the March for Our Lives worldwide movement. Owing to the country's high gun crime rate, Jamaica's youth participation in this worldwide event would have sent a lasting message not only to the people of Jamaica but to the world. However, as noted in a previous blog dated October 1st, 2016, the youth in Jamaica seems unfamiliar or rather indifferent to demonstrating for social causes that impact the nation unlike past generations. This "me" generation appears to be more consumed with owning the latest electronic gadgets and profiling their wears at over-crowded parties and entertaining events. This is the new norm. However, it is concerning that the country is heading in a direction where the youth no longer takes an interest in advocating publicly for social issues that negatively impact the masses of the population.

10/01/16
Emily Shields, radio talk show host, spoke about her astonishment with the responses she received when she sent out a tweet for Jamaican college and university students to get involved in social activism in support of causes that affect their lives and others. She mentioned that as a student at UWI she became aware of how students in the past made a difference by taking a stand against injustices, and she became involved in demonstrations against the unconscionable hike in gas prices. From all indications the responses to her tweet echoed a disinterest in getting involved in public demonstrations for social causes unlike students of the past who readily participated in such actions. Mrs. Shields expressed her disappointment in the future generation's desire to stand up for important causes, and her sentiments are dittoed by this writer. But, she still believes that there must be young Jamaicans who are compassionate in their desire to speak out against the disservices that plague the underserved which may include even themselves. Certainly, there must be those young Jamaicans; however, they seem far and few between since, from public portrayal, the future generation of tomorrow is a "me" generation. It has become a generation where materialism is more important than having concerns about humanity. God forbid if these young people could not own or flaunt their latest expensive cell phones, computers, IPads and anything else that relates to electronics. Furthermore, why would they get involved in social causes when priorities are instead to wear the latest, most costly fashions, profile at popular events in the city, or travel to resort towns to compete among themselves in wearing the skimpiest of clothes and getting drunk at liquor company sponsored events. So, Mrs. Shields should not be alarmed with the twitter feed responses she received since the selfishness that is prevalent in the young generation of Jamaicans today is not surprising. The responses tell a sad story on the future of where the country is heading.

Minority Share-Holders of Cable & Wireless Jamaica Defy the Board

Minority share-holders of Cable & Wireless recently took an unusual voting action at the August, 2016 annual general meeting that is inconsistent with the customary docility of most minority share-holders at such meetings in Jamaica. As a concerned group, they demanded answers to questions on the final resolution.  Since this information was not forthcoming from the board of directors, they defied the board of directors by voting against the resolution to retain KPMG as auditors of the company and to fix their fee. This type of reaction from minority share-holders has been long awaited since it now demonstrates to other minority shareholders in Jamaica that they, too, have a unified voice in the decision making process of a company.  A couple years ago, one minority share-holder of Cable & Wireless's stocks bravely stood up at the annual general meeting to make known his dissatisfaction with that same resolution - retainment and re-numeration for the auditing firm. He was disappointed when no other minority share-holder spoke out verbally or use their voting powers against this resolution of the then Chris Dehring led board of directors. His frustration with the outcome resulted in his decision to no longer attend the annual meetings. However, he should now be pleased to see that the minority share-holders of Cable & Wireless have become more pro-active by coming together and using their knowledge and voting power. Hopefully, other Jamaican minority shareholders will take a page out of the book of those at Cable & Wireless and not simply agree to resolutions but educate themselves on them and use their voting rights to engage in the critical decision making process of the organization.

FBI - Coming to Jamaica

The Jamaican Ambassador, Luis Moreno, announced today that the FBI will be setting up an office as early as next week in the Jamaican embassy. While there has been some public dissatisfaction expressed, for the most part, social media feedback indicates that an FBI office is most welcome. Ambassador Moreno mentions that the decision was made to assist in quelching the big business of the lottery scam Jamaican syndicates. However, with the FBI in Jamaica, who knows what, in fact, is the real reason since this is such a secretive federal organization. So, quite likely, the decision to start an office in Jamaica involves much more than the lottery scam scandal. Nevertheless, the strategic setting up of an FBI office in Jamaica shows a dire need to assist in Jamaica's armed forces' inability to curve the high rate of crime, importation of ammunition, etc., etc., etc..The multi-million dollar investment in servicing FBI offices in certain Caribbean countries now includes Jamaica. The residents have to just wait and see how the efforts of this agency play out in addressing the serious crimes that plague this small island.
FBI to Set Up Offices At US Embassy

Black Hair Style Restrictions Not Limited to South Africa

Recently, a 13 year old girl in South Africa brought awareness to the world of the discriminatory policies in some South African schools that do not take Black culture into consideration. In her case, she was prevented from entering the school premises because she wore an afro. This led to demonstrations by her fellow students at Pretoria High School for Girls since the young lady refused to change her hairstyle. It was uncovered that South African schools that were initially White dominated still hold on to their archaic policies that do not embrace the cultural needs of Black students. But, such policies are not restricted to South Africa. Surprisingly, some schools in Jamaica have similar policies as it relates to a student's hair. This week, upon the opening of new semester, a three year old boy was denied entry into Hopefield Preparatory School in Kingston, Jamaica. The mother was told by the Vice Principal that the boy's hair was long, untidy, dirty and needed to be cut because it may contain headlice! Now, there are children of other races at this same school with long, unsecured hair who have not been chastised in this manner. So, of course, it must have been disheartening and embarrassing for a mother to be challenged on not maintaining her son's upkeeps. The South African school's governing body, in consultation with teachers, parents and affected students, suspended the school's hair restrictions. However, the unbending Hopefield Prep's principal of 40 years is standing by the school's insensitive, rigid policies that they cannot accept male students with "long hair". It is apalling that such practices are still prevalent in black-dominated countries during the 21st century.

No Tattooed Teachers, Please!

It would be expected that a country whose history demonstrates the injustices of slavery for centuries, would produce descendants who are accepting of people's differences. But, this is not the case in Jamaica where descendants of slaves tend to forget that during earlier years, the majority Black population was denied many social services and opportunities well after the abolition of slavery because of the color of their skin. Many may not remember or have knowledge of the fact that up to the early 1960's, dark-skinned Jamaicans could not obtain jobs at major corporations especially if the position required them to serve the public. Therefore, it is a sad state of affair when Ruel Reid and others in top positions at the Ministry of Education are heard expressing adamantly that even if a teacher is qualified, he or she would not be hired if that applicant has a tattoo. Ruel Reid and those education administrators who are decrying tattooed teachers have conveniently forgotten or have no clue that in years gone by, they too would be denied a job not because of their qualifications but as a result of the color of their skin. How quickly they forget their history! But, wonder if such tattoo policies are extended to foreign Cuban teachers?
Tattooed Teachers Lash Education Minister