Chinese Take Over Jamaica!!

"How yu  business downtown?" I asked a neighbor who tries to make a living for her and her daughter by selling her wares downtown. She responded "business nu good. Me there all day and nuthing no sell". Business was much betta last year. Nuthing no gwan since the Chinese teck over duntown." "The Chinese?" I asked. "What do you mean they take over downtown?" "Them buy up the whole a the buildings duntown". "Them can sell tings cheap cheap so people pass we on the street and go inna them store." "Them no have no worry clearing them containers at the warf so them can bring in anything and sell it cheap."  This made me consider that when Portia and her team was signing the agreement with China, apparently she and her team did not consider the Jamaican people who are struggling to make a living. Obviously, the Chinese have created a monopoly downtown and from all indications throughout the island, and this does not leave any room for Jamaicans to compete in selling goods. So, if these Jamaicans no longer make a living then what is next for them? When signing agreements, personal gains for the government is the foremost concern and the Chinese teck over situation is a perfect example of how the Jamaica people are the least of their consideration when doing so.

Mobilizing A Nation for Tessanne Chin

Jamaica is troubled by so many problems such as the high crime rate, unemployment, and other issues too numerous to mention. However, it was amazing visiting Jamaica to experience how citizens living within and outside of such a small island can come together to become an unstoppable force in an effort to ensure than Tessanne Chin won the Voice. While 2.5 million Jamaicans living in Jamaica were not able to use all the options available to vote for Tessanne,  the Jamaican diaspora located in every major city within the United States mobilized the 5 million or so Jamaican Americans to use all options to vote for Tessanne. From professionals to lay workers to students, Jamaican Americans came out as a force to be recon with from the east coast to the west coast; from the mid west and mid east states.  They made sure they used all options to vote for Tessanne.. The numerous radio stations in Jamaica also played a great part as conversation, music, and predictions were heard from sun rise to sunset with the urging of citizens to contact all relatives and friends living in the United States to use all options to participate in the Voice voting.  So, there is no doubt that Tessanne would have won with votes from even so many non-Jamaicans who recognized her talents especially after singing Bridge Over Troubled Water. So, what happens now? Tessanne will have a successful music career and will continue to make Jamaica proud. But, for Jamaica, however, after such a highlight for the nation, it does not eliminate the issues such as the continued rise in crime rate, and this was evidence by Tessanne's frightened reaction on stage when she jumped upon hearing an explosive blast that was meant for the release of confetti and not the shooting of a gun. Tessanne is a perfect example that Jamaicans can achieve so much and Jamaicans demonstrate that they are unstoppable when they come together for a cause. But the nation must also come together to eradicate the negative forces that are pulling the country in the wrong direction.
Dr. J. Campbell

Basic School Gets Light After 73 Years!

"Basic School Gets Light After 73 year". At first, I didn't believe I had seen this heading on the Go-Jamaica website, so I had to do a double take and read the heading carefully once again to digest its content. Yes, what I saw was correct, and my initial reaction was, "Unbelievable"! How could this be so"? It was good to see that the Jamaica Public Service stepped up to the plate to provide the necessary light posts and wiring to enable a more accommodating situation for the basic school students. However, did it have to take so long for a reputable body, whether government or private, to see the disservice that had been done  to poor children at York Town Basic School who were without the well-needed electricity for 73 years? Why so long? It is unimaginable how many more schools in Jamaica may be facing the same crisis! Another recent report indicates that when school re-opened the interim principal discovered that at a corporate high school they were short 537 chairs and 393 desks! This resulted in the chaining down of desks and chairs and even some students moving the unchained desk and chairs with them from classroom to classroom. To make matters worse,  as discussed in a previous blog, some children are still experiencing the burden of using pit toilet! Come on, can we not do better to serve all Jamaican children regardless of where they live? We must do better in this 21st century.

Incompetence at Its Best!

If a leader is incompetent then this incompetence creates a domino effect. So it is with Mrs. Simpson-Miller and her cabinet. The ODP provided a recent report that clearly indicated the unacceptable actions of government ministers such as Mr. Azan and Mr. Paulwell.  Furthermore, Mr. Phillips' overall performance demonstrates that he is unable to lead at even a satisfactory level as the Minister of Finance.  Not to mention the recent ECJ/Herbert Thompson blunder. These are a few of the many problems throughout the PNP's reign. However, Mrs. Simpson-Miller continues to stand by her ministers by taking the "see no evil", "hear no evil", "speak no evil" approach. Simpson-Miller may possess a wonderful, loving, caring, motherly personality and her "comrades" laud her with praises since she has been so good to them by placing them in top positions, her intellectual capacity may put her at a disadvantage that causes the lack of confidence to manage on her own without these people. So, in spite of the fact that she may be aware that some persons  may not be the best persons for the ministries, boards, etc. that they oversee, she may have placed herself  in a position that she cannot lead the country without them. So, since she has no control over her cabinet and other political appointees and they are quite aware of their free reign to do whatever they please, the incompetence will continue. What a shame!

"Don't Bash Chinese!"

Portia warns Jamaican not to bash the Chinese!!??  Well, let's hope that her desire for Chinese investments in the country will not make these foreigners believe that they have the right to treat Jamaicans in the brutal and domineering fashion that they are used to doing with their own people. Of course, top government "players" are only considering how much money they can personally earn for themselves from Chinese investment and not about the personal welfare of their own Jamaicans. The website below tells the story of how the Chinese manhandled and forced two educators of their land by knocking down their school building simply because interested persons wanted to build high rise buildings on the land. Hope this does not happen in Jamaica!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-24057915

Are Extra Lesson Exam Services Effective?

"What a way Jamaica have schools!" My father exclaimed this thought while reading the classified section of the Jamaica Gleaner's Sunday edition. Later, I was curious to find out what he meant and quickly realized that the school classified section was filled with education services pandering to those students who are taking or re-taking CXC exams. Claims of success filled the pages such as "pass your CAPE exam in only one year and get into university", "the best CXC classes", "the best math product ever", "excellent achievement record" "we offer the best teaching in Jamaica" to name a few. Looking at so many ads makes one wonder about the level of teaching in the high schools to cause so many to see a need to establish their own extra lesson services. Even the Minister of Education has verified that the recent CXC results show a decline as overall students in Jamaica continue to perform poorly in many subject areas. Nevertheless, how effective are these extra lesson services? Are these services primarily taught by trained teachers who are aware of the varied learning needs of students or others who may not have a clue? Are learning techniques implemented based on the student's needs or are the same non-productive class procedures used? It would be interesting to know how really effective these services are in helping students to pass the tests.

Here We Go Again!

Colin Campbell was recently handed the position as the Managing Director of the JUTC. Indeed, he was handed the position under the pretense that he went through a fair pre-employment process according to "Reverend" Garnett Roper. It certainly cannot be a fair process when a candidate is so closely associated with the persons who are making the decision for the post. Quite frankly, it was a waste of time for the other persons who "Reverend" Roper claims were in contention for the position. How could such candidates ever have been in close contention when "Reverend" Roper indicated that Campbell had already possessed the experience from his previous government position and that he is a "such" a good communicator. Apparently honesty, trustworthy, integrity were not key words that may have been considered as important for selecting the candidate for the job.  "Reverend" Roper even had the audacity to indicate that the JLP had engaged in the same practices when they were in office. So, does that make the practice right? For a person who claims to be a man of God, it is quite ironic that instead of taking the high road and leading by example he is taking the stance that "them do it, so we can do it too".  So, how can the most qualified persons who possess the education, experience, and integrity gain high level government positions when each political party continues to give these jobs to friends and family?  This problem is quite evident now as the incompetency of certain persons in prominent government positions are evident as they continue to make countless errors that ultimately affects the country. There was an opportunity to demonstrate high moral standards in selecting a Managing Director of the JUTC, but political biases overshadowed ethical judgement.