Time is galloping along, the uptown (and downtown) Christmas party season is gathering speed, and (in case you were wondering) I have not written one Christmas card yet. I am living dangerously.

The CARICOM tiff: After much blustering on the part of our Minister of Foreign Affairs and hysterical ranting on talk shows and elsewhere, Trinidad’s Minister of Foreign Affairs arrived on Monday. The matter of the denial of entry to 13 Jamaicans, the two ministers agreed, was not, after all, profiling; and the vast majority of Jamaicans are happily accepted by Trinidad. The two signed a trade agreement. So, a lot of smoothing over went on, although both Ministers were careful to assert their respective countries’ interests. Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines Ralph Gonsalves (never a man to stay quiet for too long) noted in a Jamaican radio interview that yes, there was some prejudice against Jamaicans in other CARICOM countries; and I think he is right. Now, all Caribbean leaders need to keep cool heads and discourage over-heated rhetoric that is based on very little fact. They also need to put their respective houses in order (including Jamaica) in terms of implementing all the requirements for the free movement of persons. (Read the Gleaner’s “No time for blame” – Nicholson, Dookeran Say Ja-T&T Meetings Fruitful.”)

Good question, scary answer: On the matter of international relations, a question from Opposition Senator Robert Montague prompted a disturbing response from Minister Nicholson. I did a quick count and it appears Jamaica owes approximately US$1,319,00 to the United Nations, including over $860,000 for peace-keeping operations (?). We will soon lose voting rights if we don’t pay some of it (so the Chinese and others might stop courting us). We have already lost voting rights in a couple of Commonwealth bodies and we are in arrears with all the international bodies we are members of.

Opposition Senator Robert Montague. Glad he asked that question about UN dues.

Meanwhile, a woman named Shirley Richards wrote to the Gleaner asking the question, “Is Jamaica under UN rule?” The United Nations is our “new colonial master,” she suggested, with UNICEF incurring her wrath for referring to “sex” and “condoms” in relation to its reports on the desperate state of the nation’s children. OK, Ms. Richards, we will continue burying our heads in the sand. Let’s pretend sexuality is not a concern. Maybe doesn’t even exist. She concludes, “Forgive me, then, for asking, is Jamaica now under the rule of UN agencies?” No, I don’t think I will. Forgive you, that is.

How expressive: A. J. Nicholson (left), Jamaica’s minister of foreign affairs, engages Winston Dookeran, minister of foreign affairs, Trinidad and Tobago, at a press briefing held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. (Photo: Gladstone Taylor/Gleaner)

Is it really a shock? I had the pleasure of meeting the Registrar of the Office of the Children’s Registry (OCR) last week at the launch of Eve for Life’s “Nuh Guh Deh” campaign. I wondered how he must feel about the reports of child abuse that arrive at his office in a continuous wave (or tsunami perhaps). Between January and August this year the OCR received over 8,000 reports (probably the tip of the iceberg). 1,730 children went missing, ten of whom were found dead (where are the others – did they all return? I have asked this question so many times in the past on my blog).  Read the Observer: “Child abuse shocker – 8,030 cases reported between Jan & Aug.” (But is this really a “shocker” to us now? We know the enormity of the problem, don’t we?)

The Registrar for the Office of the Children’s Registry Greig Smith speaks at the launch of Eve for Life’s “Nuh Guh Deh” campaign last week. (My photo)

At a recent focus group on corruption, we struggled to find solutions to the tangled web we have been weaving for so long in Jamaica. I see “we” because, although I would hope that I have not engaged in a corrupt act of any kind, it is such a complex web that one could get unwittingly caught up in it; a cog in the corruption wheel, quite innocently. Meanwhile, Jamaica has not moved on the Transparency International Corruption Perception Index since last year – still sitting pretty with a ranking of 38.  Barbados ranked as the least corrupt Caribbean country – and came out pretty high on the list at 15th with a score of 75.

Former Contractor General Greg Christie. (Photo: Gleaner)

To quote former Contractor General Greg Christie on Twitter: “No country, region or community is immune to corruption, a serious crime that can undermine social & economic development in all societies.” He believes (and I agree) that this government has done nothing whatsoever to tackle the issue  - in fact, it has done the reverse on occasion – despite the pious promises of the Prime Minister’s inauguration speech.

Richard Azan in his office. (Photo: Gleaner)

And on that subject, I am irritated (but not surprised) that the reinstated/reborn Junior Minister Richard Azan still wants to try to convince us all that he is squeaky clean. He has been granted a judicial review of the Contractor General’s investigation of his allegedly building and collecting rent for shops in contravention of the rules. Mr. Azan is “seeking a declaration from the court that he’s not politically corrupt, whether as defined by Transparency International or otherwise.” But I guess he doesn’t realize that, whatever the outcome of this legal move, corruption has a lot to do with perception, as TI will tell you. And I think the verdict has been reached on that one in the popular court. (Read more in the Observer: “Azan seeks judicial review of Contractor General’s probe”).

By the way, is Azan’s boss, Transport and Works Minister Omar Davies still in hospital? Have we heard any updates on his health? 

Pleased to hear about improvements in forensic facilities – so essential for the Jamaica Constabulary Force. And especially, to hear from Police Commissioner Owen Ellington that Jamaica is now tapped into the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) eTrace program for tracing guns. This should hopefully make a real difference in the investigation of crime – and organized crime, at that. (Read the Observer: “Ellington points to significant upgrade of police forensic capabilities”).

I know the police have a tough job. Yes, I know. But somehow my heart does not bleed for those who have to cough up legal fees to defend themselves when they are accused of wrongdoing. And I do not think that taxpayers should foot the police officers’ bills; we already pay their salaries. Don’t they have a union? (Yes they do). My suggestion: start a legal fund. And don’t put yourselves in situations where you know you are breaking the law. Just like the rest of us. (Read the Observer: “Legal Woes”). This is perhaps more not-so-subtle police propaganda against INDECOM – the Independent Commission of Investigation set up by Parliament to investigate allegations of police abuse. Tired of it now. Just do your job and do it professionally. Thanks.

The Minister of Dancehall, Damion Crawford.

Brian-Paul Welsh wrote a very good letter to the Gleaner, regarding the Rasta Yute’s (Minister Damion Crawford) stout defense of dancehall music. The Minister is even encouraging lobbyists to oppose the anti-gang legislation, which includes a clause relating to lyrics that incite violence; this seems rather odd to me. Mr. Crawford needs to decide whether he is still a student who organizes dances at the University of the West Indies; or a government official to be taken seriously. At the moment he is an odd hybrid, and a very disappointing one at that. (Read the Gleaner’s Letter of the Day: “Crawford Off-Key on Dancehall“).

(Mis)understanding indeed: I have always enjoyed Grace Virtue’s columns and was sorry when she appeared to stop writing. Grace is the sister of Gleaner journalist Erica and she is based in the United States. This does not prevent her from writing insightful and balanced pieces, such as ”(Mis)understanding Media” in the Observer - on the matter of the RJR reporter, the mike, the PM and the security guards. Which has not really gone away, by the way.

Grace Virtue, an overseas-based Jamaican with interesting perspectives.

I’m worried about Vybz Kartel. As I tweeted this evening, his appearance has changed dramatically since he has been languishing in prison (for nearly two years, no less) on two murder charges. He is now in the middle of the second trial (and if a journalist calls it “high profile” one more time I shall scream!) and – well, he has gone from skinny and weedy-looking to strangely bloated. What are they feeding him on in prison? Does he have an exercise regime? He seems very pale, still (the cake soap that he bleaches his skin with must have been smuggled into prison, some surmise). But his hair stylist seems to have gone AWOL. Oh, one does love the trivia sometimes!

Mr. Kartel in his skinnier days.

If you want to read a lame editorial, try the Observer’s “Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea” for size. NO, the murder of eighteen-year-old Kimberly Simpson was not a case of “enraged jealousy” on the part of the man who had impregnated her when she was still legally below the age of consent (statutory rape) – and who had been abusing her physically ever since, according to her family (who appear to have stood by and done nothing). It was just that: domestic abuse; and initially child rape, which should have been reported to the police three years ago.

I am puzzled and confused by some of the facts paraded in the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s latest public relations effort – this time, comments by Deputy Commissioner in charge of crime Carl Williams on the so-called “clear-up rate” for murders. I will have to return to this at some point. (Read the Observer -  ”Police vow to improve murder clear-up rate.”)

I often try to imagine the horror and grief of those left behind when their loved ones are killed violently. But I really cannot. All I can do is offer my condolences to the families and friends…

Herbert McKail, 70, Mandeville, Manchester

Gary Pinnock, 43, Hanover

Christopher Buddan, 22, Old Harbour Road, St. Catherine

Unidentified man, Brandon Hill, St. James

Omar Brown, Montego Bay, St. James

Eighteen-year-old Kimberly Simpson was chopped to death and a man who is the father of her child has been charged with her murder.

Crime is a complex thing. And that’s an understatement.

So, I understand the need for a “movement” - something that is going to turn the tide nationally while pulling together all the strands in this web. This morning, the Ministry of National Security launched such an initiative: the start, one hopes and prays, of a genuine, detailed, more thoughtful approach. The movement is called “Unite for Change.”

Minister Peter Bunting believes that violence is a public health problem, in Jamaica and elsewhere. (My photo)

Minister Peter Bunting gave us a wide-ranging presentation – a pretty thorough overview of crime trends this year and in the previous few years. As he outlined some of the programs his Ministry has embarked on, he referred to the work of epidemiologist Dr. Gary Slutkin, founder/director of Cure Violence. In the same breath, he noted his own collaboration with Dr. Elizabeth Ward, founder of the Violence Prevention Alliance, who works in the same field as Dr. Slutkin. Both doctors (and indeed the Minister himself) have reached the conclusion that violence is a public health crisis. The presence of public health institutions such as the Centers for Disease Control at a recent National Forum on Youth Violence in Washington, DC, which the Minister attended, underlined this point.

Dr. Elizabeth Ward, founder of the Violence Prevention Alliance, is an epidemiologist like Dr. Slutkin. (Photo: Gleaner)

You can read more about Dr. Slutkin’s “Public health approach to public safety” at http://cureviolence.org/violence-interruption/  Dr. Slutkin sees parallels between violence and, say, a flu epidemic. There are clusters of violence in specific areas, and there are waves. The greatest indicator of a violent act is a preceding violent act. Therefore in Dr. Slutkin’s Cure Violence Model, “Interrupting Transmission” is the first step, to prevent the future spread of the “disease.” This is the goal of the Ministry’s Operation Resilience. One graph shows the level of murders per 100,000 of the population (which is the method by which homicides are measured, by the way) per parish. Disturbingly, St. James and Westmoreland are the highest, with Hanover (also in western Jamaica) not far behind. Kingston and St. Andrew, with by far the highest population density, is third on the list (the graph shown below almost omits Portland, which is on the far left. It always has much lower murder rates than the rest of the country).

There has been a third quarter spike in murders. Why? Minister Bunting attributes this to the release of a number of gang leaders from prison; an increase in murders in the course of robberies; increased trafficking in drugs (and thus in firearms); and a slight decline in police morale (police feel threatened, in some way, by the presence of organizations such as INDECOM, Jamaicans for Justice, etc). And just a quick note on the last point: Minister Bunting did emphasize later that “well-thinking” members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) “welcomed” the increased oversight of these bodies, as well as anti-corruption efforts within the force, noting that it “enhanced professionalism.”

Minister Bunting answers questions. (My photo)

Since its launch on October 3, Operation Resilience (targeting criminal gangs) has resulted in 426 operations, 195 arrests and 142 guns recovered. These statistics are impressive, you will agree – especially on the guns. 63 per cent of gun recovery operations were carried out without the use of deadly force (I wish this percentage was higher). Up to June of this year (as you will have figured from my weekly notations) there were an average of ninety murders per month this year; this is higher than 2012 but still lower than 2010 and 2011.

That’s on the law enforcement side. On the policy agenda, Minister Bunting said he had been working closely with Professor Anthony Clayton at the University of the West Indies (UWI) to identify ways to remove the profit from organized crime, through MOCA (which always sounds a bit like a cup of coffee to me, but actually stands for the Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Task Force). MOCA includes the all-important Financial Investigations Division. Another key element is reform of the justice system (how often have we spoken about that!) The Ministry of Justice is looking at our neighbors in Colombia, who have made “dramatic headway” in this respect, especially in reducing the time of the court process. A case now takes an average of 96 days to reach court, instead of 567 days as previously.

Professor Anthony Clayton, of the Institute of Sustainable Development, University of the West Indies, Mona Campus. (Photo: Gleaner)

Another element of Dr. Slutkin’s model is what he calls “identify and change the thinking of highest potential transmitters” - in other words, those high-risk groups we talk so much about. This means what we in Jamaica like to call “The Youth.”  Minister Bunting is planning a National Youth Violence Prevention Forum in January 2014. The Citizens Security and Justice Programme (CSJP) III (with funding from overseas partners) will receive US$55 million over the next four or five years to boost youth outreach, community safety and security and poverty reduction. The CSJP, operating in fifty communities, has been quite successful over the years (it was established by one of Minister Bunting’s predecessors Peter Phillips under a different administration in 2001).

Dr. Gary Slutkin, founder of Cure Violence. (Photo: University of Illinois at Chicago/School of Public Health)

Just to note here: I asked a question about how specifically this new movement was to operate on the ground in communities. I did not get a detailed answer of course, but had noted Minister Bunting’s earlier comment that he was “disappointed so far” by the response to his efforts to collaborate with locally-based organizations. He said he had engaged with faith-based organizations back in April, in the hopes that they would start engaging members in the anti-crime effort, community by community. He will engage the support of the government’s Social Development Commission, which is present in most communities, to save on administrative costs. But this is clearly an area to be worked on, and hopefully CSJP III will help. The Minister also hoped for greater support from the media and from the creative industries in support of “Unite for Change.”

Minister Bunting looks thoughtful. (My photo)

Meanwhile, the Ministry is pushing forward with the legislative agenda and trying to build capacity. The Anti-Gang Bill will go to Parliament for debate by January; it seems to have got somewhat bogged down in committee but there are several obviously controversial aspects of it that are still under consideration. Minister Bunting also spoke of the DNA Bill (which seems to have been languishing for some time now), and pending amendments to the Proceeds of Crime Act, the “shiprider” agreement and legislation on trafficking in persons, all to come in 2014. The government employs more ballistics experts now, and the Forensics Lab has produced 8,466 certificates as of October 31 this year. The Ministry aims to turn the Lab into an executive agency, to separate it off somehow and to even make it a separate institute at UWI, one day. Makes very good sense to me.

Jamaica is “under-policed,” as we know. There are currently 13,654 policemen and women. But the Ministry is trying to increase the police presence in communities through the creation of “portable police posts” – forty-foot containers with accommodation for four police officers, running on solar power, that can be hooked onto the back of a truck and put down in any “hot spots” not covered by regular police stations. Cool idea and it has worked well in other jurisdictions, I believe.

Minister of National Security, Hon. Peter Bunting (left), cuts the ribbon to open a mobile community security and dispute resolution center, in March Pen, St. Catherine, on November 26. The facility is one of four for the Spanish Town communities of March Pen, Lauriston and Shelter Rock. Looking on are: Commissioner of Police, Own Ellington (right), and World Bank representative, Giorgio Valentini (centre). (Photo: Jamaica Information Service)

Minister Bunting comes from the private sector, of course, and has been seeking their support. In Irwin, St. James, one construction firm (WIHCON) has donated a police post. Let’s hope for more of this.

There are other public relations tools that may also have some impact. Television ads and posters (one with a young schoolgirl telling her teacher that in the future “I want to be…alive!” and another with a teenage boy saying, “All I want for Christmas…is to see the next”). Let’s all remind ourselves of the toll-free number for reporting crime: 1-800-CORRUPT (267-7878). There was a flash mob at the Half Way Tree Transportation Center, where many teens gather, where the Minister “shamelessly” cashed in with a quick anti-gang message. A mobile app is under development that will enable you to report, get alerts, and even press a panic button. A group of “well-thinking” entertainers is working on a theme song for the initiative.

The mobile android app will include a panic button. (My photo)

Did you know that five out of ten adolescents in Jamaica have seen a dead body, other than at a funeral? Dr. Elizabeth Ward’s research has shown this. The Peace Management Initiative reports that 86 per cent drop out of school by age fifteen (not necessarily because of bad behavior, but because of sheer poverty). At least half are fatherless; many suffer physical abuse at home; and eventually the victims become the perpetrators. The “informa fi dead” (informers must be killed) culture is alive and well in many communities. Bre’r Anancy remains one of our national icons, and misogynistic deejays remain role models for many young people. Minister Bunting showed us disturbing photographs obtained by the JCF of young gangsters posing with assault rifles. The picture looks grim, but the Ministry’s aim is to keep “putting citizens at the center.” 

Because the citizens must, always, be at the center. That means bringing them together, and getting them involved. The Jamaican people.

I look forward to hearing much more about “Unite for Change” in coming months.

Anancy the Spider might be an amusing figure in Jamaican folk stories, but he is really a conniving trickster.

P.S. I would love some of the organizations mentioned above to update their websites! The CSJP and Violence Prevention Alliance pages are way out of date. Their Facebook pages are much better, however, and should be “liked.” And I hope to see a much greater presence on Twitter from the Ministry, the JCF and other organizations. The social media can really help to boost a national movement!

Minister of Justice Mark Golding (seated, right) listens to his colleague as he answers questions. (My photo)

This graph shows homicides per 100,000 this year, as at November 30, 2013.

Clusters of violent crime in Kingston and Spanish Town (to the west).

Kudos to the Ministry of National Security for:

• Starting on time!
• Keeping the agenda simple and without long-winded speeches
• Allowing plenty of time for Q and A
• Making themselves available (especially the Minister) informally afterwards
• The orange juice! It was all thirsty work…

And special thanks to Tassia Stewart for inviting me and other social media commentators, in addition to the traditional media. Much appreciated!

Government officials gather for a chat: (l-r) National Security Minister Peter Bunting; Police Commissioner Owen Ellington; Chief of Staff/Jamaica Defence Force Major General Antony Anderson; Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of National Security Major General Stewart Saunders; and Minister of Justice Mark Golding. (My photo)

I know that thousands of bloggers will be typing their thoughts, just as I am. But as we were driving home from a fish supper in Port Royal, listening to BBC Radio, I realized I must write something about how Mr. Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela enriched my life.

In 1969, apartheid still held South Africa in a relentless grip. That year, Mandela’s eldest son Thembekile was killed in a traffic accident. Mandela, who was in his sixth year of imprisonment on Robben Island, was forbidden from attending his funeral – just as, the year before, he had not been allowed to attend his mother’s funeral.

As a young idealistic student about to start my studies at Oxford University, I remember feeling outrage at this news. I had just joined the Young Liberals, which at that time was heavily influenced by a young man called Peter Hain. Mr. Hain’s family had left South Africa because of their opposition to apartheid, and settled in the United Kingdom a few years earlier. I remember meetings in their big living room in Putney. And a string of demonstrations in London, and in Oxford too.

Peter Hain is arrested in Downing Street in 1969. As a student he led the demonstrations that disrupted a Springbok rugby tour of the UK and led to the cancellation of a tour by the South African cricket team in 1970. (Photo: Guardian UK)

In the same year, there was much anger and public demonstrations against a visit by the all-white Springboks rugby team to the UK. The following year a tour by the South African cricket team was canceled because of protests (yes, sports featured heavily in the anti-apartheid protests). Throughout my university years I remained outraged at the apartheid regime. (By the way, Peter Hain joined the Labour Party in 1977 and has been the Member of Parliament for Neath, in Wales since 1991).

Many years later in Jamaica, my husband and I went to the National Stadium in 1991 to see Mr. Mandela and his wife Winnie. It was late July, oppressively hot, and the air was thick with excitement. We were offered seats in the grandstand, but declined. We wanted to sit in the bleachers – a decision we later regretted (but that is another story). I remember waiting impatiently, while various performances went on. Vendors were selling “Winnie Mandela peanuts” and so on.

And remember, it was not until nearly two years after the Mandelas’ visit here that the apartheid regime was ended after long and at times difficult negotiations. South Africa was still going through that transition, and it was a period not without violence. But on Mandela’s part – no anger, no bitterness, no vengefulness. That made all the difference.

By the way, at the National Stadium not all of the entertainment was inspiring; a new deejay called Beenie Man was booed off stage because of his very inappropriate lyrics and was not heard of again for a while! When the Mandelas eventually entered the stadium in an open-top car, waving and holding their fists in the air, the sound was deafening and chaotic. Oh, there were no vuvuzelas then (thank heavens) – there was simply cheering voices. As the car came round to our side and the excitement swelled, several men jumped the perimeter fence and ran alongside the car, anxious to shake hands. The Mandelas’ security detail became very nervous.

I don’t remember Mr. Mandela’s speech. I don’t recall taking photographs (but must go back through our old photos and have a look. If so, I will post them). All I remember was the heat, and the excitement, and the remembrance of my anti-apartheid youth. What an extraordinary way the world turns.

In 2007, Mr. Mandela brought together The Elders, an independent group of global leaders working together for peace and human rights. Fellow South African and a member of the group Archbishop Desmond Tutu said on their website this evening, “He was a moral colossus, a global icon of forgiveness and reconciliation.”

Nelson Mandela and the Elders in Johannesburg in 2010. (L-R: Graça Machel, Fernando Henrique Cardoso, Desmond Tutu, Jimmy Carter, Mary Robinson, Kofi Annan, Nelson Mandela, Gro Harlem Brundtland, Martti Ahtisaari, Ela Bhatt, Lakhdar Brahimi) Credit: The Elders/Jeff Moore

Nelson Mandela and his wife Winnie in Jamaica, with Prime Minister Michael Manley on the left.

It is the early hours of the morning in South Africa now. And Mr. Mandela is resting peacefully.

Peter Hain with Nelson Mandela in Johannesburg in 2000. (Photo: BBC)

Yesterday evening, we drove out of town to Port Royal, with a hunger for fish at Gloria’s Restaurant. We drove along the slowly winding road – sand and cacti on one side, mangrove-fringed lagoons on the other – with the late afternoon sun shining in our eyes. The radio said that many of Nelson Mandela’s family members had gathered at his house.

Pelicans patrol the sky over the Port Royal Road.

Afternoon sun on the Port Royal Road.

We climbed the steps to the top floor of Gloria’s (downstairs is rather stuffy). Upstairs is open to the sea breeze, which blew softly as we sat down at the table. Now, there is nothing sophisticated about Gloria’s – one does not go there for its fancy decor. It’s the food that counts. Or to be precise: the fish. Brown stew, fry, steam, fry fish, sometimes lobster.

Looking out to sea on one side, there was the dust-grey sand beach and the muffled murmur of the waves. Further out the small island of Lime Cay, with a slip of silver-white sand, rode on the water like a tiny tufted ship.

Lime Cay from Gloria’s.

My fish, crunchy and sweet, with fried bammy.

While waiting for our food, I wandered around upstairs and took a few photos, as the light became richer, glowing on the wall. The wispy grey clouds touching the Blue Mountains above Kingston turned to rose. Behind me, the sun descended to just above the low rooftops of the small town, which began to swim in orange light. The breeze went away, and the waves barely whispered.

The boys who had started a football game nearby were now playing in the growing dusk; but their voices grew louder as if the coming dark made their game more urgent.

Our bellies were full. It was time to go home, and as we got in the car and turned on the radio, we heard that Nelson Mandela had died, just as the sun was setting over Port Royal.

It was more a question of hanging out together on the worn football field than actually playing the ball…

Golden sunset over Port Royal. Do you see a bird sitting on the lamp post?

Sculptured pink clouds over Kingston.

Clouds over the mountains, looking back towards Kingston. The white scar on the hillside is from limestone quarrying.

It’s a deliciously peaceful Sunday afternoon. This morning, two White Wing Doves huddled right down into the wet grass. They were enjoying the cool and damp, and pretending to be two rather attractive little toy birds.

The passing of Nelson Mandela has cast a shadow over the past few days. Now, Jamaica has a strong claim on Mr. Mandela, being one of the very first countries to condemn the apartheid system. It was always at the forefront of the international campaign against the racist regime in South Africa. Prime Minister Michael Manley was closely involved and received a gold medal from the United Nations in 1978 for his efforts. A Jamaican woman – the United Nations’ Angela King – headed the UN Observer Mission in South Africa from 1992 – 1994 as apartheid was being dismantled. Mr. Mandela visited Jamaica in 1991 and again in 1998 when he received an Honorary Doctorate from the University of the West Indies.

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Portia Simpson Miller, signing the Condolence Book for the late former South African President Nelson Mandela, at the South African High Commission in St. Andrew yesterday (December 6). The Prime Minister is accompanied by Members of the Cabinet who took a break from their two day retreat and travelled to the High Commission where they also signed the Condolence Book. (Photo: Jamaica Information Service)

Five days of mourning: Our Prime Minister announced five days of mourning in Jamaica for Nelson Mandela, and then flew off to South Africa yesterday for his Memorial Service (three days ahead). And I may sound churlish (but I don’t care): How many “security and support staff” accompanied her this time? We never know, do we. But like the PM, they are certainly well traveled. (OK, I do realize that the trip is necessary but I would like some transparency: How many people, and how much?) The PM will be back on Friday for a joint sitting of Parliament, where much pontification will take place and the room will become so filled with hot air that it might well spontaneously combust… Watch out!  (I’m sorry to see the PM was wearing those awful dark glasses, indoors, again, when signing the condolence book. Can’t someone confiscate them?) And what do the five days consist of, apart from flags at half-mast?

I have to quote a tweep verbatim on the above: “Instead of declaring a week of mourning, our leaders should commit to values lived by #Mandela – integrity, honor.” And the emphasis is “lived” I think – put into practice those values that our political leaders just talk about. However hard it might be. But the word “sacrifice” isn’t popular these days…

A lovely photo of Jamaica’s Angela King, who was Assistant Secretary-General for Gender Issues from 1997 to 2004, at the observance of the International Women’s Day at the United Nations Headquarters in 2003. Ms. King, who died in 2007, headed the UN Observer Mission in South Africa (1992-94). (Photo: Olga Bobrova).t

The Trini affair: Minister Nicholson, for some reason best known to the Prime Minister, you are not going to South Africa. How rarely you travel, for a Foreign Minister. Well, this gives you some time to prepare for a press conference and discussion on this promised “full statement” on discussions with your Trinidadian counterpart, which took place a week ago. No more waffling, please. What actually went down? And in detail. But there has been a rather unpleasant twist to this tetchy affair: The Trinidadian Security Minister says his colleague had no right to trot over to Jamaica and make concessions. OH. What next? Read the Jamaica Observer‘s “T&T security minister angers Ja with scathing remarks.”

Trinidad and Tobago’s Foreign Minister Winston Dookeran addressing a news conference at the Jamaican foreign ministry last Monday before a meeting with his Jamaican counterpart, AJ Nicholson (4th left). (PHOTO: JIS)

With Transport Minister Omar Davies still on sick leave there has been a lot of fuss over the buses this week. Private franchise holders were on strike. And how is Minister Davies’ health, by the way? I am repeating my enquiry because I still have not heard a thing.

Cab drivers block the Ocho Rios bypass in protest at a shooting incident in the bus park. (Photo: Renae Dixon/Jamaica Observer)

There have also been reports about security issues at the Ocho Rios bus park before. Shots were fired on Friday afternoon and into the evening. Two men were injured, one seriously. Why can’t a police officer be posted there? It’s one of those cases where there were warnings, and it should have already happened.

“They shape the environment” for lawlessness: Although I have severe qualms about governments banning music, books or any form of creative expression, I feel that I am being swayed by Police Commissioner Owen Ellington’s arguments about dancehall lyrics. He has been listening to more of them than I have. Apart from the clear encouragement of the “Informa Fi Dead” culture in some of these songs, what really concerns me is the reinforcement of an atmosphere of intolerance, distrust, discrimination and – yes, anger. It frightens me. Commissioner Ellington seems ambivalent about this being dealt with through legislation, and I agree. But how can we turn things around? Read Jamaica Observer (Sunday)’s “State must deal with murder music, says Ellington” (a somewhat misleading headline, but that is pretty common in our print media unfortunately).

Are we teaching sex education in our schools? It seems there is a reluctance to implement Health & Family Life Education (HFLE) curricula in Caribbean schools; this certainly applies to Jamaica. First there was the fuss about the HFLE handbook including material considered unsuitable for schoolchildren. Now sex education in schools has apparently been put on the back-burner for the past year or so, condom machines in schools are a no-no, we have a Roman Catholic pastor for a Minister of Education, and we can expect much higher rates of teen pregnancy, STDs and HIV/AIDS, child rape, botched abortions and a host of other social ills. But let’s just fold our hands piously, pretend our children are not having sex, and let them suffer in ignorance. Read the Jamaica Observer: “High prevalence of adolescent pregnancy in the Caribbean.”  

But if you do want a dose of reality, go and talk to Pat Watson and Joy Crawford at Eve for Life. They work with teen and young mothers living with HIV/AIDS, and their children, and they see what is happening on the ground as a result of our inaction. And support their current campaign, “Nuh Guh Deh,” against harmful sexual relationships between older men and young girls.

Members of Eve for Life show their support for Jamaican children at a march organised by a youth activists for Child Month, 2012.

Let’s pretend people aren’t having sex at all shall we? So now the Jamaica Urban Transit Company (also headed by a Reverend) may withdraw its safe-sex ads from buses. Yes, they are a little raunchy. But the message is safe sex. What should be depicted – a picnic in the park? Read “Too hot for JUTC” in the Gleaner.

She fell through the floor: I have heard much about the dreadful conditions at many police stations. I saw a half-ruined house the other day in the country that was apparently still in use as a police station. Now a poor policewoman fell through the floor at Darliston Police Station in Westmoreland. I hope she has recovered and wish her well.

Dr. Carolyn Gomes is moving to the Caribbean Vulnerable Communities Coalition. (Photo: Jamaica Observer)

Thanks to the Jamaica Observer for its interesting and fairly in-depth interview with outgoing Executive Director and co-founder of Jamaicans for Justice, Dr. Carolyn Gomes. It’s a pity there are so many ignorant online comments underneath the articles, though. It amazes me that so many Jamaicans still don’t understand the concept of human rights. Why would JFJ be in the business of “defending criminals”? Was thirteen-year-old Janice Allen, shot in the head by the police, a criminal? What about JFJ’s campaign for the rights of children in state care? Lord help us. Read the Jamaica Observer (Sunday): “JFJ full of cash? Not so, says Carolyn Gomes” and “Gomes reflects on the worst of times.” Also “JFJ wary of Gov’t promise to amend Child Care Act.”

Blood donor Organiser, National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS), Igol Allen. (Photo: Jamaica Information Service)

Please support the National Blood Transfusion Service’s drive to get more young people to give blood. At present the Blood Bank only holds about half of the blood required on a regular basis, which is woeful. I used to give blood in the UK every six months, and believe me - it doesn’t hurt! Read JIS website: “NBTS targets youth in blood collection drive.”

Petchary recommends and commends the following:

• The team at the Ministry of National Security for a well-organized presentation on crime and for the effort to call Jamaicans to its “Unite for Change” initiative. Please see my earlier blog. I am hoping that we will get clear guidance and accurate, unvarnished statistics from the Ministry from here on in. Thank you, Minister Bunting!

Minister of National Security Peter Bunting in thoughtful mood at last week’s launch of “Unite for Change.” (My photo)

Two more Jamaican blogs that you might enjoy: attorney Kent Gammon’s blog is at kentgammon.wordpress.com. He asks in his latest post whether Jamaica is “the black sheep of the Caribbean family.” He is a G2K co-founder (a Jamaica Labour Party arm). Another good recent one is “Jamaica’s debt trap: How we painted ourselves into a corner.” Both worth a read. Also recommend a blog called jamaicanpoliticaleconomy.wordpress.com which includes succinct and pointed commentary on “The good, the bad and the ugly” in Jamaica, written by a retired economist who has lived abroad for many years.

Former Deputy Commissioner of Police Mark Shields has written a very good piece in the In Focus section of today’s Sunday Gleaner: “Putting the cart before the horse.” I agree with it fully, and encourage you to read it. The Jamaica Constabulary Force needs to get its priorities right, although it is clearly under pressure from many quarters. There are many sensible proposals and ideas in this article.

Jamaican broadcast journalist Kaneal Gayle. Kudos to him for his documentary on CVM Television, “Battle Lines.”

Finally, huge kudos to CVM Television’s Kaneal Gayle, producer of an excellent documentary, “Battle Lines,” on the struggle for LGBT rights in Jamaica (with a focus on gay rights activist Javed Jaghai’s challenge of Jamaica’s anti-buggery laws). Despite the somewhat provocative title (isn’t it interesting that the anti-gay lobby, consisting mostly of fundamentalist Christians, are the ones who actually use these war-like terms?) the program was balanced. It presented all sides of the argument and was beautifully filmed. I expect the program will be repeated and posted on CVM’s website eventually, or YouTube. Congratulations, Kaneal! (He also gives credit to Dineiro Films for the editing).

The American author Joan Didion wrote following the death of her husband: “Grief turns out to be a place none of us know until we reach it.” In “The Year of Magical Thinking” she describes grief as “the unending absence…the void…the relentless succession of moments during which we will confront the experience of meaninglessness itself.” These words (taken from the marvelous website brainpickings.org) may well apply to the family and loved ones of the following Jamaicans who have been murdered in the past three days:

Unidentified man, Davis Town, St. Ann

Marlon Scarlett, 30, Alva, St. Ann

Unidentified teenage girl, Bushy Park, St. Catherine

Andrew Robinson, 26, Middleton District, St. Thomas

Yankeel Robinson, 22, Middleton District, St. Thomas

This is the first in a series of remarks that were made at the launch of the “Nuh Guh Deh” campaign by Eve for Life on November 26. It was a powerful and at times quite emotional morning. You can contact Eve for Life at evejamaica@gmail.com or by telephone at (876) 754-3594. You can also find them on Facebook and on Twitter @EveforLife.

Patricia Watson, Executive Director, Eve for Life

Remarks from Executive Director Patricia Watson:

As we gather here today, I wish first to honour all young girls who have experienced abuse and especially to the young mothers in our programmes in Kingston, St. Ann and St. James who have bravely allowed us to work with them to overcome the many challenges they have to face on a regular basis.

The crime of abuse of young girls is an assault on all Jamaicans. In its wake, we stand as one.

One in pain.

One in our resolve that in our lifetime, effective measures must be put in place to significantly reduce sex with our young girls and that more perpetrators will be brought to justice.

Just over three years ago, EVE for Life piloted a six month project that has now developed into the “I Am Alive!” programme. At the time, most of the 15 clients were aged between 18 years old and 22 years old, all HIV positive and all mothers. Three were just over 16 years old. The data was stark:

• The average age at first sex was 14 years old
• Two were sexually assaulted at first sexual experience
• All except three had multiple children
• 100% were unemployed
• 100% were unable to accurately name three ways HIV is transmitted, although they were HIV positive
• 11 were not using any contraceptive method although they were sexually active
• 11 were not using condoms on a regular basis

As an organisation, EVE for Life worked with these young ladies to deal with their HIV status, pregnancies and the regular abuse. By 2012, an additional 17 young ladies joined in Kingston, 18 in St. Ann and 19 in St. James.  We immediately recognised that not only were the young women younger than we previously worked with, but a significant portion were/are being sexually, physically and emotionally abused.

The youngest child mother in our programme today turned 14 a few months ago. She is living with HIV, neglected by family and in need of care and protection.  One 20 year old is trapped in a relationship with a man who ‘rescued’ her from homelessness six years ago and since then she has had two children with him and we have been able to negotiate the daily beatings/kicks to once or twice per month. She continues to be raped continually as she told us up to last week: “A nuh mi boyfriend u nuh miss. If mi tell him no him still tek it. Mi jus’ caan find a work a das why mi nuh leave yet. Mi would leave if he would tek care of the pikney dem but him sey if mi leave him won’t give me anything.”

Our work with the young ladies made Eve for Life realise, we cannot just sit back and care for those who have already become pregnant, contracted HIV or experienced abuse. We needed to get out of our comfort zone and begin strong advocacy to prevent other young girls from falling victims to the effects of early and forced sex.

The effects of early sex, forced sex among young girls are well documented. That is no cause for dispute. Early/forced sex harms health, halts education, destroys opportunities and puts young girls at risk condemning many of them to a live of poverty and dependency.

As a country, we should not become immune to this scourge affecting the country. It is a problem we must deal with now. Sex with girls under 16 is child rape, it is violence against girls. It is repugnant and defenceless.

EVE for Life condemns it and we are calling on all Jamaicans to condemn it. We know there are persons who will point the finger at these young girls as being promiscuous and would prefer we keep silent. That should however not concern us – let us seek justice for our young girls. Let us allow them to express their sexuality without being preyed on. As adults and caretakers, the message must reverberate and we must tell each other… Nuh Guh Deh!

Related articles

“Nuh Guh Deh!” Sex with young girls fuelling HIV infections in Jamaica (petchary.wordpress.com)

One in 10 women have been forced into sex against their will, Lancet study says (theguardian.com)

14 Year-Old Sex Trafficking Survivor Speaks Out (chicago.cbslocal.com)

J-FLAG Celebrates Milestone for LGBT Rights

15^th Anniversary Statement

December 10, 2013

Jamaica has a long and complex history of LGBT human rights advocacy from the 1970s with the Gay Freedom Movement.

Back then, there were more pockets of tolerance and gay social spaces in Jamaica; visible gay clubs such as NS, Marshalls, The Closet, and Entourage all based in Kingston. More recently we’ve had The Loft, and Oasis as well as Heaven which is still in operation.

Regrettably, beginning in the late 1980s, things began to change. People were being targeted, beaten and killed because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Consequently, the LGBT community became imprisoned by fear, discrimination and violence.

Fifteen years ago, some concerned Jamaicans came together to establish what we now know as J-FLAG. On Human Rights Day – December 10, 1998 – J-FLAG was launched to ‘engage in initiatives that would foster the acceptance and enrichment of the lives of same-gender loving persons who have been, and continue to be an integral part of society’. Jamaica is better because of their vision.

When J-FLAG was launched, the idea of protection from discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity seemed foreign, but it was important to confront laws and policies that were, and continue to be detrimental to the dignity of LGBT Jamaicans.

Today, we celebrate fifteen wonderful years of advocacy for LGBT people. I thank everyone, including LGBT community members, our partners, donors, allies and policymakers who have helped in promoting the rights of LGBT Jamaicans. I pay tribute to the founders who so desperately wanted to ensure Jamaicans like me could claim our full citizenship and not be mistreated because of who we love.

It is an honour for me to be part of such a proud history, and I am hopeful that better days are ahead. Already, there is an unprecedented lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the ‘buggery law’ and many LGBT people are boldly confronting homophobia. This year, we witnessed the establishment of three new LGBT organisations, namely Quality of Citizenship Jamaica (QCJ) – a lesbian and bisexual women’s organisation, the Jamaica Association of Gays and Lesbians Abroad (JAGLA), and Dwayne’s House – working to create a shelter for homeless LGBT youth.

However, despite these strides by the community, there are still many challenges. Some LGBT people still do not have a place to sleep at nights. Children are still being thrown out of their homes because they are gay or lesbian, while some of them hide from school to avoid being bullied, and others contemplate suicide to end the harassment they face. Transgender Jamaicans are still being treated as outcasts. People are still being beaten for being LGBT and many of us still live in great fear for our lives and that of our loved ones. The murder of 16 year old Dwayne Jones in St James in July 2013, who wanted to become a teacher or entertainment coordinator, is evidence of how difficult it is for many of us.

It is for these reasons that we must all work together to create a peaceful and inclusive society for all Jamaicans. We must provide more opportunities to learn about human rights and foster greater respect among all of us, regardless of our differences.

No Jamaican should feel inferior, powerless or invisible because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. It is only with respect and embracing our common humanity that Jamaica can be a safe, cohesive and just society. Together, we can put aside the grievances that lead to prejudice, inequality, crime, violence and intolerance, to build Jamaica land we love.

Please read the Top Ten LGBT Achievements for 2013 here: http://www.jflag.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Top-Ten-LGBT-Achievements-in-2013.pdf

Contact:

Dane Lewis, Executive Director

(876) 875 2328 /(876)  754 2130

Related articles

• Homophobia and Violence in Jamaica: An Issue Brief from J-FLAG (petchary.wordpress.com)
• Squeezing out the gays (jamaica-gleaner.com)
• http://www.jflag.org/2013/10/government-must-urgently-address-homelessness/ Government must urgently address homelessness (J-FLAG)
• Christian anti-gay activists urge Jamaica to keep buggery law (pinknews.co.uk)
• Americans among bigots speaking out for hate and homophobia in Jamaica (oblogdeeoblogda.me)

There is something about sitting on a beach that puts you into a day dream. After a while, things get a little hazy, and you realize you have been staring at the same rock for at least ten minutes. It must be the hypnotic sound of the waves, the continuous, unhesitating wash of them. Someone says something to you, and you reply: “What?”

Dreaming sands: Saturday afternoon on Winifred’s Beach. (My photo)

So it was when we escaped from town for a day with visiting relatives, ending up on Winifred’s Beach in Portland, eastern Jamaica. Winifred’s has always been one of our favorites. The road down there has not improved (violently bumpy) but the glimpse of the water through the trees as you jerk along downhill (preferably in an SUV) is alluring. It’s a little more built-up than when we first visited close to thirty years ago, when there was only the occasional tent and one or two shacks selling drinks. Now there are two or three unpretentious  places where you can buy food. A couple of Rastafarian gentlemen diligently sweep the sand and tidy up, and ask for a small contribution for their services.

Hanging out at Neville’s eating establishment on the beach. (My photo)

One of the sweepers and tidy-uppers, who keep the beach clean. (My photo)

Yes, Winifred’s is a public beach – an increasing rarity in Jamaica. Much of our coastline – especially on the north coast – has been hijacked by monstrous all-inclusive hotels or fenced off by the owners of villas. To walk along what’s left of the severely-eroded Negril beach, you have to run the gauntlet of security guards whose main purpose is to keep you off a particular stretch of sand (if you look like a tourist, you might be let through). This is a huge contrast to other islands I have visited (notably Barbados and Grenada) where all beaches are open to the public.

The beautiful and famous Grand Anse Beach near St. George’s, Grenada has hotels adjoining it but remains a public beach. (My Photo)

Then, at Winifred’s, there is the spring. In one corner of the beach, it is a slightly muddy jade green at its deepest. A small stream makes its way gently into the sea. If you scoop up the sand there it smells strongly of sulphur. Its natural mineral waters (very cold) make your skin tingle, after a swim in the sea. My back felt wonderful after lying in it for ten minutes; I wish I could do it every day. At one time local people used to do their washing in the spring; the strong detergent was ruining the water and vegetation and flowing into the sea, threatening the coral reef. Now, there is a large sign up in patois telling people not to do their laundry there, and there were no signs of any washers.

Tree roots on Winifred’s Beach. (My photo)

Dear Winifred’s. I floated on my back in water clear as glass, the sun in my eyes. A wave broke on my face and made my eyes red. Memories drifted back of sitting under the same tree with twisted roots with my parents, during one of their visits here. Of sitting on the edge of the water watching our son’s ecstatic play in the waves. Of calling him endlessly to come out of the water, because it was time to go home. He never, ever wanted to come out of the water, even when the shadows lengthened.

But there I go. Day dreaming, again.

A little girl and a sleeping dog. (My photo)

Boys kicking ball on the beach. (My photo)

Winifred’s Beach is sheltered, enclosed by rocks and fringed with small coves. (My photo)

I have been helter-skelter again this week so forgive me if I have missed something vital. Next week I will definitely slow down. Meanwhile, many Christmas cards are still waiting to be written…

What? Some church leaders are NOT right-wing fundamentalists!? But that’s un-Christian!! Online readers of the Jamaica Observer appeared shocked and outraged that an Anglican priest decried the discrimination and abuse meted out to gays during a church service for Human Rights Day last weekend. If most of these commenters were Jamaican, then anyone who pretends this country is not homophobic need only take a look at a few of these ignorant diatribes. They will have to eat their words. The way to get lots of comments in Jamaica (in this case, well over 100!) is to post an online article advocating for LGBT rights. We’ve got a long way to go. Read: “Pastor lashes out at injustices faced by gays” in the Jamaica Observer.

Are we committed to fighting corruption? Yes, I could rewind the Prime Minister’s avowed determination to fight corruption on taking office nearly two years ago (sigh). But ten years ago the Commission for the Prevention of Corruption first asked the Ministry of Finance (very politely, I am sure) for access to computerized Tax Administration Jamaica records. This government agency, who must feel like giving up sometimes, is still asking at regular intervals, to no avail.  And Monday was International Day Against Corruption! The Gleaner reports “‘Finance ministry not open to request for online access.”

More engineers needed: Our local manufacturers (a steadily shrinking group in our economy) are always vocal. I am afraid that otherwise people might forget we still have a manufacturing sector. But I totally agree with Mr. Howard Mitchell, who says we need to train more mechanical engineers – and keep them in Jamaica (many have migrated in search of employment). The University of Technology apparently graduates about 40 mechanical engineers annually. Read: “Grinding to a halt – Manufacturers say nation needs more mechanical engineers before economy crumbles” in the Gleaner.

At the behest of the IMF: Meanwhile Parliament is busy pushing through legislation to amend the Securities Act, to clamp down on Ponzi schemes. Meanwhile, the Jamaican operator of one such scheme is happily pottering around Jamaica while the case against him languishes in limbo; and another Jamaican swindler is doing time overseas, having never been charged or convicted in this country. Anyway, this legislation is demanded by the International Monetary Fund; otherwise it would likely never happen. Read: “Ponzi squeeze – House revises Security Act in bid to attract more investors” in the Gleaner.

A requiem for arsenic (sob): It seems the operators of Jamaica’s fancy and expensive golf courses are wringing their hands over a ban on a certain kind of weedkiller they use which contains…arsenic! Well, thanks for telling us at this late stage (one assumes all wildlife on golf courses has been wiped out meanwhile?) Apparently arsenic never goes away. The golf course operators seem more concerned about the cost to their wealthy customers of more environmentally friendly fungicides and herbicides than about arsenic seeping into our underground water. Read: “Ban on weed-killer to hit golfing hard” in the Gleaner. 

Something strange… Is happening at the College of Agriculture, Science and Education (CASE) which used to be a quiet place, tucked into lush green surroundings just off the main road leading to Port Antonio, Portland (a parish well-known for the lowest crime rate in the island, by far). There was another fire there early this morning, in which four students were injured, one seriously. This is the third fire at CASE this year; following one in March a student was charged with attempted murder and arson. A lecturer was found murdered on campus in September (case unsolved). There have been break-ins, and last month a student was stabbed by another. What are the police doing? What is the college administration doing? Has any journalist sought to investigate these many strange happenings?

The decline of television? Traditional television is on the decline, it seems. But in Jamaica? Well, not so. And who should know better than the former head of Television Jamaica Dr. Marcia Forbes, who has written an interesting article in the Carib Journal (www.caribjournal.com) on “Jamaica and the Future of Television.” Recommended read.

Congrats, congrats, congrats…

Tamika Pommells Williams poses with the Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor. (Photo: Facebook)

To Ms. Tamika Pommells Williams and her husband Ian Williams for their Certificate of Excellence from the travel website TripAdvisor (which I always consult before traveling and contribute to as a reviewer). The couple run the Ahhh Ras Natango Gallery and Garden near Montego Bay. TripAdvisor is a very influential and important website. Tamika has a beautiful garden (she often posts brilliant flowers on my Facebook page!) and her husband’s paintings are lovely. Congratulations to you both, and to your team!

• Ms. Tessanne Chin (again) for being simply brilliant in another round of “The Voice,” the talent show on NBC. Her rendition of Simon and Garfunkel‘s “Bridge Over Troubled Water“ - a deceptively simple song that is hard to sing because of the range required – was passionate. (Did you know that the song topped the Billboard charts for six weeks in 1970, and was a huge global hit?) Now fingers and toes are crossed for next week’s finals. Emotions will be overflowing in the Jamaican Twittersphere, that’s for sure!

Tessanne Chin sings “Bridge Over Troubled Water” on “The Voice.” (Photo: NBC)

Norman Manley Law School students, who won the World Human Rights Moot Court competition in Pretoria, South Africa recently – the fourth consecutive win for the Kingston-based law school. Many congratulations, and I hope this means that Jamaica will make greater strides in human rights in the future!

Final year students at the Norman Manley Law School, Ralston Dickson (left) and Donia Fuller (right), proudly show off their awards after copping the top prize. Sharing the moment is the chief judge, Madam Justice Bess Nkabinde, who is also a judge at the Constitutional Court of South Africa. (Photo: Jamaica Observer)

Ms. Monique Long, another student at Norman Manley Law School, who was recently selected as the first woman Executive Director of the Jamaica Youth Advocacy Network (JYAN), a voluntary youth-led program and training organization focused on development issues. Wishing you all the best in your new position, Monique!

Jamaica Environment Trust and the creative musical and animation teams that have put together a wonderful little animated song “Don’t Mess with Goat Islands.” Do look it up on JET’s new website (www.savegoatislands.org) and share the link!

“Two likkle lizard” (the Jamaican Iguana, as described by the Transport Minister) as featured in the “Don’t Mess with Goat Islands” animation.

Monique Long, the first female Executive Director of the Jamaica Youth Action Network. (Photo: JYAN Facebook page)

• A policeman from the Greater Portmore Police Station offers his condolences to grieving neighbours of John-Michael Hett who was shot dead in the community of Portsmouth on Monday night. (Photo: Joseph Wellington/Jamaica Observer)

A “Jamaica Observer” editorial cartoon. The well-traveled Prime Minister, on hearing that singer Tessanne Chin has reached the finals in “The Voice,” asks the pilot to prepare for takeoff so that she can fly off to be there in person…

A “brilliant” teenager from Dunoon Technical High School was murdered in a drive-by shooting in Portmore. Seven – yes, seven – Jamaicans were killed in 24 hours, most of them in St. James. The seven included three women, one elderly. Saying that some of the killings were “gang-related” is really no consolation. A death is a death. My heart goes out to the grieving families and loved ones of:

Beresford Robinson, 74, Hill Run, St. Catherine

Wayne West, 49, Portsmouth/Portmore, St. Catherine

John-Michael Hett, 16, Portsmouth/Portmore, St. Catherine

Errol Forrest, Maizeland, St. James

Natasha Palmer, Hibiscus Drive/Norwood, St. James

Nicolette Palmer, Hibiscus Drive/Norwood, St. James

Shane Anglin, 27, Hibiscus Drive/Norwood, St. James

Romario Haughton, 19, North Gully, St. James

“Banga,” North Gully, St. James 

Cynthia Devanza, 78, Hopewell, St. Mary

Looking for a great show in Jamaica in the New Year? Then, look no further…

When our son was young (up until he went away to boarding school) one of my greatest pleasures was to take him to the cinema – and to the theater. Knee-deep in popcorn, we saw a range of great children’s movies, and our son still loves animated film. AND we saw most of the productions of the Jamaica Junior Theatre (JJT) at the Phillip Sherlock Centre, in the middle of the university campus. It was time well spent. The JJT productions were of very high quality. Its production of “The Lion King” was so beautifully produced and performed that members of the Broadway production team went to see it and were very impressed. I also remember an excellent production of the 1988 South African musical “Sarafina!” – and many more.

Amazingly, this is the JJT’s 52nd production. Its longevity speaks volumes. So, if you are in Jamaica in January, come and see our highly talented Jamaican young people in what will be another fine production. And it is in a good cause, too. Here’s their press release, and for more information contact Suzanne Stanley – details below…

On Tuesday, December 10, the lawns of the Phillip Sherlock Centre for the Creative Arts (PSCCA) at the University of the West Indies Mona set the stage for the launch of the Jamaica Junior Theatre’s (JJT’s) 2014 production Aladdin!

Guests to the launch milled around on the lawns of the PSCCA as they waited for the programme to begin. The venue was adorned with rugs, urns, and exotic fabrics giving an Arabian feel in keeping with the setting of Aladdin! Damian Shaw, a Jamaica Junior Theatre Alumnus, hosted the evening’s events, which kicked off just after 6pm. Shaw welcomed guests to the ‘city of Assam,’ the fictional kingdom in which Aladdin! is set.  “We look forward to seeing you all come January when Aladdin! begins its 7 week run at PSCCA,” said Danielle Stiebel, the show’s producer: “Tonight is just a taste of what Aladdin! has to offer, but you will have to come out in January to see the flying carpet!” The cast of Aladdin! then treated media representatives, special guests, friends and family of the cast and production team to an exclusive preview of the show, with two chorus numbers – One Jump, led by Andrew Bailey who plays Aladdin, and The Strongest Suit, led by Ashley Thurlow who plays the Razia Sultana.

This is the second time JJT will be staging Aladdin!; the first staging was back in 1992 . The 2014 production is a modern twist on the well-known story. Script writers Jodi Ho Lung and Samantha Chin Yee have included a Genie with a little Jamaican flavour. Joining the script writers on the production team are Peter Haley, Director, Ana Strachan, Musical Director and Tony Wilson, Choreographer.

It is hoped that Aladdin!, like previous JJT productions, will garner the support of the Jamaican public as a way to contribute to charitable causes. In the tradition of JJT, profits from the 2014 productions will go to a Jamaican children’s charity. This year’s beneficiary is the Christina Bennett Scholarship Fund, an award which will be made to one or more deserving JJT participants annually. Francine McDonald-Vasselle of Children First, beneficiaries of the 2013 JJT production, was on hand at the launch of Aladdin! “Children First is extremely grateful to JJT for their donation this year,” said Mcdonald-Vaselle: “It was the start we needed to better position our organisation, which was facing closure.” Children First is a non-governmental organisation based in Spanish Town dedicated to the support and upliftment of vulnerable children. Earlier this year, JJT donated proceeds from Alice-The Musical to the organisation to assist with its remedial education programme (REP). The Children First REP has helped hundreds of young people become literate and able to reintegrate into the formal education system.

Founded in 1983 by Douglas Bennett, JJT is the youth arm of the Jamaica Musical Theatre Company (JMTC). JJT is a non-profit organization dedicated to charity and the development of youth in the Performing Arts in Jamaica. It is the only youth organization of its kind in Jamaica, having had 51 productions; between full musical productions (30) and smaller concert series. The JJT has produced musical Broadway notables such as “Beauty & the Beast,” “The Lion King,” “Cats,” as well as originally scripted musicals such as “FAME: The Next Generation,” “Hercules,” and “Alice – The Musical.”  Described as life-changing by past cast members, the junior theatre programmes have motivated many young people along the path of self-discovery. Aladdin! is JJT’s 52^ndproduction.

Aladdin! will open on January 10, 2014 at the Phillip Sherlock Centre for the Creative Arts at the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus.

Scenes from the launch of Aladdin! below…

JJT member Andrew Grant, who plays the Genie in the production. (Photo: JJT)

Friends… at the launch of “Aladdin!” (Photo: JJT)

The production team at the launch of “Aladdin!” (Photo: JJT)

Cast members hanging out at the launch. (Photo: JJT)

A chorus number performed by JJT members at the launch of “Aladdin!” (Photo: JJT)

We came out of the Carib Cinema in Cross Roads, Kingston, on a bit of a high again. Not because we had just seen the most exhilarating thriller complete with car chases and machine guns. None of that (although I do love a good thriller). We had just watched a simulcast of Verdi’s “Falstaff“ beamed live from the Metropolitan Opera in New York.

Yes, my husband and I are both opera nuts. I knew a couple of operas (primarily my grandmother’s favorite, “Turandot,” which made her weep) before I met husband, but he took me in-depth with the whole thing. Now I am completely sold on it. And the Met’s incredible HD series, broadcast live and direct to cinemas in sixty countries around the world – including, thanks be to God, Jamaica! – is an absolute treat.

Angela Meade as Alice and Lisette Oropesa as Nannetta in Verdi’s “Falstaff.” Nannetta does an entrancing aria in the final act – Ms. Oropesa has a sweet and delicate voice.
Photo: Ken Howard

Falstaff (Ambrogio Maestri) lights a cigarette for Mistress Quickly (Stephanie Blythe). (Photo: Ken Howard)

“Falstaff” is based largely on the William Shakespeare comedy, “The Merry Wives of Windsor.” Giuseppe Verdi had already done “Macbeth” and “Otello” – heavy stuff. This was only Verdi’s second comedy. He wrote this, his last opera, in 1893 - “for my own pleasure,” he said. It has an ensemble of ten characters and some pretty elaborate group numbers, including a remarkably intricate fugue in the third and final act. And he wrote it at age eighty!

Falstaff is full of himself, dressed in an absurd huntsman’s outfit, at the Garter Inn ( a great deal of wood paneling).

This Robert Carsen production premièred last year at the Royal Opera House in London. It was set in the 1950s (the original story being fourteenth century) and the costumes and sets (not to mention the amazing range of props, thousands of them!) are a complete delight. I loved Meg’s pillbox hats, and Mistress Quickly‘s handbags. The set for Scene II is a perfect Betty Crocker kitchen (Alice’s), with lots of lemony-colored cupboards and a vintage box of Omo washing powder on the orange countertop, among many other things. The women’s costumes in the final scene were crimson and maroon and all shades in between, with Falstaff’s two ridiculous, thieving sidekicks in kilts. I am not sure that the outside scene works quite so well – it is Windsor Park, but maybe not quite “open air” enough.

Meg (Jennifer Johnson Cano), left, and Mistress Quickly (Stephanie Blythe) squeeze Falstaff (Ambrogio Maestri) into a laundry basket full of dirty linen in ‘Falstaff’ at the Met, New York. This was Alice’s fabulous 1950s kitchen. (Photo: Ken Howard/Financial Times)

I always find Verdi’s operas intense, in a completely different way to those of Puccini. One plunges into the richness of the choirs and soloists, and the depths of the orchestration, and comes up for air gasping. Puccini is a whole different experience – equally satisfying, in my view – more like gliding along on top of a wave that never breaks. (I am a Puccini woman, husband is a Verdi man. We have our preferences). But I enjoyed “Falstaff” thoroughly, partly because I was not familiar with the opera but knew the story from Shakespeare. It’s not performed that often – in fact, the Met last did it way back in 1964, in a Franco Zeffirelli production conducted by Leonard Bernstein.

Falstaff is ultimately a pathetic character, in his pursuit of popularity and consumption. We can see many Falstaffs around us today: those men (and women) determined to have a good time, no matter at whose expense. The pathos of the character was not greatly emphasized in this production. We know that Falstaff will be forgiven and that he will forgive his tormenters. Mr. Maestri’s tremendous girth (much proud slapping of his belly) was, however, much in evidence; especially when he was wearing grubby long johns; what a slob he really was! And his voice is suitably all-encompassing and authoritative.

An old print of the same laundry basket scene.

The fabulous women! From left, Lisette Oropesa as Nannetta, Angela Meade as Alice, Stephanie Blythe as Mistress Quickly and Jennifer Johnson Cano as Meg Page. (Photo: Sara Krulwich/New York Times)

But… but, the four women were terrific: I loved the interplay between them, the knowing glances and smirks. Their conversation in a restaurant flitted all over the place, with many interruptions of the romantic kind as Nannetta (a delicate soprano, and the junior of the group) dallied with her sweetheart. One of the advantages of watching the opera in close-up, of course, is that you pick up on all the nuances of the acting – more than you would if you were in the theatre itself. And I could tell that the female singers were enjoying themselves. They were more than a match for Sir John Falstaff.

If you have never really taken a good look at opera, this production might well be a suitable place to start. “Falstaff” rattles along at a brisk pace, the humor is often very visual and although the plot is a little odd at times – this happens with Shakespeare – it doesn’t really matter much.

The moral of the tale is “He who laughs last, laughs longest.” And remember to laugh at yourself, sometimes.

This is the third opera that we have seen in the current series. We saw the stunning “Eugene Onegin” and the heart-rending “Tosca” but sadly missed Shostakovich’s “The Nose.” Don’t plan to miss any more! I am deeply thankful to Palace Amusement Company and of course to the Met and all its amazing sponsors for making this a reality for Jamaican audiences. The select few (in relative terms) who DO attend are deeply appreciative. The screenings start at the Carib and are repeated at Palace Cineplex in Liguanea, but we prefer the Carib. There is lots of space, a big screen and excellent sound. “Falstaff” will have an encore at the Palace Cineplex and at the Multiplex Montego Bay on December 22 at 11:30 a.m. 

I would highly recommend this for schools (sixth formers) and music/drama students. Why don’t more young people attend? Schools, give it some thought! It teaches so much about music and acting, but also about the nuts and bolts of theatre. One of the pleasures of this series is that the camera quietly goes behind the scenes in the intervals, roving around backstage. We see the stage hands arranging props, arranging lighting, and the huge “flats” rising and descending from the dizzy heights of the “flies” (up at the top of the stage), while the stage managers prowl around, checking things off on a clipboard and reminding the crew that they have two minutes to go… all in “real time.” It’s fascinating.

And if you want a truly rich experience, try opera for size. It’s got everything.

We have to wait until February 8, 2014 for the next one… “Rusalka” by Dvorák. This will be followed by:

“Prince Igor” by Borodin (cannot wait for this one!): March 1, 2014

“Werther” by Massenet: March 15, 2014

“La Bohème” by Puccini: April 5, 2014 (stocking up on handkerchiefs from now)

“Così fan tutte” by Mozart: April 26, 2014

“La Cenerentola” by Rossini: May 10, 2014

Events (and Christmas cards) keep crowding in on me, so it is harder and harder to complete my twice-weekly bulletins on time during the Christmas season! But, one tries…

I have given up trying to add links in to my news bulletins. They only work about half the time, which is frustrating for readers and for me too. So, if you do want to read more on any of the stories below, I suggest you look them up at jamaica-gleaner.com; jamaicaobserver.com; and rjrnewsonline.com. I do get stories from other sources too but you will find the top stories on these pages. My apologies for any inconvenience caused…

Schools found wanting (again): The Inspector of Schools’ latest report does not make for happy reading. Progress in about half of the 304 schools inspected was “unsatisfactory,” – with achievement in English Language rated unsatisfactory in 75 per cent of the primary level schools, and 50 per cent of the secondary schools. Good grief!

I am a little tired… of the regular hype we get from the Tourism Ministry – projections for the upcoming season. We are getting lots of stopover tourists from Czechoslovakia, apparently. Really now. “Jamaica on target to make stopover history” declares the Sunday Observer. Over two million stopover visitors expected for 2013? But hold on! According to the latest figures on onecaribbean.org (the Caribbean Tourist Organisation website), Cuba has already had over 2 million stopover visitors this year (without Americans)! And the Dominican Republic has had almost four million. Hmm. Am I missing something?

I actually got to read Mark Wignall’s column this week, as I bought a hard copy of the paper; how annoying it is that one cannot read the full column online. However, my mind has been going off in the same direction as Mr. Wignall in relation to the Goat Islands logistics hub and the lack of information thereon. Is it because the Chinese are concerned about our crime rate and are hesitating? Remember the Police Commissioner has had to reassure the Chinese Ambassador on more than one occasion that his nationals are safe, and toured downtown Kingston with him very recently. Mr. Wignall quotes Jamaican engineer Howard Chin, who believes that “the PNP government will be granting the Chinese extraterritorial rights to the Goat Island port facilities,” where they will be protected presumably. Good Lord. And as Mr. Wignall comments, “Something about this Goat Islands investment is not adding up.”

Head of the National Education Inspectorate Maureen Dwyer. (Photo: Jamaica Observer)

It’s snowing cocaine for Christmas: A lot of jokes about a “white Christmas” in Jamaica are circulating, after a series of enormous drug busts at Kingston’s ports. A total of over J$2.5 billion worth has been found in containers in the past week – 1,696 pounds in weight. And all being transshipped somewhere else – from Venezuela, Colombia and Curacao. Is this going to impress future investors in the promised logistics hub, one wonders? Is this sudden jump in seizures due to increased vigilance, or to an increase in drug trafficking (which Minister Peter Bunting recently described as one factor in the increased crime rate)? I would like to see more investigative reporting on this development.

Dusting off the begging bowls: But do they need dusting off – they have only just been used? This time Finance Minister Peter Phillips (plus delegation) is off to China to seek investment, funding etc. Which government ministers have not traveled to China first-class, at taxpayers’ expense? And why is Minister Phillips going to seek investment? I thought that was Minister Hylton’s portfolio.

Frightening stuff: The Montego Bay, St. James blood-letting continues. After five were killed on Wednesday, we had another four murders at the end of the week. For Minister Bunting, the week after the launch of his “Unite for Change” program, this must be very alarming. Montego Bay’s murder rate is some way above Kingston’s this year. It was first blamed on the “lotto scam,” but I understood this to be under control (or is it?) The police arrested a couple this week, but how many successful lotto scam cases have there been in court so far? Now it is all said to be “gang-related.” Can the police tell us what is happening, apart from the fact that there have been 152 murders, nine more than compared to the same time in 2012, in this parish alone?

The Chinese are worried about crime: And I fully understand that. We all are! So the Police Commissioner took a walk downtown yesterday with the Chinese Ambassador. There are over 200 Chinese-operated businesses in downtown Kingston alone. I had no idea it was so many, although I am told it has always been so.

CCTV is a must: I really think businesses and whoever can afford it need to invest in CCTV though. In the UK and U.S. it is in every public space, and it has solved many crimes. But the cost is high – and who would monitor the footage? I would love someone to delve more deeply into the pros and cons.

A very odd-looking person: The police descriptions of wanted men (they rarely have photographs) sometimes verge on the bizarre. The police are looking for a person with “a straight face and a pointed mouth” right now. He has a “high forehead and protruding ears,” too. If I met this gentleman I am not sure if I would recognize him. Another man was of “dark complexion” but also “appeared to be bleaching” (his skin, that is) – so what color does that make him, roughly? Dark with light patches, I suppose.

And odd comments: I may have misinterpreted remarks made at a Rotary Club function by the head of the Court of Appeal Justice Seymour Panton, as reported on television. He seemed to be blaming journalists for the increased crime rate, saying that the media glorifies criminals. Sorry, I am not seeing that at all – although there may have been a tendency to do that at one time, but not now. Justice Panton did not give any examples of this glorification, but didn’t like the media describing a person as a “don.” But dons do exist, actually!

Justice Seymour Panton. (Photo: Gleaner)

Another Christmas in jail: Talking of bleaching, the deejay Vybz Kartel will spend his third consecutive Christmas behind bars, as the second murder case in which he is a co-accused will drag on into the New Year. So Mr. Adijah Palmer’s highly-paid, arrogant defense lawyers will have ample opportunity to continue making witty remarks and parading in front of the court and media, flaunting their gowns like peacocks. I know, they are just doing their job. But this isn’t a network television series, is it.

Hurry along, now: Senator A.J. Nicholson had to apologize for the extreme haste with which many bills are being pushed through Parliament, ahead of the Christmas break. This is all to do with the International Monetary Fund‘s demands, he says. Yes, I am sure it is, but surely they should be properly debated? I foresee problems down the road…

Are we taking any notice? The European Union/UN’s very important Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction Project (what a mouthful) has ended. I hope that lessons have been learned and that the measures taken will have some effect for the future. EU representative Paola Amadei commented, “A careful environmental assessment of all projects is not a new fad but a necessity”  (Hint, hint). I really hope that the Jamaican government has taken on board the warnings and concerns over the impact that development has on our fragile environment (or what’s left of it). As Ambassador Amadei said, it’s not a question of either/or. What’s the next step, Climate Change Minister Pickersgill?

Minister of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change Robert Pickersgill (centre); head of delegation of the European Union (EU) to Jamaica, Ambassador Paola Amadei (left); and deputy director general, sustainable development and regional planning, Planning Institute of Jamaica, Claire Bernard, view a portfolio with photos of projects under the Government of Jamaica/EU/United Nations Environment Programme Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction Project, which has just ended. – JIS Photo

NWC story: The Sunday Observer has a story about dubious contracts and cost overruns at the National Water Commission as its lead story, based on documents it obtained. However, I am never too comfortable with reports that rely on unnamed sources (whether “highly placed” or not) for comment and that are “unable to contact” key actors who could shed more light. I am, however, concerned at the staggering losses the NWC continues to incur (J$3.5 billion in just five months this year) and the Office of Utilities Regulation’s decision to grant this highly inefficient organization a rate increase of eighteen per cent in October. Humph!

Harmony Hall in St. Mary houses a lovely art gallery. For many years it has hosted exhibitions of Jamaican intuitive art – its 32nd will be on December 29, 2013. (Photo: Harmony Hall website)

Harmony Hall for sale: We have been going to exhibition openings at Harmony Hall in St. Mary for decades now (and occasionally buying art, when our budget permitted). Now, after 32 years of managing this attractive Georgian property (then Prime Minister Edward Seaga opened it in 1981), the owners Annabella and Peter Proudlock are putting it up for sale. I feel sad, and hope that whoever takes it over will give the building as much love and care as they have done. And keep the art gallery open.

600 handcarts registered!! Yay! Mayor Angela Brown-Burke is thrilled at the success of her drive to register handcart operators. She thinks this will empower them to get loans, save money, even buy a house. Umm, err…

Will this handcart operator ever be able to buy a house? Well, the Mayor of Kingston thinks he will, if he is registered.

P.S. Our newspapers are getting increasingly sloppy. A Sunday Observer column by “Sean Major-Williams” (at the top of the page) is accredited to “Sean Major-Campbell” in the introduction. It’s not even corrected online. By the way, this is well worth a read – it’s the Father’s message for Human Rights Day last week, headlined “The link between the Kingdom of God and justice.” He offers a marvelous quote from Archbishop Desmond Tutu: “Christians shouldn’t be just pulling people out of the river, we should be going upstream to find out who’s pushing them in.” 

And I am so emotionally drained after the finale of “Homeland” that…I just cannot go on… (Is Brody really dead?)

This is Father Sean Major-CAMPBELL. Please note, Jamaica Observer!

Seasonal kudos to:

The Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) for its sheer determination in pursuing the stealers of electricity. JPS says it has arrested and brought to court over 700 people this year!

The Jamaica Institute of Environmental Professionals (JIEP) for its detailed and thorough presentation on the processes, procedures and considerations for the logistics hub last Thursday evening. Inevitably, the oft-repeated refrain was, “But of course, we have very little information to go on, so…” 

Jean Lowrie-Chin for her column (now available on her blog at lowrie-chin.blogspot.com) on our desire – and need – to see something Mandela-esque in our own political leaders. Oh, I wish! An excellent column and worth reading.

Gloria Simms is from the Trelawny Town Maroons in the hills of St. James. (Photo: Paul Williams/Gleaner)

Ms. Gloria Simms (a woman you will never forget, once you have met her) heads the Maroon Women’s Indigenous Circle. She will travel to Suriname soon, with the aim of forging stronger ties with Maroons there. Her aim is poverty reduction and the development of eco-tourism and community tourism in Maroon communities. Ms. Simms is brilliant and I hope she has a very successful visit.

It is very sad to list the names below. My heartfelt condolences to all the families of those murdered in the past four days:

Desmond Samuels, Spring Mount, St. James

Unidentified man, Content/Maroon Town, St. James

Unidentified man, Content/Maroon Town, St. James

Barrington Dennis, 23, Orange District, St. James

Monique Watson, 36, Montego Bay, St. James

Rosemarie Reid, 46, North Gully, St. James

Andrew Duhaney, 30, Rough Road, St. James

Gussette Clarke, 41, Edgewater/Portmore, St. Catherine

Kevin Kirkland, 37, Newlands Road/Portmore, St. Catherine

Demar Campbell, 24, Caymanas Gardens/Portmore, St. Catherine

“We need hope.”

This simple comment by a Jamaican, just before singer Tessanne Chin won in the finals of “The Voice“ - a talent show on NBC – just about summed it up. Christmas is a week away. Low-paid workers such as security guards and domestic helpers have just received a J$600 (less than US$6) per week increase to the minimum wage. Our pensioners now receive the equivalent of US$15 or so per month from the government (an increase). How do people manage? Crime and insecurity are tapping on our shoulders, reminding us of their presence. We are doing the best we can, but we certainly needed this. This hope. So, thank you, Tessanne. You have brightened our Christmas. You have flipped the switch.

Ms. Chin expresses herself.

Personally, I am not a fan of television talent shows, anywhere in the world. The screaming studio audiences, the self-congratulatory celebrity judges, the manufactured hype and suspense – not my cup of tea. So, I had never watched “The Voice” before, and I am unlikely to watch it ever again. But Tessanne’s achievement was nothing short of stunning. A few things strike me about her win (and without any bias, I can say that she deserved it. She simply has a marvelous voice!)

Kingston fans support Ms. Chin. (Photo: Jermaine Barnaby/Gleaner)

Audience: A few months ago if we asked the average Jamaican “Are you a fan of Tessanne Chin?” the vast majority would reply, “Who?” The 28-year-old Ms. Chin has had a loyal following, mostly among uptown Kingston dwellers – but numerically her audiences have been quite small. Her style of reggae-infused rock music was nowhere near mainstream in the Jamaican music scene, which has been obsessed with the dancehall culture for years. Now, she has sailed into the stratosphere of both local and overseas recognition and acclaim, all in one go.

Hard work: Ms. Chin has paid her dues. She toured for three years as a back-up singer for Jimmy Cliff, and she kept plugging away at the local music scene. She performed at local live music festivals. She has always had a great voice, always kept her performance standards high. She did not succumb to the temptation of stripping off her clothes and indulging in slo-mo “wining” in music videos, in order to garner short-term popularity. There is much more to her than that. She is a “keeper,” as they say.

Going outside her comfort zone: Tessanne launched herself from the comfortable, if slightly dull world of middle-class Kingston into the glitzy but cut-throat world of American network television. This quantum leap (with the support I note below, of course) was courageous. She must have been terrified at times. But I admire her for pushing herself out there. It takes guts.

Support: There is no doubt that Tessanne received enormous support in this effort, and I understand other Jamaican musicians and entities (such as the singer Shaggy) helped to make things happen, behind the scenes. Good for them, and thank you.

Character: I have already mentioned the work ethic, which is never to be under-estimated. You don’t reap success – in any field at all – by doing a little bit here and a bit there. Genius is 90 per cent sweat, or something like that. Tessanne stuck to it. Moreover, her strong but humble character was evident in all her interactions on the show. She was simply herself – and that person turned out to be a very good person. There is no doubt in my mind that this contributed to her win. She was warm, kind and humorous – no airs and graces, no affectations. Just a lovely Jamaican woman. (I loved her comment, on winning a car, “We have the worst roads!”)

A loving Dad: Mr. Chin with Tessanne (left) and Tami. Sweet photo!

Family: And a musical one, at that. The Chins have all been involved in music, and Tessanne’s sister Tami is also a singer. They are a close family, and Tessanne’s husband Michael Cuffe is clearly very supportive. One can never, ever, discount the importance of family in the achievement of young people’s goals. In particular, the father-daughter relationship is so valuable. I remember this with my own father, who always sought to guide me in my career and helped me make key decisions in my life. I can see that the Chin girls have a tremendously nurturing father, too.

“Out of many”: And yes, to me and I trust to many Jamaicans, Tessanne’s heritage as a Chinese Jamaican means something. It does to us, as a “bi-racial” family. I don’t like that word really, but what I am getting at is celebrating diversity. Let us celebrate all our minorities; each one has so much to offer to society. Let us affirm Jamaica’s motto, “Out of many one people” - let’s start believing in it.

The power of (social) media: There was what seemed to me a complicated system of voting, buying Tessanne’s songs on iTunes etc. On Twitter and Facebook, and online in general, many Jamaican individuals and entities simply got it all organized (the Jamaica Gleaner and Ms. Deika Morrison come immediately to mind, but I know there were many others). The power of “sharing” is amazing. You might say that many Jamaicans still don’t have the luxury of home Internet access, etc. But people do have mobile phones. Traditional media helped to keep the momentum going.

The support of Jamaicans abroad: Following on from this was the easy online accessibility of the Jamaican diaspora (as we call it – but they are actually people!) They are just out there, a tap on the keyboard away, and always anxious to communicate with “home.” I have Jamaican tweeps and Facebook friends who may well be living overseas – sometimes I just don’t know where in the world they are! – but they always want to support Jamaica. A radio call-in program that I listen to was flooded with calls today from Jamaicans in the United States, France, Bermuda… all over. The diaspora (you know, I really don’t like that word much either) is always “there” for Jamaica. They want something positive to support. And they did. There were Tessanne support parties all over the United States, I gather, watching the finals and sending in their votes. It is actually very touching, if you think about it.

Another lovely Jamaican, track medalist Usain Bolt, visited Tessanne during the competition. Another person who has achieved so much and is still humble – and just himself.

Meanwhile, back home, crowds gathered in Half Way Tree, in semi-darkness, waiting – and hoping – to celebrate, as they did the wins of Jamaican track athletes during the Olympics last year. They were not disappointed, and they shared the joy. It was sheer emotion.

Crowds gathered in Half Way Tree, Kingston to watch the finals of “The Voice” on a big screen. (Photo: Raymond Simpson/Gleaner)

And hope is a pretty indestructible thing. Thank you, just for that alone, Tessanne. And I am wishing you and your family a very happy Christmas.

Oh, and I want a hairstyle – something like…this… Tessanne Chin sings on “The Voice.”

There is so much online commentary already on Tessanne’s win. I guess we are all saying much the same thing in different ways. Here are a couple of other blogs that I enjoyed today (I am not putting the exact links but you can look them up here): http://thecrooksofthematter.wordpress.com  from broadcast journalist and tweep Emily Crooks; and http://sparkiebaby.wordpress.com - another Jamaican tweep with an inside track on the music business. Enjoy!

I commented in an earlier blog post that it has been a fairly dull season on our street. Our neighbors have not decorated their yard at all. It’s dark. I am not “feeling” Christmas – especially since the flu has been on the rebound. I spent yesterday in bed, buried under a blanket with the radio and my android phone for company.

In other ways, it is far from dull. On both sides of our house, the happy pre-Christmas season has been all “action.” Of the hardware store variety.

On one side is the home of a “big man” – who clearly is not at home these days, or he would be going crackers. He is on an overseas trip, one presumes, or at another residence. His humble neighbors (us), however, only have one home to stay in, so we suffer. Seven days a week (yes, Sunday mornings not exempt) we have endured a range of power tools. From hammer drills to saws to simple plain hammering, the side of their house right next to ours is undergoing a kind of demolition-and-rebuilding-from-scratch effort, it seems. In the initial stages this was accompanied by a lot of shouting, laughter and foul language, as the workers relaxed during breaks in the drilling and banging and thumping. Now, it seems, the pressure is on to finish the job by Christmas, and the shouting has thankfully stopped. All you hear now is the relentless power tools (last night, until around 1o p.m.)

Not to be outdone, on the other side of our house (west or east? I don’t know) we were rudely awoken at the crack of dawn this morning by the sound of a man beating the living daylights out of one of those horrible “strimmers,” on the street. You know, those things that sound like a thousand angry bees, that spit out stones in your face if you are not careful. Give me the sleepy drone of an old-fashioned lawn mower, any day. Like most Jamaican gardeners (yes, most) the gentleman deployed this machine with great enthusiasm, revving it up continuously like a sports car engine. This went on for at least half an hour, during which I prayed that the wretched thing would give up under the strain. But it didn’t. It kept on going. And going.

Strimmer Man stopped every now and then to confer with a colleague, also presumably on the government’s “Christmas work” program that takes place every year, which is supposed to put a little extra cash in the pockets of the jobless. Then he returned to his labor, crawling at a snail’s pace down the road. I suspect he was actually attempting to mow the concrete sidewalk. That’s certainly what it sounded like.

As I write, one of the other side’s wide selection of top-of-the-range power tools has started up again. Time to beat a retreat to the bedroom and turn up the radio, I think.

Roll on, Christmas Day! All is forgiven.

P.S. Another example of “Christmas work” in our neighborhood: men have been diligently painting the so-called kerbs on the main road a hideous yellow. At times the kerbs are almost non-existent, consisting of a little knob of concrete, like a broken tooth. But each little knob gets its own small dab of yellow. 

I know. I am really late with my mid-week bulletin (usually Wednesdays), but other things got in the way – primarily my second encounter with the flu (December edition) which really laid me low this time. It takes a lot for me to stay in bed for a whole day. Ugh. Moving on…

Our fabulous Tessanne Chin gets a lovely kiss from Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine, who was recently named People Magazine’s “Sexiest Man Alive” for 2013… (AP Photo/NBC,Trae Patton)

Apart from the overwhelming wonderfulness of Tessanne Chin’s win in “The Voice,” there have been some other bits of news to preoccupy us, as Christmas draws nigh. It was amusing, though, that the Ministry of Transport and Works found it necessary to formally respond to an off the cuff remark by Ms. Chin (who has a great sense of humor) on winning a nice car. She joked, “And we have the worst roads!” To which the National Works Agency’s Earl Patterson responded: “Certainly the point that Tessanne made that the roads could do with more investment, that point is noted.”  Indeed. Noted long time!

Jamaica is on track: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) sounded tentative but positive in its latest statement on Jamaica – which passed its second quarterly review recently. There are “tentative signs of a gradual economic recovery,” says the IMF in the December 18 statement on its website. Looking ahead, it also notes: “Achieving inclusive growth and enhancing the effectiveness of social protection are central components of the authorities’ reform program.” Inclusive? Social protection? How do these phrases sound in the Jamaican context?

The most important part of this for the government (reflected in the Jamaica Information Service headline) is “IMF approves US$30.8 million for Jamaica.” 

So is it true that as of January online readers will have to pay to access Gleaner articles? Well, that’s one way to lose thousands more readers…

The Buff Bay Community Hospital is virtually derelict, and Health Minister Fenton Ferguson is taking urgent action. He is considering pulling it down. Oh, and by the way the Minister has reviewed the anti-smoking legislation recently passed and has decided to reduce the penalties, which are really too high (as a result, local tobacco firm Carreras has withdrawn its pending lawsuit against the government). It was good to see Minister Ferguson at the launch of the government’s HIV/AIDS Workplace Policy the other night. He is actually well on the way to replacing Minister Phillip Paulwell as Petchary’s Favorite Minister. I think his heart is in the right place.

Minister with responsibility for Information, Senator the Hon. Sandrea Falconer (left), is in light conversation with Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Jamaica, His Excellency Ding Xiaojun, during a special reception held on Tuesday, December 17, at his official residence at Seaview Avenue, St. Andrew, for representatives of Government Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, who participated in China’s Human Resource Development Cooperation Programme during 2013. (What IS “light conversation”? How is your aged aunt, that kind of thing?) (Photo: Jamaica Information Service)

Buying into the Caribbean: I notice that China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC), which is seeking to set up some kind of outfit (an enclave?) on Goat Islands, is sponsoring a cricketer, Trinidadian Dwayne Bravo. Thank heavens he is not Jamaican. CHEC apparently thinks the way to ingratiate itself is to buy into (literally) Caribbean sport. It is also sponsoring awards for coaches and for “Star Baller of the Month” at the G.C. Foster College of Sports Education. And it recently donated J$23 million to the Premier League Clubs Association. Not bad going. So, cricket, football – what next? Sponsoring an athlete? An entire football team? Who knows where it will end.

West Indies cricketer Dwayne Bravo will now be sponsored by China Harbour Engineering Company. I hope they allow him to keep that very fetching earring. (Photo: sportsarchivestt.com)

No, PetroCaribe was NOT an aid program: We just took on more debt, albeit on fairly gentle terms. Now, we are having to pay the Venezuelans back in kind, so to speak. So the Prime Minister had to travel (again) to that country to “activate” the trade compensation mechanism, enabling Jamaica to repay the debt in clinker rather than cash. They are making a huge deal out of this. Carib Cement just shipped, with much ceremony, US$8.5 million worth of clinker to Venezuela. Doesn’t seem like a lot to me – US$2.5 billion is the total loan amount and Jamaica owes the Venezuelan US$100 million annually! A drop in the bucket.

Hungry schoolchildren: Education Minister Ronald Thwaites says he estimates more than one-third of early childhood students come to school hungry daily. This is, of course, very disturbing news and the problem is only being addressed in a half-hearted way. This must affect the children’s performance at school, as well as their physical and mental growth. This age group is particularly vulnerable, but it’s reported that all age groups are going hungry. Have we seen any reports on malnutrition in Jamaica? Is it on the increase? Perhaps this is something our local media could look into. I’ve heard reports from non-governmental organizations of malnutrition in rural areas, from years ago.

Crime, again: National Security Minister Peter Bunting says his ministry is working hard with the Jamaica Constabulary Force on the right mix of policy and on-the-ground operations to bring the crime rate down. I do believe Minister Bunting fully understands the issues involved, and his Unite for Change initiative reflects this broad understanding. But as always, the devil is in the details… The Opposition Jamaica Labour Party has gone on the attack on crime; former National Security Minister Derrick Smith has pointed out that the crime rate has gone up under every People’s National Party administration since Independence, and I believe he is right.

The Prime Minister speaks… In what appeared to be informal television interviews (cleared, one presumes, with questions sent in?) the Prime Minister spoke on crime to CVM Television, who asked her why she had not made any comment on the over 1,100 murders to date this year. “I am very concerned…I want to see solutions…We have to find a way…Children are being murdered…Women…” were among her comments. She vaguely mentioned “serious discussions” and “tough measures.” But why do I often get the feeling the PM is just “winging it” in these interviews?

…and vehemently defends herself: On the matter of overseas travel, the Prime Minister was much more defensive with Television Jamaica’s Kirk Wright. She pointed out that all her overseas trips are taken to Cabinet for approval, “and I cannot say that of the former administration” (were we asking?) Venezuela apparently sent a plane for her to travel there. She came back from China “with $1.6 billion in grants” (not loans!) OK. More downward finger pointing.

The PM also mentioned ALBA on television, which puzzled me. Is Jamaica considering joining? ALBA – the Bolivarian Alliance for the Americas – was founded by Cuba and Venezuela (under Chavez) in 2004 and the other members are Antigua & Barbuda, Dominica, Bolivia, Ecuador, St. Lucia (who joined in July this year), Nicaragua, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Chavez intended ALBA to be an alternative free trade area to the north-south trade with North America. I am not sure what benefits it has brought to its member states to date. I do know however that the previous Jamaican administration was dubious about it, seeing it as a destabilizing factor for the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). Meanwhile, Venezuela’s own economy is in shambles. Let’s see what happens next. How will Carib Cement get paid for its clinker?

Incidentally, that extended arm and downward-pointing finger gesture is more appropriate for a party political campaign than for a friendly one-on-one interview with a journalist, Madam Prime Minister. But I guess it’s a reflex – mere emphasis, perhaps? Does not look good, though.

Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller with upward-pointing finger. Body language tells you a lot. (Photo: Gleaner)

Opposition Leader Andrew Holness (right) looks on as spokesman on transport, water and infrastructure, Dr Horace Chang, explains the effects of the rising crime on St James at Tuesday’s press conference by the Jamaica Labour Party at its Belmont Road headquarters in Kingston. At left is Opposition spokesperson on information, Olivia ‘Babsy’ Grange. (Photo: Joseph Wellington/Jamaica Observer)

Christmas shopping: Local businesspeople say consumers have been very cautious and frugal in their buying, so far. But a lot of Jamaicans leave their Christmas shopping until the last minute. Businesses have cut their profit margins and are being equally cautious. There is no doubt that business and consumer confidence remains very low. But I do see signs of entrepreneurs opening small niche businesses, and a little optimism – in other words (in the words of a tweep) “more hustling and vibes.”  I hope the new young entrepreneurs do well over Christmas. Please support Jamaican businesses and products wherever you can!

Transport and Works Minister Omar Davies has been on sick leave for some time now. How is he, and when will he be back in the office?

I am going to ask again: Since nobody has responded and somebody must know… How is Transport and Works Minister Omar Davies‘ health? Some time ago he took leave for a medical operation. This is presumably overseas, since politicians rarely have major medical treatment in Jamaica. 

Huge Christmas kudos to:

Food for the Poor (FFP), who just paid the fines of 37 prisoners serving terms for minor offenses, so they are released to their families for Christmas. Under FFP’s Prison Ministry Program, 140 were released across the Caribbean and also given money for transportation, food and a care package. And they do the same at Easter time.

Ms. Berette Macaulay: This bright young photo-artist is holding her first solo exhibition in Jamaica, opening today at 6:30 p.m. at the HiQo Gallery, 24 Waterloo Road, Kingston. Berette’s creative spirit currently resides in New York City. Do go see. Open until January 9, 2014.

All the students who did so well in the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE); in particular, Dea Thomas of Ardenne High School, who was awarded by the Caribbean Examinations Council as the Most Outstanding Candidate in the Caribbean overall in CAPE.

Dwayne Anderson of CVM Television, who has been anointed by the Prime Minister for the “way in which he approached her and asked for an interview.” Kudos from the Prime Minister, then, oh favored one. You will be given preference in future! (Referring to last night’s interview, again…)

My condolences, as always, to the family of the following Jamaicans who lost their lives violently:

Mark Sterling, 32, Salt Spring, St. James

Unidentified man, Frankfield, Clarendon

Broadcast journalist Fae Ellington (left) with artist/photographer Berette Macaulay at the launch of her solo exhibition. (Photo: Twitter)

Eve for Life launched its campaign “Nuh Guh Deh” on November 26. Here are some more comments made by Mr. Greig Smith, who is Registrar of the Office of the Children’s Registry. If you know or come across any case where you believe a child is being abused, contact the number below. It is entirely confidential. Full details on how to report (via email, online, phone, fax or in person) can be found here: http://www.ocr.gov.jm/All%20About%20Reporting.html

Children’s Registrar Greig Smith speaks at the launch of Eve for Life’s “Nuh Guh Deh” initiative, which includes public awareness programs and community chats. (My photo)

Ladies and Gentlemen, Good morning….

I am honoured as Registrar of the Office of the Children’s Registry to be sharing in this occasion with Eve for Life at the launch of the organization’s “Nuh Guh Deh” Community Chat. The title is a fitting one for the issue of intergenerational sex, which is the subject matter to be targeted in these chats and I would like to commend Eve for Life for the initiative. Sex with young girls who are still children and cannot give consent for indulging in such acts has become the norm for too many members of the Jamaican society. It is time for all well-thinking adults and children alike to take a stand and say NO to adults who are preying on our young, vulnerable girls for sex.

Too many risk factors often go unnoticed because many of us are dependent on a man for the provision of financial support. Too many of us turn a blind eye to the abuse being meted out to our children in exchange for a few dollars, often earned and spent for the wrong reasons. It is time to speak out, to act – to take a stand and report child abuse by calling the OCR at 1-888- PROTECT, that’s 1-888-776-8328.

Ladies and gentlemen, preliminary data for the period January to August indicate that we have received over 2, 300 reports of sexual abuse affecting children. This is the sad reality that our youngest and arguably our most vulnerable citizens face. Let’s do our part to end the cycle of abuse. Let’s making the reporting of child abuse everybody’s business! You can make a difference if you decide to break the silence – speak out and report child abuse.

Big man! Big woman! Leave de pickney dem alone! Nuh Guh Deh!

Thank You.

It was a very warm, calm morning in Vineyard Town, Kingston, and I arrived early for the JN Foundation’s annual Christmas treat for the residents of Cluster H at the Golden Age Home. Music was playing, and the seniors were getting themselves organized. There was an atmosphere of quiet expectancy. Next door to the Cluster, there was another event being prepared. “Big tings a gwaan,” I thought. It was a separate treat, that included children, and the Minister of Social Security as it turned out later.

Underneath that big old almond tree…lovingly painted white and draped in Christmas lights. All photos mine unless noted.

A patriotic tree outside Cluster H. 

And indeed, it turned out to be an exceptionally lively morning. The residents emerged in twos and threes, looking very smart, and settled down under the spreading almond tree. That tree gives beautiful shade in the centre of the cluster – a roughly square arrangement of buildings which includes a small office as well as the residents’ living quarters. Jamaican almond trees are untidy, with knobby branches and big papery leaves that cover the ground – but that is part of their charm.

When the good people from JN Foundation arrived, bearing gifts, the residents were seated on benches, in wheelchairs and wherever there was space, waiting for the action to start. And once the formalities were over (prayers and short speeches), it didn’t take long for the “vibes” to start flowing.

There was the singing. The young volunteers did a good job. (Singing bravely along with the Christmas carols, I realized that my voice has gone “off” considerably; the days of singing alto in the school choir back in west London are long gone, sadly).

And then – oh my – the dancing swiftly followed, and the music swelled in volume. We were competing somewhat with the event next door, so there were overlapping waves of music (I told you it was lively, didn’t I!) A lady named Dorothy (my grandmother’s name, I always love it), who had earlier recited an entire psalm for us in a strong, firm voice, got up to dance – and stayed on her feet. It was a quiet shuffle. Another lady who had been clapping along enthusiastically was easily persuaded to get on her feet. One gentleman recalled a dancehall song from a few years back; and demonstrated all the moves. It was Elephant Man‘s “‘Pon Di River, ‘Pon Di Bank.” In case you’re wondering!

Volunteers distributed the beautifully-wrapped gifts in shiny red paper, and then…time for lunch.

But wait – this year there was “brawta” (that means an extra something, in Jamaican patois). A choir from the Alpha Primary School arrived (some of them looked a little surprised at all the noise we were making by that time!) and calmed us down with some spiritual performances. The excitement was raised a few notches, however, by the young soloists – two girls and a boy – who threw heart and soul into their performances. We might be seeing them competing in “The Voice” (or its equivalent) in, say, twenty years’ time! Of course, the residents enjoyed the performance thoroughly.

As I was leaving, the music (two layers of it, including a very good roots reggae band next door) shook the air. The residents were still in the swing of it.

Congratulations, as always, to the JN Foundation and its volunteers, who do a marvelous job. You can find out more about them and their work on their Facebook page and contact them on Twitter @JNFoundation.

And if you know an elderly person who is lonely, depressed or in need – or maybe simply a little bored – do reach out over Christmas. Pay them a visit, give them a call, drop by and cheer him/her up! 

Me and a new friend, a lady from St. Elizabeth. (I think her name is Theresa). This photo is from JN Foundation’s great Facebook album.

And then there was just the simple pleasure of hanging out together… The volunteer in blue T shirt is my friend Neville Charlton, and the lady in the red hat next to him is the lovely Dorothy.

This young man sang with feeling. He had all the moves too, by the way. Knew how to work that mic!

One of the young soloists – so full of confidence.

Gently swaying to the beat…

JN Foundation volunteers have gorgeous smiles!

Some volunteers were experimenting with the best way to wear a Santa hat…

The volunteers raised their voices…

Color coordinated: These lovely ladies in shades of pink were waiting for the action to start.