August 27th is the day of reckoning! Who will win the next general election, only Rev. Phinn and God knows. This evening, Portia Simpson Miller presented her 60 candidates to the people of Jamaica as well as announced that August 7th is nomination day followed by the big day on August 27th, 2007.
Well first let me just “big up” Portia for behaving like a lady (not Saw). To be frank I never knew she had it in her, but she really surprised me this evening. For the last few weeks, Bruce Golding and his desperate followers and lackeys have spliced up some PNP speeches and pieced them together so that it appeared that the PNP did not mean the country any good and if we voted them in we were doomed. Anyone with any level of intelligence would agree that it was a low blow. The problem is (or luckily for the JLP)…..the general level of intelligence in Jamaica is low, so I am sure that he got his message across to its intended audience. The PNP responded and asked what would happen if they did the same, how would the JLP look?
So back to the big dance in Half Way Tree…..Portia surprised me. She was up there mesmerising the sea of orange and yellow before her.
She began with her hands clasped in “pryer” after which she cited some lyrics from the song “By the rivers of Babylon”. Sista P was on stage in full force. You have to respect her though….instead of back biting and nyaming up herself and the labour party, she listed some of the party’s positive achievements over the last 18 years and since she has been PM over the last 16 months. For once throughout this whole campaigning nonsense, someone was addressing the REAL issues. She spoke of how her party has provided housing opportunities more than any other party. She spoke about their commitment to early childhood education. She spoke about the issue of health care for children under 18 years old as well as her plan to build a children’s hospital in the west. She spoke about the issue of crime and violence and how there will be new recruits for the JCF and the fact that we have to address the crime situation in Jamaica with a sense of urgency.
I didn’t hear her speak about jobs and economic development and those are BURNING issue the youths of Jamaica would like to be addressed. I figure that in time she will address this on the campaign trail and I am willing to give her the benefit of the doubt. For the first time in my life I was willing to overlook her poor diction and speech and just try to mek out what Sista P really ah seh! The event was well choreographed as she had a song befitting every item! I even heard songs which were specifically made for her! I just hope she had the rights to these songs unlike when she won the party presidency she took Shaggy’s “Strength of a Woman” unto herself! But Sista P, you did us proud! You behaved yourself like a lady. You didn’t have to curse and carry on up there as if you belonged to the Jamaica Labour Party! You acted with dignity and brought your points across very well! I have to salute you for that!
Here is the depressing part. After the grand announcement in Half Way Tree, we were taken to the JLP headquarters where Bruce Golding overreacted by saying that the date is too long ahead. He was hoping she would have said that nomination day was Friday of this week and I guess elections in 2-3 weeks. Now what a hard man to please! Constitutionally, the elections are not due until October and she could string you out until February 2008! The woman calls it in August and you are vexed? It is her choice and her prerogative and you are vexed? Is what so happening up in Jamaica House that you are running to get? To begin with, I have not heard your realistic plan for the country. You are living in the 1980s….or better yet 1960s with your “Industrialisation by Invitation” plan. You want to find investors and ask them to come here, so that you can build some factories and create some hum drum jobs! Sorry, no can do! Nobody is interested in any factories in the Caribbean…..they are closing down in the Dom Rep and Mexico and heading to China where they will find near-slave labour. Then I heard Audley Shaw saying that he was going to borrow money to fund all sorts of nonsense on HIS terms. I know my ears where not fooling me when I heard it, nor was I hallucinating! I have never heard of people borrowing on their own terms…or can he clarify that for us? This is a man who could not even run his own rural petrol station…and he is our potential Minister of Finance! As for Andrew Holness and the issue of education. Free education? From an administration who did not support this concept? If you are reading this and you are a Jamaican you must know that “Granny seh freeness nuh good”. Clearly these people are joking. Bruce needs to calm down and cool his foot. There is nothing he can do to change Portia’s election date. All you have to do Mr. Bruce is keep on campaigning until such time.
More anon….any views on the big dance? It was a show to remember! It’s a good thing the majority of Jamaicans are uneducated I tell you because it is only sensationalism that can hold them!
Well..the big dance will really be on Aug 27. All this hype is really just smoke and mirrors, as is common at any gathering of the faithful. Let’s gauge the real temperature and desires of the majority next month.
I do look forward to reading your blogs now, its far more interesting than the Gleaner. I have read some others in the past and i will return to comment on them as well. My concern is how are we ever going to educate the masses that affect our lives that assign their allegiance by a plate of curry goat and herbalife!
Some Jamaicans do have a slave mentally and it goes well past their educational level and financial status.
How do you get them to want and demand more for themselves?
I think we need to be fair to Bruce- why announce the date if it so far ahead. PNP had 18 years to do all the plans she had . I dont think we should mix religion with politics . So if you believe in Pastor Phin, put your X beside the bell- remember it will move to the head
What do you mean by “be fair to Bruce?”. Election date is decided on by the PM. It is not CONSTITUTIONALLY due until October 2007 and if she wishes, February 2008! Who the hell cares if Bruce has been campaigning for so long? That’s his problem! In the first place he should not have pressured her to call any election. Now he is complaining that she is calling it in August…she is calling it so far ahead etc. I think he is probably worried that he has to go and find more campaign money for the next few weeks! I think that is the root of the issue. By the way…he still hasn’t told us why we should vote for his party…..everything he has said that he will do, I KNOW is NOT POSSIBLE! He is stuck in the 80s!
For someone who admits to reading and researching development issues, you sure have a penchance for ignoring empirical data or is it that you have your own agenda for writing nonsense (some).
Since you consider the general level of intelligence in Jamaicans to be low – what are you still doing here, assuming that you love your country. You are, so it seems, doing nothing to curb or stem this lack of intelligence.
I am sick and tired of persons complaining about what’s wrong with this country, yet you have not provided solutions to ‘fix’ the problem(s). What are you doing or have done to help these persons who are guilty of low intelligence.
You also insist that ‘majority of Jamaicans are uneducated’ and so by being so uneducated buy into the sensationalism that was created. You demean our people, especially those who though uneducated (and they are in the minority), have despite their handicap sent their children to school on very little, who possess a sense of pride which they have instilled in their children and who have not depended on government to bail them out even though they qualify for such assistance.
And if we are truly honest with ourselves, many of us like to create sensation and want to be at the centre. Isn’t that what your blog is about: creating your own “sensationalism”.
Well first of all “Trouble” I am leaving your letter up as a reminder to readers how ignorant most Jamaicans are about their future! What empirical data are you suggesting that I am ignoring? Is it not true that the majority of Jamaicans are UNEDUCATED? Or is that you doubt the Survey of Living Conditions in Jamaica? It is empircal that the majority of Jamaicans ARE uneducated. This is so because of the shoddy system operated both under the PNP and JLP Governments. Yes, the GENERAL intelligence of Jamaicans IS very low. Why the surprise at that statement? Do you have empirical data that suggests otherwise?
Yes I read Development issues because it is what I am doing a Masters degree in…so I am more inclined to read on anything that has to do with Development. The same traits and characteristics which exist in Jamaica are typical across the board of most Third World countries. Check Latin America and you will see that their corruption make PNP and JLP look like front row seaters in the Kingdom of Heaven!
Yes it is true that people buy into the sensationalism presented to them because they are looking at everything from the surface. Our society on a whole is NOT educated enough to engage in serious and critical dialogue with our leaders. If they were, they would be demanding a lot more out of them than they currently are.
This is what I do to help someone with a low level of education: I PAY TAXES. My taxes go toward children’s school fees, University fees etc. Isn’t that enough? Ensuring that the country has a solid education plan should be the government’s priority! You are clearly not living in Jamaica when you make a statement such as this:
“You demean our people, especially those who though uneducated (and they are in the minority),”
Again, uneducated Jamaicans are not in the minority! Jamaica does not only comprise Kingston 6 or 8. The major problem with Jamaicans is that they don’t like to face hard cold facts!
Finally, my blog is not about creating sensationalism. I am standing on a soap box and helping to wipe the mist from the rose tinted glasses! We live in a dream world out here and the faster we wake up the better for all of us!
I meant fair in terms of leading the country. Campaign money is not an issue. They have tons of it. The PM did’nt do so great a job in her ministries not to mention her poor constituents. Its ok to love Portia and the PNP but you dont have to hate Bruce and the JLP. “Jamaica need a change now”
Oh I don’t hate anyone…in fact I am not even a “Portia” fan! I am just saying that the reason why the JLP has always got a beating and will continue to do so is because they are a weak opposition! They have nothing credible to tell me. They are stuck in the 1980s! No matter who is there…whether it is JLP or PNP the only P that is constant is the PROBLEM! It’s not going anywhere…the country is in serious debt! By the way…I found it interesting that Bruce mentioned the billions of dollars lost from the sugar industry when it was ALEXANDER BUSTAMANTE, Mr. Ignoramus # 1, who did not want to mechanise the industry in the first place to make it more efficient and productive. He claimed that it would have put a lot of illiterate people out of work and they didn’t have anything to offer them…so keep them on the plantation….Fast forward 40 years and here it is that Bruce Golding of all people is now recognising the great loss! That is what HIS party created!
By the way “t”….Bruce Golding didn’t do too well in HIS either….neither his ministries and worst…his constituency….one thing you have to say though is that these politicians have the art of trickery down to a T (no pun intended)…..these constituents consisently vote for them even though they are doing one thing to help them!
greetings from mali! long time wi nuh connect, but thanks for linking me on the blog and the thoughtful, commentary—even while leagues away, still try to keep abreast of happenings a yard. a grassroots perspective is ever refreshing….looking to head to make the annual trek back this summer, so will try link up!
big up, and nuff respect!
—daley
Boy you know I didnt even bother to watch the “Big Dance” because I was tired of seeing Sista P cussing and carrying on…so its good to hear she was a “lady” not (saw).
Now after 18yrs in govt of course PNP would have provided more houses, build more roads and involved in the more scandals Why? Because they have been in power the longest, thats no surprise. But have they really moved the country forward? Why should they get another 5 years? And what about improving eduation if after 18 yrs of governing the PNP still cannot (or just simply for their own agenda will not) improve the quality of education will another term make a difference? And is the JLP really ready to govern the country?
Although I have voted in every election since I reached 18 yrs and have voted for every political party (NDM included), neither you nor I will decide the next government, cause if are reading this blog and attained a tertairy education you represent 5% of the population of which approx 2% actually votes.
Let’s see what happens in the next 7 weeks!
Well what is funny is just yesterday someone said that the MAJORITY of Jamaicans were NOT uneducated. I don’t know why some Jamaicans have their heads buried in the sand. Another problem that exists with Jamaican politicians is that they are in love with themselves and think that they are demi-Gods. Really….Jamaica is just a mere grain of sand….on a HUGE beach of sand. They act like they control things here in Jamaica and they do NOT. This is why they make foolish statements like they will help farmers and remove foreign goods from the supermarket shelves…and the biggest stupidity of them all….FREE EDUCATION/TUITION.
First of all Verses, I do not beleive that education should be 100% free. I think that people should be expected to bear some of the costs. I will be posting my view on the reasons why it shouldn’t be at another time. Education at no time has been free….the taxpayers of Jamaica have always been the ones to bear the brunt of the cost.
Just imagine if it is not free now and these are the results that we get….imagine when it is free? I don’t think we will get QUALITY education for free. Why should taxpayers bear the full cost? You may say that we should because the price of ignorance is greater, but with cost sharing we are producing ignorance…it will be worst if it is free.
To date, I have not heard the JLP say HOW they plan to finance this freeness. All day today the radio talk shows were jammed with people asking how it is going to be financed. So, why doesn’t the JLP tell us HOW they plan to finance it? I recall hearing the JLP spokesperson, Andrew Holness, list a few things that the Government has wasted money on:
1. Air Jamaica Limited
2. The financing of roads, super highways etc.
3. Subsidising the public transportation system
This would lead anyone to think that should his party form the new government, they would remove subsidies from the above. Air Jamaica is one white elephant that Jamaicans treasure. They don’t want the airline to close as it is some symbol of national pride….I think that if it is bleeding taxpayers then yes, it should be rationalised…..but I am just one person…..the general consensus is that no matter how much it costs, we must have that bird in the sky. The building of highways facilitates economic growth in other sections of the island…..and if they pull subsidies on public transportation, then people will start bawling about “yes education free but wi can’t afford fi reach the freeness”. So again, if they can publicly announce how it will be paid for, maybe the concept of free education may be more palitable. Right now we are not hearing how he is going to fund this. That was the #1 question on the air waves today and until we get an answer, free education is not feasible.
The next thing is this. If education is free, who is going to be teaching? Clearly you are going to attract low ranking teachers, lower than what we have now. What we have now is pitiful….imagine lower than that. When you look at schools such as Immaculate or Campion, you will see that the parents have to top up the teachers salary to attract QUALITY teachers. These schools have models that work but there is an added cost to making it work. Don’t you think the same approach should be taken for ALL schools? When you look at the grade of teachers who teach at the schools cited, you will see that these are people who have at least a degree, some have Masters degrees and I remember when the newspapers had published Immaculate’s performance, it was said that they even had PhD candidates on staff…..now seriously, these are the type of people you need in the education system to give it a boost. When I have my Masters degree shortly, do you think I am going to apply to some high school who cannot pay me as much as private sector? Bruce Golding can say anything he wants to, people in this category are NOT interested in teaching at the secondary level. When one has spent money on an MBA, one expects to see returns on their investment. This return is not in the classroom. So, who is going to teach our children? These are answers the public would like to have.
Yes, Bruce Golding is stuck in the 60s and this is why: I heard him on the news one night belting out a simplistic argument about how he was going to attract DFI. He said that he would say “Mr. Investor, what do you need? Factory space and trained workers?”. It sounds like someone about to sell what we have to outsiders, before creating the entrepreneurial spirit locally. This has been the stance of both parties since Independence…to look outwards and big them up and keep down what we have here….ask any young person who wants to open a business in Jamaica if they get all the holidays and breaks that outside investment is allowed. I know that giving these types of benefits helps to attract outisders….but it makes living here for any Jamaican hard!
I could go on and on with reasons why I would rather stick to the evil that I know, but this is all I will say for now. I noticed that Mr. Holness says he is leaving out the education factor in his campaigning, but based on what I heard on the talk shows today, I can say that Jamaicans no longer want “puss in a bag”, so he had better start telling us how it a go pay fa!
I was pleased at how the Prime Minister delivered her message to the crowd in Half-Way-Tree. The critics including you have seen only one side of her but as a girl from rural Jamaica I have learnt to adopt and therefore I believe that the PM is no different. We should remember that many of us have mothers who never had access to higher education but were able to mold and nurture us into what society expects.
The big day is August 27 and I am sure that leading up to the dance in Half-Way-Tree, the JLP was demanding that the elections be called. As a matter of fact, if my memory serves me correct, Mr Golding told this country that his party was ready for the election whenever it was called, suh wha mek him bex wen him hear a when???? Are we to believe that he does not mean what he says?????? He will certainly have to do some damage control as it really did not look good on his part.
As for free education, I am yet to hear how this will be financed. What I hear is that the JLP will institute this on August 28. What a laugh!!! On August 28, should Mr Golding win the election, he will start dictating even he is sworn in and have a chance to form his Cabinet. This will not even allow his Minister of Finance to determine if it is possible. Is he that desperate??? This is dangerous, very dangerous ground we are treading on!!! Is the money somewhere waiting to be delivered??? If so, is it sustainable??? What is expected in return?? I am weary of this approach and therefore needs to know where is this money????
Normally in this country, the ruling party when approaching the end of the second term gets a clear indication that their time is coming to an end. However, what we have seen is the PNP in power for 18 year with no indication that their end is near. The JLP should be so damn ashamed of themselves that after 18 years they are not even sure of victory. Why then should I even entertain them?? The PNP may not be perfect but they certainly have been doing something right!!! Keep going Sister P.
of PNP rule they cannot even work up the energy they have to be fighting so hard to
The PNP will be winning the next election hands down. Bruce will not be sitting around for 5 more years in the JLP as oppostion leader. I suspect that he will try to join the PNP and pray that Portia resigns so he will have a chance at running the country. This is his only hope of becoming Prime Minister.
You all the JLP will win the next elections. Clearly you Jgirl is a beneficiary of the PNPs failed policies
Well Delly, I do not subscribe to any political party as BOTH parties have failed this country. But one has to give credit where credit is due. By the poor use of the English language in your post, it is YOU who is a “beneficiary of the PNPs failed policies” (sic). As you can see, this web site encourages open dialogue so please feel free to air your views at all times. This is not about any P winning, this is about JAMAICA AND JAMAICANS winning!