Jamaica Observer

Dear Editor,

I always admired Dr Heather Little-White for her contribution to nutrition. I admired her even more for her graceful and courageous response to adversity. Her passing leaves us poorer.

Rest in peace, Dr Little-White.

Orville Brown

1960 Williamsbridge Road

Bronx, NY

storyline6000@gmail.com

Rest in peace, Dr Little-White

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Dear Editor,

Many of my fondest memories as a child involved visiting the Hope Zoo with my mother and siblings.

On a recent visit back to the zoo, with my young children, I was totally impressed with the renovations being spearheaded by Mr Kenny Benjamin along with the Hope Zoo Preservation Foundation.

While the work clearly is not yet complete, it is obvious by the meticulous attention to detail, the professional, attentive and courteous staff, the perfectly manicured lawns and the new animals being added on a regular basis that the Hope Zoo is well on its way to becoming a world-class facility.

I have renewed hope that not only will I be able to enjoy the zoo for years come with my children, but that they too will be able to share this experience with their children in the future.

Anyone knowing Kenny Benjamin knows that whatever he associates with is done well and is bound to be a success, and I have little doubt that this will be more of the same. Thanks, Kenny, keep up the good work!

John P Azar

Thanks, Kenny Benjamin

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Dear Editor,

Short of a miracle, either the JLP or the PNP will form the Government of Jamaica, and as such will be faced with similar problems collecting taxes.

I think that this is one time that the JLPNP should show their true mettle and ensure tax compliance by all.

The idea of our tax department on the prowl with police carrying high-powered weapons, seizing the assets of a tax-cheating doctor or a deejay should cause even the IMF to be concerned about the way our Government ensures tax compliance.

The Administration should no longer appeal to or wheedle tax cheats into paying taxes. Laws with harsh penalties should be enough to cause them to pay up. I have the following suggestions:

(1) The tax department must be an independent agency: (A good move by the JLP). (b) We need to make paying taxes much friendlier (Taxpayers should not be enduring long wait in lines to pay tax). (c) No religious service at the tax office. Managers down the chain of command should be held accountable.

2: The tax net should be widened: (a) All working citizens and those who generate income in the informal trades must make an annual declaration on income. (b) Real estate: Sellers who make profit on the sale of real estate must pay a percentage in tax on profit made. (c) Landlords/Owners of rental property must now pay tax on income generated from rental. Property owners must be able to write off the percentage cost for renovating such rental property. d) It should be the law that every business establishment -- even the corner shop -- must have a cash register that records sales and must give receipts upon purchases. (e) Tax must be paid on (private) purchase/sale of motor vehicles.

(3) Responsibility of employer: Every person who employs someone or awards a contract for doing work over $10,000 must get the Tax Registration Number (TRN) of the worker/contractors they hire; (a): The employer should -- by law -- fill out a prescribed form that must be submitted to the tax department stating the amount that was paid to the worker/contractor. (This can be fine-tuned). (b) A 10 percentage tax break of the amount should be allowed to this employer. (c) Reward whistle-blowers 5-10 per cent of assets seized.

4: Property Tax: The Government must have a programme to register and title all lands. Where no taxes are paid on these lands the Government must confiscate the property. Anyone found guilty of fraud, and their accomplices, must be sent to prison. I strongly believe that if the Government and Opposition take such a stance we will not worry about tax collection.

5: Imports/Exports: Change the law as it pertains to our privileged importers. They are a drag on the economy. Except for a few jobs, they do not produce anything. They sell their products at high prices and stash their profits in banks as far away as India. They then bawl to the Government. Importers should pay a higher tax rate on their profits and a lower tax rate on the profit they make. An importer who is also an exporter should get a tax break.

(6) Punishment: (a) we need strong, enforceable legislation with teeth that will also serve as a deterrent. Civil servants who are before the court for tax offences must resign their posts. (b) It should be a criminal offence to evade or under-report tax. (d) Trial must be swift and property must be swiftly confiscated and sold to satisfy tax debt. The penalty must be harsh and include fines and long prison terms. (e) Place a travel ban on those who are not paying tax.

Should all/most of the above suggestions be implemented we will ensure tax compliance and the PAYE taxpayers will get a needed break from taxation.

Finally, asking the private sector to come up with a fair tax system is akin to calling for a mongoose to guard the chicken coop.

Authnel Reid

Tough laws will ensure tax compliance

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Dear Editor,

I seem to have missed the details of the news item about a shipment of charcoal to the Middle East, but I did hear the concern expressed on television that allowing the export of charcoal would result in the eradication of our forests.

Perhaps, as Jamaicans we are too quick to see the worst side of any picture, and we tend to overlook the need for instituting appropriate management control systems. Charcoal production is widely and profitably practised in many developed and developing countries, for use as domestic energy and for various processes in mining and food industries. We need only to Google it to learn more.

I think that we should commend the exporter for his/her initiative in identifying the market opportunity, making the contact with the foreign buyer, and cementing what I assume was a profitable deal. Of course, the transaction raises a whole series of questions that did not appear to be answered (or asked) by the news reporters. For example,

1. What was the declared volume/weight and value of the shipment according to the Customs document? Has the shipper been paid for the shipment?

2. What was the source of the charcoal? Was it processed by the shipper in a modern kiln or by various charcoalers using the traditional earth kilns?

3. Where was the wood/raw material harvested? Was it only of selected species and from how many acres/properties in which parishes? Was harvesting done with the permission of the respective landowners?

4. What is the current state of the forest or woodlands from which the raw material was extracted, and will the areas be able to produce another wood harvest in a reasonable time?

The answers to these questions could reveal that certain tree species were illegally harvested by employing a number of persons, possibly from the dry forests and woodlands along the southern coast, leaving those areas somewhat depleted or degraded and unlikely to fully recover in the next decade. That is a big problem and we need to fix it.

However, the good news is that, like the emergence of the scrap metal trade has demonstrated, Jamaica has wood/raw material resources from which we can produce charcoal of export quality and earn foreign exchange which the economy desperately needs at this time.

But, as we don't want it to get out of hand, let us organise and seize the opportunity. This then raises new questions,

* Where and what extent are the markets for charcoal, locally and abroad? The Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica is supposed to be doing a countrywide biomass assessment and may have some up-to-date information.

* What resources can we devote to supply these markets sustainably? It is interesting to note that certain tree species can grow viable fuelwood crops in four/five years on marginal lands, to supply economical production of charcoal. Also, it has been reported that our local bamboo can produce charcoal of a higher calorific value than most woods.

* Can we supply the market with existing technology? The simple answer is "No," as earth kilns are wasteful and non-viable. The new Jamaican charcoal industry would need to invest in batteries of kilns, as in Brazil, China, USA, etc. But the scale of the investment will depend on the market.

The challenge then is how to harness the entrepreneurial initiative of the shipper and his suppliers and to pursue the opportunity that they have opened, but in a legitimate and business-like manner. Is this another job for the foreign trade and industry ministries, in association with the Ministry of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change? Or can the private sector take a good look at this type of venture and simply get started without waiting for an IMF agreement?

The charcoal industry can earn big bucks and employ many people without damaging the environment, but it has to be well planned and managed.

Guy Symes

Managing Director

The Forest Conservancy

12 Hopeton Mews, Kingston 8

guysymes@gmail.com

We can export charcoal without damaging the environment

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Dear Editor,

While prime ministers have the prerogative to appoint ministers, those appointments should not be made on the basis of political reward.

The modern thinking behind the structure of government is to have a smaller, more efficient and cost-effective operation which includes a combining of ministries, transfer of portfolio responsibilities, mergers, and privatisation of some government entities.

Entrenching the size of the Cabinet in the constitution would be a huge stride forward for governance.

There is a growing consensus among politicians that decreasing the number of ministers will harm the effectiveness of government. However, decisions on the number of ministers should be made on the basis of need, especially at this time when the Government plans to call upon Jamaicans to make the sacrifice required to stabilise the economy.

There is a growing consensus among politicians that decreasing the number of ministers will harm the effectiveness of government. However, decisions on the number of ministers should be made on the basis of need, especially at this time when the Government plans to call upon Jamaicans to make the sacrifice required to stabilise the economy.

In the United Kingdom, there are limits set to the number of ministers that can be appointed.

The Jamaican Constitution, however, only limits the number of senators who can serve as ministers in the Cabinet.

It is time for constitutional limitations to be set on the number of parliamentarians who can be appointed to the executive.

Andrew King

Kingston

Set a limit on the Cabinet size

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Dear Editor,

Winston Churchill once said that the farther back you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.

In looking back, former Prime Minister Edward Seaga said that the predicament facing the PNP today is no different from that faced by the JLP in the early 1980s -- a fall-off in bauxite foreign exchange earnings and a high public sector wage bill.

Then, the IMF told the Government what to do; he had to lay off 30,000 public sector workers and borrow heavily to support imports. Seaga said that former Prime Minister Michael Manley had refused to lay off 10,000 public sector workers and by the time he took office it had escalated to 30,000 jobs.

Manley had said: "We are not for sale", and with that promise he couldn't go to the IMF without damaging his credibility. By the end of the 1980s, the Jamaican economy had begun to show growth, but the Jamaican electorate didn't care. They booted Seaga out of office and returned the country to the man who had reduced its GDP by 20 per cent.

Manley had said: "We are not for sale", and with that promise he couldn't go to the IMF without damaging his credibility. By the end of the 1980s, the Jamaican economy had begun to show growth, but the Jamaican electorate didn't care. They booted Seaga out of office and returned the country to the man who had reduced its GDP by 20 per cent.

Then, as now, there exists a split in the Cabinet over the new IMF agreement. With the prime minister winning the December 2011 election under the slogan 'people power', she can't afford to lay off thousands of public sector workers.

Dr Peter Phillips, I am told, wants to swing the axe, but the prime minister, who loves the poor, won't let him.

Meanwhile, the public sector workers will have to settle for another wage freeze, and one hopes that this time they don't suffer from frostbite. Pneumonia and amputation usually follow such a predicament. It will be hard for them to survive, given a rapidly falling dollar and climbing food bills.

Even though Mr Holness suffered a humiliating defeat at the polls, he can take some comfort in the fact that he spoke the truth. His only mistake was misreading the situation in that honesty and politics shouldn't exist in the same sentence.

Oppenheimer Managing Director Gregory Fisher, while speaking at the Jamaica Stock Exchange Investments and Capital Markets Conference, likened Jamaica to Japan and said that along with Greece we are the world's most indebted countries. He described the treatment we need as "nasty medicine". It would have been disrespectful to the prime minister sitting there to say "bitter medicine".

Whichever it is, we are in for difficult times, and one wonders if we wouldn't have been better off swallowing our pride and consulting with Mr Seaga rather than stumbling blindly in the dark. After all, he has been there and done that.

Mark Clarke

Siloah, St Elizabeth

mark_clarke9@yahoo.com

Michael Manley

We are in for difficult times

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Dear Editor,

Heartiest congratulations to Jamaica College (JC) for constructing apartments for its staff members as part of its development plan, as articulated in Petre Williams-Raynor's article in the Sunday Observer on January 20, 2013.

This speaks volumes about the quality of the school's human resources management policies and programmes.

This campus residency initiative, however, is not new and dates back to the late 19th century when the Simms Hall building, one of JC's four national monuments, provided lodging for the headmaster, assistant masters, a matron and servants; and boarding rooms for between 50 and 60 boys (source: Veront Satchell, Hope Transformed - A Historical Sketch of the Hope Landscape, St Andrew, Jamaica, 1660-1960 - University of the West Indies Press 2012, p. 283).

This occurred under the dynamic leadership of Rev William Simms and others who, according to Satchell, "wrote a proposal in early 1889 for the extension of university teaching to Jamaica". (p.286).

Jamaica College, in its quest to provide realistic teaching to its students pursuing technical drawing at the CXC level (the preliminary stages of which are done from as early as second and third forms), could consider as a possible School-Based Assessment project, the digital reconstruction of the past accommodations offered at Simms Hall and perhaps post it on the school's website, as part of its heritage thrust.

This kind of activity, I suspect, would provide practical experience for JC students as well as assist them in establishing historical connections between the present and the past, displaying the magnitude of the school's architectural heritage.

After all, Jamaica College will not only accommodate staff, but also currently houses 50 per cent of the national monuments at Hope.

Having made the link, the next step would be to train students as tour guides through their heritage club to disseminate the rich educational legacy of their school.

Joan Francis

Museum and heritage preservation officer

University of Technology, Jamaica

Congrats and a suggestion for JC

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Dear Editor,

When members of the gay lobby accuse the church of being morally bankrupt because of a stance for sexual purity, we know that the proverbial moral compass doesn't work in every man's hand.

But it is quite logical that if we behave as if there is no God, and man is the captain of his self, living by his own rules, making them up as he goes along, we end up with everything but reality.

One must be very intelligent to be sane and at the same time insinuate that God is flawed, and that your little group of ants knows better. Let's try some simple math here, and be honest. What percentage of information that exists now in the world do you know? Add that to the percentage of history you know, plus what percentage of the future you know. If you hit one per cent you are brilliant; but still pitifully ignorant compared to God. (If you went over one per cent you are fooling yourself, but you would still be pitiful and ignorant compared to God... just saying).

The mantra of the Love March Movement, an organisation dedicated to sexual purity for Jamaica, is a scripture that sheds light on a very important question. Can anyone be ex-gay? 1st Corinthians 6:9, 11 is true and shows the power the infallible (God) has.

Don't be fooled, it says, the sexually immoral, male prostitutes, homosexuals....will inherit the kingdom of God. "And that is what some of you were", but Jesus made you clean and paid the price for your sin. So ants, under the influence of the 'Prince of Ants', say that homosexuality is part of who they are, irremovable and permanent. God says it is sin, the person is redeemable and homosexuality is a choice.

This is another classic episode of ants vs God; Who is more intelligent again? (Recall calculation above). The Word of God does say that man is born in sin and shaped in iniquity. From this view we understand that sin does affect us from birth, and the 'Prince and Afflictor of Ants', whose ultimate plan is destruction, capitalises on this rule, predisposing us to varying destructive habits. The Word, whether one believes it or not, rules the world. And it always makes sense, unlike claims to being born homosexual with the forever-evasive genetic evidence.

It is important also that one does not perpetuate lies, a man is not homosexual when he has feelings or thoughts about another man, any more than a murderer is a person who thinks of killing someone. One can control his thoughts, and actions, especially if he submits to God.

We all have shortcomings, but Jesus bore our pain that we would be free from the reign of sin. Hopefully this is an unconscious ploy to convince everyone who has had a thought about someone of the same sex, that they are gay. This is not so!

Truth reigns and we can't listen too much to factophobic personnel.

What is true is this; we are at a crossroads in our nation. Poison that shaved overpowered nations and brought them into darkness are fixed on this nation. The LGBTTTIMZ (what does the A in JFLAG mean?) lobby is putting pressure on us to repeal our buggery law. This law stands in the way of the complete resocialisation of our society. If it is touched, we lose it, if we lose it, vaginal and anal penetration will be equated.

This, of course, seems like a non-issue, but the implications are paramount. If male to male anal penetration is considered normal behaviour, then it must be taught in schools. Jamaicans in Canada are having serious issues, because the schools are teaching homosexuality as normal behaviour to their children and when they ask if the children can be removed from the classes, the parents are told they cannot!

This, of course, seems like a non-issue, but the implications are paramount. If male to male anal penetration is considered normal behaviour, then it must be taught in schools. Jamaicans in Canada are having serious issues, because the schools are teaching homosexuality as normal behaviour to their children and when they ask if the children can be removed from the classes, the parents are told they cannot!

The education system is further impacted where teachers who disagree with teaching this material are in danger of losing their jobs! (eg, in California). The destruction of the society continues, there is loss of freedom of speech. If that sort of anal behaviour is normal, then marriage must be allowed as well, between men!

There is loss of freedom of religion. In England last week, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that Lillian Ladele, a marital officer, had no right to refuse to marry a gay couple. She even offered to work on a different shift, so that someone else would be able to accommodate them. She was fired for acting on her beliefs!

Where is our highest court? It is in England!! If our law is repealed and a case goes to the Privy Council, do we know on which side the decision will stand?

But this country will not turn out like those. We will protect our civil rights and liberties. The rights of many will not be lost for the pleasure of a few. We are not just standing for sexual purity because God says so, we are standing for sexual purity because it makes sense! There is clear evidence that what the LGBTTTIMZ lobby wants is not equality, it is dominance!

France, Canada, Germany, Switzerland, America, Australia, all these powerhouses have been lured in by this victim, pity me, so-called "equality rights" campaign. I can hear the soft music now, and all they have got is the bowing of every aspect of their society to the aggressive, all-consuming, deception-brewing, totalitarian, ants-know-better-than-God campaign.

We should not allow homosexuality to be ingrained into the fabric of our culture and society. We must protect our families, we must protect our children, or at least protect mine. I have not even got into the medical reasons for keeping the buggery law. But I will. I welcome all fact-loving, well-thinking Jamaicans to stand with me.

We are Jamaicans, we stand for sexual purity and the family.

Daniel Thomas

Love March Movement

Lies and deception fuel the homosexual lobby

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Dear Editor,

Lance Armstrong is sad example of what sports has become today.

Historically, sports was considered to be a virtue-making machine. The values that correspond with sports were considered to go hand in hand with those that go into being a person of integrity and faith. Today, however, sports is increasingly associated with violence, drugs, sex, racism, cheating and money. Athletes are worshipped today for the money they make, for their on-field violence, for their off-field partying, for their egos and bravado that includes fighting, celebratory dances, strutting and posturing.

Technical and athletic aspects of certain sports have given way to steroid physiques, tattoos and various forms of intimidation. At one time only sailors and bikers wore tattoos. Today footballers have helped bring these crude images of a decadent society into the mainstream. Our media helps promote and legitimise this mentality by glorifying athletic fighting and violence in a colourful and entertaining way. Vince Lombardi, former coach of the Super Bowl-winning Green Bay Packers football team, spoke for a generation when he said: "Winning isn't everything; it's the only thing."

Ultimately, sports should be a vehicle to develop good character, to make people courageous, loyal, generous losers, and gracious victors. We have to recover these original principles of sports so that we can work together to forge greater bonds between people and help overcome the real and terrible social problems of our time.

Paul Kokoski

Ontario, Canada

Lance Armstrong's sad example

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Dear Editor,

Elaine Hope, in her effort to identify the antichrist, quoted several scripture passages but instead of speculating she should consult the Bible for explanations. I will share some of them with her, as her translation may not carry explanatory notes.

(1) 1 John 2:18; "A collectivity of persons here related to false teachers."

(2) 1 John 4:1; "deception is possible in spiritual phenomenon and may be tested in relation to Christian doctrines."

(3) 1 Timothy 4:1: doctrinal deviation from the Christian message within the Church is prophesied."

Question: Is Sabbath-keeping not deviation from the Christian message? Of all the churches established by the various apostles all over the ancient world and still in existence today, point me to one which observes Sabbath or where any Christian community ever assembled for worship on Sabbath.

Hope teaches that the Catholic Church changed Sabbath to Sunday while the Bible records the Apostles, whom Jesus commissioned to teach all nations, Matthew 28:19-20. He who obeys you obeys me and also he that sends me, and he who rejects you rejects me and also he that sends me, worshipping on Sunday, the Lord's Day.

History records the apostles commanding the converts to worship on the Lord's Day, see Didache and all historical records, including Encyclopaedia Britannica, says Sunday worship started with the Apostles. Isn't that deviation from the Christian message?

Hope teaches that the Catholic Church is the harlot of Babylon, while the Bible says it is Jerusalem. Revelation 11:8 the great city where the Lord was crucified. Revelation17:18. The woman represents the great city. Are these false teachings?

In the light of these facts, which do you think can be characterised as antichrist?

A James

alvalj@cwjamaica.com

Which is really the antichrist?

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Dear Editor,

Anti-gay Christian lobbyists are incoherent propagandists. Christian Logic (at least the fundamentalist one) is an oxymoron and a paradox of modern cognitive reasoning.

When religious extremists accuse advocates for LGBT equality of lies and deception because societies refuse to be entertained by their rhetoric about their Bible saying being gay is a "sin", then it proves people are no longer falling for stories of talking snakes (magic) and men walking on water (magic) written by old men thousands of years ago.

It is quite logical that if the Bible is the ultimate source of "objective morality" everything that is viewed as wrong or right should come from it. Is Biblical morality even moral? Take for instance the Bible's silence on condemning owning another human being or marrying and having sex with children. The Christian sky God was so busy condemning homosexuality and women grabbing the testicles of a man attacking their husband to defend him (Deuteronomy 25: 11,12) that he left us "insignificant ants" to figure out and draft laws to prevent and end slavery and child marriage by ourselves. God is such a loving god. Since anti-gay Christians base their logic around the concept of "sin", there is no doubt they will always be incoherent. According to them, people are not gay because of their attractions to the same sex (even though the word "homosexuality" was created in 1869 to mean this), but by what they call the "homosexual lifestyle". One wonders what would be the sexual orientation of a Roman Catholic priest since they are all celibate and do not have sex with women. Are they asexual since they don't behave "heterosexually"? In the anti-gay Christian world view, everyone is heterosexual and somewhat attracted to the opposite sex, but Satan causes some to "sin" by committing "sodomy".

It is quite logical that if the Bible is the ultimate source of "objective morality" everything that is viewed as wrong or right should come from it. Is Biblical morality even moral? Take for instance the Bible's silence on condemning owning another human being or marrying and having sex with children. The Christian sky God was so busy condemning homosexuality and women grabbing the testicles of a man attacking their husband to defend him (Deuteronomy 25: 11,12) that he left us "insignificant ants" to figure out and draft laws to prevent and end slavery and child marriage by ourselves. God is such a loving god. Since anti-gay Christians base their logic around the concept of "sin", there is no doubt they will always be incoherent. According to them, people are not gay because of their attractions to the same sex (even though the word "homosexuality" was created in 1869 to mean this), but by what they call the "homosexual lifestyle". One wonders what would be the sexual orientation of a Roman Catholic priest since they are all celibate and do not have sex with women. Are they asexual since they don't behave "heterosexually"? In the anti-gay Christian world view, everyone is heterosexual and somewhat attracted to the opposite sex, but Satan causes some to "sin" by committing "sodomy".

This argument has been used to justify pseudo-scientific "ex-gay therapy" which is used when gay men are unable to change their attractions from failed attempts and are made to feel better when their Christian friends comfort them by saying they aren't gay anymore if they marry a woman. Popular former so-called "ex-gays" such as John Smid and Maurice Tomlinson (Jamaican), who were big pushers of the "ex-gay" myth in America and Jamaica, have recently come forward to tell the other side of the story.

Of course, BIG all powerful "Love March Movement" doesn't want you to hear about that! It's quite funny to hear the Christian Brethren Assemblies Jamaica (CBAJ) cite so-called "science" fed to them by their Christian church brothers in America about "ex-gays". They quoted Robert Spitzer's study in their position paper on homosexuality (gays are that important now!) which claimed to find "evidence" that gays and lesbians can "change". Sadly for the church group, Robert Spitzer last year agreed with the critics of his study that his study was extremely flawed and he officially distanced himself from his own work and condemned anti-gay activists who use it to push their agenda. Of course, this didn't stop the homosexuality obsessed Christians from continuing to use it. Despite using a study proven to be flawed by its own author, they claim we are the "factphobic" ones.

As a libertarian politically, I firmly believe in freedom of speech, association, conscience and religion for all people, even for the Christians who once preached that inter-racial marriage was "unnatural" and a "sin" in the southern United States not too long ago. However, anti-gay Christians are seeking pity and they deserve none. They claim gays want dominance because persons such as Lillian Ladelle were fired for refusing to marry a gay couple as part of her job but are completely silent when their Christian counterparts in America travel to Uganda to fuel legislation designed to not only silence groups advocating for gay rights and charge anyone who doesn't report a gay person within 24 hours to the police but sentence gay people to death.

The "rights" of Christians must take centre stage while silence continues about the upcoming Ugandan legislation in February to kill gay people. Tacit support? After all, the Ugandans are doing exactly as the Bible (moral book) commands. Right? The buggery law will be repealed whether or not the anti-gay Christian lobby likes it. It is still quite possible to challenge and work around any legislation designed to prevent it from reaching court, as was discussed in a previous newspaper article. Oppression always loses. It is inevitable. The buggery law issue isn't about putting the "child molesting homosexuals", as a local Christian group claimed in their position paper, under control so that they won't deny Christians their freedoms but ensuring that gay Jamaicans are no longer viewed and treated like criminals in their own country. This is about everyday Jamaicans who want the same chance as everyone else to pursue health and happiness, earn a living, be safe in their communities, serve their country, and take care of the ones they love. We are Jamaicans, we stand for equality, fairness and truth.

Matthew Thomas

matl1990@yahoo.com

Gays should be treated fairly

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Dear Editor,

In 2000 Jamaica was on the verge of implementing a coal power plant project. All the engineering had been done and negotiations with the equipment supplier and the financier were essentially complete.

That project would have been financed by China Ex-Im Bank at a very low interest rate of two per cent. However, we moved away from that project and started to look at LNG as an alternative fuel. In the intervening years there have been several occasions when we have come close, oh so close, to actually implementing a major fuel diversification power plant project with LNG, coal and petcoke as the possible fuels for these projects.

However, every time we have come to the brink of actually commencing one of these projects, like a commitment-shy bachelor or runaway bride, we have aborted the project and instead flirted with seemingly attractive alternatives. Consequently, since 2000 we have achieved nothing of significance in respect of fuel diversification despite the many grandiose announcements in this regard. Instead we have added almost 300 megawatts of new-oil fired capacity. With the benefit of hindsight, it is abundantly clear that had we simply taken the plunge and moved forward with any of these aborted power projects, the country would today be enjoying lower electricity prices.

However, every time we have come to the brink of actually commencing one of these projects, like a commitment-shy bachelor or runaway bride, we have aborted the project and instead flirted with seemingly attractive alternatives. Consequently, since 2000 we have achieved nothing of significance in respect of fuel diversification despite the many grandiose announcements in this regard. Instead we have added almost 300 megawatts of new-oil fired capacity. With the benefit of hindsight, it is abundantly clear that had we simply taken the plunge and moved forward with any of these aborted power projects, the country would today be enjoying lower electricity prices.

Despite the clear lessons of recent history, the country is about to abort yet another power project that is almost ready to break ground. News reports suggest that the energy minister is about to abandon the 360-megawatt natural gas-fired power project. This is despite the advice of JPS that this project, which can be implemented in 27 months, would lower electricity prices for Jamaican consumers by 20 per cent.

Having to go through a tender process, commercial and financial negotiations, environmental permits and construction, it is highly unlikely that any feasible alternative can be implemented in less than five years. Therefore any move away from the 360-megawatt project will undoubtedly further delay the prospect of lower electricity prices for Jamaicans.

For many years Jamaica has been behaving as if we have the luxury of time to deal with our energy situation and thus we willy-nilly cancel projects that are in advanced stages. The fact is we have no such luxury. It is frightening that successive governments have failed to appreciate the urgency of dealing with our energy crisis in a context where our oil bill exceeds the value of all our exports combined.

IMF agreements will be of little use if we don't take important steps to restructure our economy, such as reducing our energy import bill. Especially in a situation where the future of the PetroCaribe arrangement is in doubt due to President Chavez's ill health, it would be an act of gross stupidity to pin Jamaica to oil for an extra three years. The best option is to move forward with the 360-megawatt project now in train while holding JPS to their commitment that this project can lower our electricity bills by 20 per cent. Moving forward with the 360-megawatt project now does not preclude us looking at alternatives such as coal and petcoke for future implementation.

It is a fallacy of successive administrations that our fuel diversification options are mutually exclusive. There is no reason why we can't have a mix of LNG, coal and petcoke. If we had not aborted that coal project back in 2000, we would now be well on our way in this regard. We should not again make the stupid mistake of aborting a certain project for uncertain prospects.

Stephen Wedderburn

stephen.wedderburn@gmail.com

Let's have the right fuel mix

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Dear Editor,

I am a Jamaican, not by accident of birth but by choice. I decided to be a Jamaican because I love my country and think it is exceptional. So whenever I had the opportunity to become a naturalised American, I choose not to. But when I look at the world today and the strong winds of technological change and global competition, it makes me nervous. Perhaps most unsettling is the realities that while these force gather strength, Jamaicans seem unable or unwilling to grasp the magnitude of the challenges that face us. But I won't bet against Jamaica.

The fact that some leaders in other geographic locations do well in trying to lead or govern, they are no threat to us — even as we keep trying to improve our own performance. The crime data is alarming but we will see a steady decrease if we care to tackle the problem. Attempts by member states Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago, for example, to create world class economies... don't endanger our institutions or economy, and nothing prevents us from making better use of our resources for more and more of our people.

It is the lack of vision, poor management styles, disproportionate spending and corruption in various sectors that brought us to such a desperate state. But we shall prevail in the midst of the crisis or ignominy. Certainly, as a nation, we are in this together (regardless of our status) so we have to seek ways to survive. Although I cannot compare Jamaica to the United States for notable reasons, through good times and bad, Americans have always worried about falling behind. That helps explain why the US remains the world's leading nation.

To solve a problem, we must first understand it. And Jamaica is loaded with societal problems. Our schools, for example, aren't logging across the board. Where they struggle is in educating students ... not only to pass test ... but to excel in certain subject areas and prepare them to pursue occupations that are in demand. The Government must also create better education opportunities for them. Focus on that, and watch the gap close between our test scores and those of other member-states, or the less diverse nations. And we will see a decrease in unemployment, crime and illiteracy because they go hand in hand.

As the world changes, our decision makers in government must seek ways in order to steer the nation in the right direction and create meaningful opportunities for the people.So yes, the world is changing, and yes, Jamaica — like all the world's countries — has a lot of hard work to do to keep up. It is deeply misleading, though, for some analysts and economists to cherry-pick dismal statistics from here and there to create an overall image of decline.

I must admit, however, that although it may become necessary to borrow, Jamaica must turn away from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and start producing by investing heavily in agriculture and education in order to increase growth and to compete globally because we cannot depend on the IMF to steer our future. What we need is collective collaboration between the ruling party, the Opposition, and the private organisations, along with proper accountability measures for the benefit of our present and future generation.

Charlie Brown

charliebrown1004@gmail.com

I will not give up on Jamaica

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Dear Editor,

I would like to take this opportunity to give praise where praise is due. In December 2012, on Christmas Eve, my refrigerator began malfunctioning and eventually stopped working. By Christmas day, the items I had in the refrigerator began to spoil. I had to ask my neighbour to put some of the things in her refrigerator for me. This was a busy time for my family as we had relatives from abroad who needed cool drinks and one needs to know that one can provide the necessary things that are needed for the family at this time.

As a long-standing Courts customer, on December 27, 2012, I went to a Courts store in close proximity to where I live and explained my plight to the sales representative. I asked her if I could get the new refrigerator the same day as none of the repairmen could get the parts needed because of the holidays. I was taken aback when the rep had nothing positive to tell me. She was “iffing and butting” about getting the delivery of the appliance on the same day or the next day.

I decided to call Marjorie Daniels who had been transferred by the company to the Portmore branch of Courts. I explained the situation to her, and in two hours the truck was at my gate with the refrigerator. This is what I call customer service at its best. She was so positive and did all that she could to help in such a crisis.

Ms Daniels, I am sending you this “Big Thank You” publicly because this is what customer service should be. You will shine wherever you go because you have a genuine concern, care and love for your customers, so your customers will follow you wherever you go. The company should use you to teach the others about genuine customer service. May the Lord continue to bless you as you continue to serve with a heart of love.

Doreen Forrester

doreen.forrester@tpdco.org

Dear Editor,

If it isn’t clear yet that the colour white is not a good thing for Europeans, then the Reparations Commission on which we are about to waste millions of scarce tax dollars should be sufficient proof.

How is it that we can damn the Europeans for building their vast global empires on the backs of African slaves, and yet at the same time, boast about the African empires that were supposedly built by us – which, by the way, were also built by African slaves?

The Maroons, who are descendants of Africans brought to the West, recently celebrated the peace treaty that they “forced” the British to sign centuries ago. That treaty called on the maroons to forcibly return to the plantations those slaves who had escaped. Interesting, some of these very leaders who frequently decry slavery celebrated with these maroons.

Now, if the Europeans were black like us, then everything would be fine – both for them and for us. Instead of wasting money on pointless ventures like this reparations commission, we could use that money to replace the pit toilets that still exist at some of our schools. Instead of fooling ourselves about slavery, those millions could help some needy students get those loans they now cannot get from the Students’ Loan Bureau.

For the Europeans, being black would allow their “atrocities” to be white-washed. They wouldn’t have to worry about being blamed for all the problems of the black man! Their acts of buying out our ancestors in Africa and forcing them back to their slave masters would be seen as “right for the times”.

I know that people shouldn’t be ashamed of the colour of their skin, but in relation to reparations for slavery and for an end to the constant harassment, I know a lot of Europeans wouldn’t mind being black!

Michael A Dingwall

Kingston, Jamaica

Dear Editor,

The greatest ill of the Jamaican society is political expedience influenced by the social class factor. Daily, the nation indulges in faking despair over what it perceives to be greater ills like youth indiscipline, tax evasion and juror shortage.

The prescription of a compulsory military service draft, for the workforce or college-bound secondary school leavers, has repeatedly been stoutly rejected by national leaders. The singular reason for this is the belief that youth indiscipline is regarded as being a lower class, inner-city issue. Therefore, the upper classes view with consternation any national policy of a mandatory military draft, even into Jamaica’s battle-rusty army, to fix it, that would extend to scions of the gentry.

Even the fact that this is the norm in developed countries whose armies are active on numerous global battle fronts, is no persuasion. The General Consumption Tax which has the greatest capacity to make taxation equitable, using the right technology to enforce timely and full compliance, is administered, instead, as a handicap tax. Big businesses, which are registered to collect the tax, take the opportunity afforded them by their cosy relationship with the government to convert the tax into their working capital, remitting payments at their convenience. So there is this third dimension to business financing not taught in school — tax conversion (investment equity and loans being others). While also practising routine tax avoidance (imagine even current government ministers setting up offshore financial houses to cut local tax liabilities), these big businesses, euphemistically esteemed as “pillars of economic development", demand other tax waivers.

They advance the quid pro quo of job creation and security which is patent extortion. The national voters’ list, with its sundry flaws, is relied on for Supreme Court jury duty rosters. Possibly half of the Jamaican nationals eligible for enumeration avoid the process of being added to the voters list. It is not mandatory, and avoidance is used to register their rejection of the tribal politics which has diminished the substance of national independence and sovereignty. However, there are, obviously, other more reliable sources of jurors, including the registers of tertiary institutions, the civil service establishment and even the statutory tax roll. In light of the foregoing, is there really any basis for faking despair as a country? It must be possible for the media to find other more newsworthy matters in national life to focus attention on without compromising viability.

Randy Torres

rantores@yahoo.com

Dear Editor,

Sometimes the answer to a problem is so close to you that you cannot see it. Take energy. Every day we wake up, the sun rises, full of energy and promise. Yet, we ignore it, and depend on other sources of energy instead; such as oil, coal and liquid gas, which are in fact sources for which the sun provided energy in ancient times. But there is material on which the sun has provided energy for a much shorter time, to produce energy sources which are readily available, renewable and sustainable, and ignoring these energy stores could be in fact an error in the long run. The cost of this error is climbing daily as we ignorantly forget that we are a tropical country blessed with a vast, virtually untapped energy source, which is fast-growing, renewable and environmentally friendly.

Take a look at the scrap metal trade. Before metal got scarce, it was dug from the earth. Now, it is being reused. If we can prevent the pilferage of metal still in use, the scrap metal trade is a viable source of funds for our nation.

Beside the sun and the wind for energy, there is another energy source all around us if we can open our eyes and see it. Only in this case as well, we will have to learn to use it in a renewable way, (as we are learning to do with our scrap metal) or we will end up stripped to the ground, as the experience of some of our near neighbours has shown.

What are we talking about? This overlooked renewable source is our greenery of course. More specifically we speak of Biomass, or all formerly or currently living matter containing carbon. When charcoal is obtained from trees, the trees are cut to the ground and the hills denuded, unless, of course, they are planted back. In Jamaica sadly this tends more often than not to be the case, we do not plant back trees. But there is another process which also uses any carbon material, but in this case, the trees do not have to be destroyed. This process uses carbon scraps: scraps of trees (limbs, branches, leaves, trimmings of hedges, prunings, green waste especially that produced after storms and hurricanes) but can also use other scraps (old newspaper, used cardboard boxes, paper, wooden pallets) including agricultural waste. These scraps are turned into "Biochar" through an innovative process that takes place at a lower heat than used to make traditional charcoal. An added advantage of using such 'plant scraps' for Biochar is that there is less combustible material in the environment to fuel fires such as is occurring now in St Elizabeth.

And guess what? The resultant product: "Bio-charcoal" or "Biochar" can be used for energy but it is more useful in the soil where its millions of micro-pores provides homes for useful organisms including those in the compost; thus it decreases leaching of fertilizers, and allows for better water absorption. Just think of the last time you took some "probiotics, like yoghurt for an upset stomach? Well think of it as soils being given bonded stores of "good" bacteria, to fight off molds, blights, and fungi which are negatively affecting specific Jamaican crops such as ginger. In the future, as a biotechnology application, substrates such as Biochar will be nano-implanted with bacteria specifically selected to fight off and stave off attacks from these situations. Also minerals such as phosphorous, especially, is adsorbed making it more easily available for crops. Based on experiments being conducted around the world, agricultural savings of 25% and up can be obtained through larger crop yields and less fertilizer usage. Think about it, even now farmers can attest to the fact that crops grow better in soil from charcoal piles or when the soil is supplemented with ash.

And guess what? We are cleaning up the environment at the same time.

And guess what? Biochar stays in the soil for thousands of years making it good for the climate (sequesters carbon). It has been suggested as one of the carbon mitigation steps in combating climate change at the UN-sponsored conference on climate change in Pozan, Poland.

And guess what? Biochar can be made and sold, locally and overseas. It will be another source of revenue.

And guess what? Biochar can be used to redeem land, such as from mining. This is an avenue we will be exploring in a big way in the months to come.

We approached the Environmental Foundation of Jamaica with a biochar project in 2009 and they, perceiving the vast value of biochar, provided funds to the Biotechnology Centre, UWI to pursue this endeavour. To date, we have built two machines, one simple (can be used on any farm and rural community) and a larger more complex unit capable of producing biochar and drying crops such as ginger and turmeric at the same time. We have also grown ginger, turmeric and arrowroot in charcoal-supplemented soil with very impressive results. We have built these machines and are presently using them to produce biochar for the first time in Jamaica.

One exciting raw material which we will be using is bamboo, which grows an amazing 30 feet per year! Jamaica will be hearing more and more about farmed bamboo in sustainable stands, and its potential for energy, soil remediants, and other products.

We are in the process of final testing and patenting these machines before we release them to the public for use in making more farm based energy and soil remediants.

The future is bright from our angle. And it is carbon black.

Dr Sylvia Mitchell

Medicinal Plant Research Group

The Biotechnology Centre

University of the West Indies

Mona Campus, Jamaica

Dr Trevor Lee

Scientific Consultant

Michael Barnett

Executive Director

New Horizons Skill Training Facility

Engineer Consultant

Use what we grow and grow what we use

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Dear Editor,

Government is a body of representatives of the people, by the people, to do for the people what the people are unable to do for themselves in their individual and personal capacity. This entails the provision of essential infrastructures, including education and health services.

A government provides political direction and exercise control over communities, states and countries in a civil society. The governing body should be of members who have high ethical standards across the board. Members must embody character, integrity, fairness, honesty and be driven by the determination to do what's right for the people they represent.

It is imperative that a governing body has well-rounded, ethical intellectuals who are capable of thinking, organising, planning, and guiding their constituents in the most effective modus operandi to sustain and advance their societies. It is part of government's commitment for sustainable development, balancing economic progress with environmental care and social responsibility.

We are faced with a new reality today where our people are failing to confront or take responsibility for the challenges in their own lives and set their priorities, hence relegating their responsibilities and thinking to some "so-called" leaders of the clergy and political parties. When their expectations do not materialise, they blame the government, not themselves, who for the most part elected these public servants.

Some of our people tend to gravitate to these charismatic charlatans and courtesans because the oral feculence from these chatters may appeal to their aural sense.

Authentic charisma entails ethical, genuine, and motivating leadership by providing guidance that creates understanding and compliance to achieve any objective.

Charisma without ethical behaviour and intelligent decision-making skills is not leadership. There are some who proffer themselves for leadership positions in religion, public service, and the private sector with deceptive titles, but they are no more than intellectual charlatans and courtesans with empty craniums out to make a fast buck.

Leaders must adhere to the laws of the country and be able to motivate and mobilise their followers to do likewise. A good leader listens, evaluates, and processes information from all levels, and counter where appropriate in order to find workable solutions. In other words, he follows the principle of the three (3) Ps:

(1) Pause - Listen keenly and plan a strategy and prepare by considering all the alternatives for setting goals.

(2) Process - the most relevant information pertaining to a particular goal. Avoid cramming too many details.

(3) Pace - Proceed by engaging the best talents available and strive for quality over quantity.

Leaders do not know everything, and they should be cognisant of the fact that experience comes from making bad judgements, and good judgment evolves out of experience.

Look forward and think about how any decisions made now will impact the future.

Lead by example - listen, learn and communicate effectively. One secret of success lies in the power of relationships. Foster and nurture relationships in order to achieve goals.

Ken Damally

Sunrise, Fl 33322

rodama3@bellsouth.net

The true role of government ministers

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Dear Editor,

As a Jamaican living in the United States, I am very much concerned about Jamaica.

I work in a hospital with people from different countries and I always encourage them to visit my country, telling them how Jamaica is so beautiful. I told them about the good beaches, food and other things.

But I had to stop doing that.

Why? Because the crime in Jamaica right now is of great concern. A lot of us here are so afraid to come home to that beautiful island. What are the politicians doing? They have so many advisors and things are no better.

I just want to tell the people living in Jamaica to pray, because our Jamaica needs prayer right now more than ever.

Denva Smith

DSmith13@NSHS.edu

Pray for Jamaica

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Dear Editor,

A small group of maladjusted gay men in New Kingston are again making headlines because of their infamous lawlessness.

"Well-thinking Jamaicans" commenting on the issue are alarmed, for "if Jamaica becomes more tolerant of homosexuality, they will wreak havok on our nation because this is how they behave".

This "us" versus "them" dichotomy implies that all gay men are miscreants. Furthermore, it discursively locates all gay Jamaicans at the periphery of the boundary of citizenship. "Well-thinking Jamaicans" are unaware that many of the New Kingston residents who are troubled by the behaviour of the homeless men are gay as well, as a disproportionate number of gay people live in Kingston's wealthiest districts. This is not surprising to those who believe that the "gay lifestyle" is lucrative, but actually, gay and lesbian professionals are simply paying a (high) price for privacy, security and peace of mind.

Educated and economically secure Jamaicans are less hostile to diversity, so the communities in which they live are safer. Those who do not (have the means to) imprison themselves behind electric gates, security posts and the windscreens of chartered taxis, tell varied stories of spontaneous evictions, persistent harassment and threats of mob violence. Many Jamaicans agree that violence should never be used to register dislike for gay people. However, most are unconcerned by the economic and psychological impact of anti-gay animus on gays and lesbians.

Blackmail and extortion are often levied against gay people who are scared to disclose their sexualities. I know of situations where police officers, co-workers, family members, and even online dating partners (some heterosexual, others gay) demand money or outrageous favours in exchange for safeguarding the explosive secret. Heterosexual Jamaicans will never experience the crippling anxiety induced by the threat of being outed. Gays and lesbians are not allowed to forget, even in their own homes, that their bodies are marked as deviant and foreign, and that, without notice, they could be expelled from their communities, lose their jobs, or their families might excommunicate them. There is a pervasive and perverse hypocrisy at the heart of our treatment of non-heterosexual people. We cling to stereotypes and myths to justify our bigotry while many upstanding gay citizens are denied basic constitutional rights to dignity, to security, to privacy, and to equality.

We know that most gays and lesbians are not the freakish caricatures depicted in the Clovis cartoons published for years in the Jamaica Observer. We know that instead of being violent, uncouth, and sexually uninhibited, many gay people are mild-mannered, educated, and in search of love. Furthermore, the ranks of Jamaica's most respected professions are filled with gay and lesbian people.

If all gay doctors and nurses were to stay home next week, health care delivery at the island's hospitals would be seriously compromised. If all gay and lesbian teachers quit their jobs tomorrow, thousands of children would go without instruction, while school boards scramble to find inferior replacements. If every gay person working in mass media, law, government, banking and insurance, tourism, and the performing arts were to take a year-long leave of absence tomorrow, their sudden departure would send tremors through the various sectors.

Many gay and lesbian children move to Kingston for university, and stay to work. If they should withhold funds from their salaries, thousands of Jamaican parents from Grange Hill in Westmoreland to Golden Grove in St Thomas would struggle to make ends meet. Gay people are active participants in the development of Jamaica. To say otherwise is to disregard the blood, sweat and tears of the gays and lesbians who work hard and pay taxes. Despite paying taxes, they do not have access to and are thought to be undeserving of the full rights of citizenship.

While I can afford to imprison myself from harm in an uptown bubble, I know that the vast majority of gays and lesbians do not have the means to protect themselves from the daily torment of heightened scrutiny. They endure emotional and physical abuse, and are perpetually conscious of the threat of estrangement from family and displacement from community, school or work. For their sake, let us lower the self-righteous lenses that blind us to injustice and acknowledge that all Jamaicans, both heterosexual and gay, are deserving of the rights enshrined in our constitution. And for heaven's sake, let us stop stereotyping gay Jamaicans. It is dehumanising, offensive and ignorant.

Javed Jaghai

sandevaj@gmail.com

Let us stop demonising gays

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Rest in peace, Dr Little-White

Thanks, Kenny Benjamin

Tough laws will ensure tax compliance

We can export charcoal without damaging the environment

Set a limit on the Cabinet size

We are in for difficult times

Congrats and a suggestion for JC

Lies and deception fuel the homosexual lobby

Lance Armstrong's sad example

Which is really the antichrist?

Gays should be treated fairly

Let's have the right fuel mix

I will not give up on Jamaica

Thank you, Ms Daniels

Pity the Europeans aren’t black!

Jamaica: A nation faking despair

Use what we grow and grow what we use

The true role of government ministers

Pray for Jamaica

Let us stop demonising gays