Jamaica Observer

Dear Editor,

In light of the recent revelation that Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) senators had to sign an undated "pre-nuptial" agreement stating that they would not vote with the government on the Caribbean Court of Justice being made the final court of appeal, I want to ask if Andrew Holness is a transformational leader, as he purports to be, or did he pull off the biggest con there is?

In order to win the JLP leadership race, Mr Holness sold to the delegates, and by extension the Jamaican electorate, that he was a leader that would transform the party and bring a new style of leadership. But if what he did with the Senate is anything to go by, I am going to say that we have to be careful that this kind of stunt is never pulled on the nation should he become prime minister. In using these undated letters to dismiss Messrs Tufton and Williams, he has acted akin to a 'three-card man'.

The question before us at this time is, what of the other senators who have remained silent amidst all these criticims of this undated letter? Are they going to continue to be in the Senate with a noose around their neck that could be used to choke them if they deviate from any of the party's positions and vote with their conscience?

This does not make for good governance, and their capacity to enter into informed debate and constitutional review has been severely weakened. It is therefore in their best interest to resign from the senate as they cannot be trusted to debate issues above political loyalty.

Holness has lost the trust of the Jamaican people with this underhanded move. He must therefore come to us and explain the rationale behind what he did, if there is any, other than a trust issue. He must also explain to us if this will be the modus operandi going forward as a transformational leader.

Ralston Chamberlain

ralston.chamberlain@alum.utoronto.ca

Transformational leadership vs 'Anancyism'

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Dear Editor:

In my humble opinion, this (13 Jamaicans being turned away from Trinidad) has nothing to do with you guys being Jamaican and everything to do with them being Trinidadians.

I am Grenadian and we face similar issues with Trinidad especially since the Kamla Persaud Government took over.

Up until recently I lived in Trinidad for nine months. I have my Caribbean Community (Caricom) skills certificate, but Trinidad sees it as a "temporary visa". It allowed me up to six months at a time to legally reside and work in Trinidad before having to get another skills certificate issued by the Trinidadian Government. That's fine. But the Trinidadian Government refused to accept the legitimacy of my own skills certificate.

They informed me that I had to go through the entire process again to get it and that it could take up to four months. In other words, to hell with the fact that my government accepted my submissions.

My wife also had her certificate. And the same thing happened to her. She is a lawyer that studied in Trinidad but they still gave her hell.

I'm an engineer who studied in Cuba, and did not relish the task of yet again getting translations of my degree and course work... blah blah blah... So we left.

I gave my little story to say that Trinidad, in general, is just unwelcoming to all Caribbean people. Not just Jamaicans. We Grenadians feel it too. The Barbadians feel it, the Dominicans feel it. It is only my opinion, but my opinion is that the current government is just racist and elitist and very Anti-Caribbean.

We certainly don't believe all Jamaicans are criminals. I personally don't believe that even the majority of you are criminals. So don't take it personally. It's not you, or us, it's them.

Let's keep trying to be united as one region. The Kamla's and others like her will lose.

-Samora Robertson

Dear Editor,

On Tuesday, November 19, 2013 I had the opportunity to attend a forum at the UWI Undercroft hosted by the UWI Mona Guild of Students and National Integrity Action in honour of International Students' Day. The panellists for this forum included Members of Parliament Damion Crawford and Dr Dayton Campbell, G2K President Floyd Green, former G2K President Warren Newby, and Guild President Terron Dewar.

I found it to be well-attended and, for the most part, informative. The theme for this forum was "Youth at the Helm: A New Paradigm of Leadership". As the panellists, all of whom were executives of the UWI Mona Guild Council, made the opening remarks they pointed to different reasons why young people have refrained from assuming the helm of leadership.

I have summarised the reasons for this problem in the following:

1. Our apathy, which is caused in part by demotivation and lack of confidence in our political leaders to properly address the needs of the people.

2. Our desire to cash in and seize opportunities to achieve economic success which often leads young people to go overseas and prevent them from active involvement in national affairs.

3. Our seeming lack of patriotism, which equates to a lack of passion for the holistic development of the country.

In my estimation, patriotism is one of the best qualities that any well-thinking young person can possess. Patriotism does not simply entail loving Jamaica and touting Brand Jamaica during the Olympics or the World Championships, or when trying to impress the tourists, or when Tessanne Chin appears on The Voice. Patriotism also entails each Jamaican, young and old, making active, healthy and positive contributions to the development of the country. It entails having enough passion for this country to comment on the issues that affect the country and to demand the policies to alleviate the issues that face the country. Whenever one speaks about the issues, one must not do it solely for the sake of sounding intelligent, or to signal any political ambitions or intentions, but as a testament of one's passion for national development, which, in my view, is one of the hallmarks of patriotism.

Therefore, in order to herald that new paradigm of leadership, we need to strike down apathy among young people and we need a renaissance of Jamaican patriotism and to actively advocate for the policies and laws to put our country in the right direction. That way, it is hoped that more opportunities can be created locally for us to take advantage of and contribute actively as young people, as the leaders of not just tomorrow, but even today.

Markel Virgo

markel.virgo@gmail.com

The youth need true patriotism

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Dear Editor,

I think Audley Shaw should wheel and come again and challenge Andrew Holness next year for the leadership of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP). Why would I make such an outrageous suggestion?

I heard Holness declare on the television programme All Angles that, if he lost to Shaw, he would challenge him right back, so it would only be fair to return the favour.

The election has been characterised as being unfair to Shaw because the preparation of the voters' list was initially being personally supervised by Horace Chang, the general secretary, who was a Holness backer.

Also, of the two men, I believe Shaw is more capable to unite the party, which is necessary for any chance of electoral victory at the national polls in the coming decades. The actions of Holness since the election can by no stretch of the imagination be classified as unifying the party.

Shaw and his team should retire to the back benches, allowing Holness full rein in the public space, and use their energies and resources to organise themelves; ensuring constituencies are duly registered, delegates properly selected and otherwise getting ready for next year.

So that challenges do not become an annual occurrence, the leader and other posts should have terms ranging from say 2 to 4 years.

Jamaica seems on the verge of becoming a one-party state and needs a strong Opposition to reverse this trend. Jamaica cannot afford for the People's National Party, or any other for that matter, to have unbroken State power for 15 or more years. The horror of the last run of 18.5 years should be testimony enough for us.

Andre Bell, St Mary

andrebell7@hotmail.com

Shaw should challenge again

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Dear Editor,

I saw Peter last Thursday. He was looking quite stressed. He was having a bad case of sinusitis. He had to be better by Saturday as he had an important meeting. He was still smoking. Since the smoking ban, he stopped smoking at work; he smoked in his car and at home. He lived with his wife and child. He was advised that continuing smoking would not get his sinusitis better by Saturday. He was given a prescription and shown how to use an inhaler with a spacer and I would follow-up his progress.

Four days later, I saw Sheila. She was Peter's wife. She also had sinusitis. She smoked, second-hand. She told me that Peter had stopped smoking for a couple of days, got better by weekend, and then resumed smoking. She wished that her husband would confine his smoking to one room in the house or go outside.

While he did not smoke in their bedroom, the child's bedroom or the child's bathroom, she commented that she could smell the smoke in the bedroom as it diffused in from the other rooms. The smoke made her feel sick. Their child also became sick from the exposure.

If you live alone, then you may smoke anywhere in your home. However, if you are like Peter, living with a family, you may want to pause a little and answer a few questions. How are you able to protect your wife and child from second-hand smoke at home? How important is it to you that your family keeps well?

Should the Government protect Peter's family from second-hand smoke inside the home?

Aldyth Buckland, MD

aldyth_buckland@yahoo.com

Where is it safe to smoke?

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Dear Editor,

I fully support the actions being taken by Andrew Holness to validate his leadership of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and prepare the party to fulfil the mandate which he was given on November 10.

Now that the grass roots of the party have won the struggle against a challenge, obviously backed and financed by the wealthy classes, Holness must fulfil their mandate or he will not survive as leader of the party, because it obvious that the grass roots members of the party are serious about having a leader who will address the problems which have been afflicting the party for the past two decades.

Holness must create an institution which can be effective as an Opposition, while preparing itself to assume the role of government with policies and programmes which are in the best interest of the poor and the economy.

That's what all these delegates sought when they elected him, and he cannot afford to allow himself to be distracted by media that want soap opera to attract readers, viewers and listeners, as well as advertisers; nor bad losers who -- instead of taking time out to lick their wounds and pray that the people will, at some time in the future, start listening to them again -- seem determined to continue their campaign against him and his leadership, instead of accepting that the delegates have spoken.

By the way, it shouldn't be surprising that Holness has taken Dr Christopher Tufton's advice during the leadership campaign: "If you can't win elections, go join the Rotary Club, or something...," Tufton suggested.

I don't know if there are any service clubs in St Eiizabeth, but there are a number of them which meet in Kingston.

Omar Bryan

omarbryan8@gmail.com

Holness must fulfil mandate given to him

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Dear Editor,

Once again the prime minister's contempt for the people of Jamaica was shown on yesterday (Thursday, November 21, 2013) when she refused to answer questions from members of the press regarding her controversial re-hiring of Richard Azan.

It was also reported that a member of the media was shoved by a member of her security detail.

It's approaching two years since being elected to office, and yet not a single interview has been granted, at the request of the press, by the prime minister. How can that be?

Where else in the free world does this occur? Which other modern day prime minister operates in this way? Why is the prime minister hiding from the local media? How is it that the prime minister is accessible to the media in Japan but not at home?

Wayne Clarke

ltsp2003@hotmail.com

No comment

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Dear Editor,

Am I unreasonable to think that women and men need to start taking into account their income levels before deciding to have children they can't afford to maintain?

Too often, mothers, and sometimes fathers, are seen on the news pitifully bawling with their hands on their heads, that "di Govament nah duh nut'n fi wi". Yet they continue to have more and more babies they can't afford to feed, clothe, or even send to school.

The examples are too many of unemployed young women having in excess of five children all with different men and without any form of child support. These poor children are always seen barefooted, in dirty clothes, and are most times not in school. Oftentimes, they are even seen on the streets begging every "Miss" or "Sir" that passes by for "just $20 to buy a bag juice or Cheese Trix". And to make matters worse, these women continue to have baby after baby.

Now, tell me please, shouldn't Jamaica's harsh economic crisis be deterrent enough? I should think so. With the invention of various contraceptive methods, I thought women would at least start taking responsibility by not engaging in unprotected sexual intercourse. It doesn't make any sense for women to continue to have children without a steady income. For insufficient or limited resources can limit the level of care, support and security one can given to children. This can, in turn, negatively impact their development in becoming functional individuals in society.

If women and men cannot afford to have more than one child, then simply don't. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Or better yet, just nip it in the bud.

Evadne Brown

Knockpartick P O

ebrown14@stu.ncu.edu.jm

Don't have babies you can't afford

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Dear Editor,

The recent "outing" of former senators Arthur Williams and Christopher Tufton with the use of undated resignation letters, signed when they were appointed to the Upper House, raises the question about their legality.

My own view is that, although signed, they were incomplete without a date. I'm not sure who dated them, but if it weren't dated by the signer, can it be considered legal? Can someone technically resign, in advance, by using undated letters to be applied at any time in the future as needed? Timing is just as important for a resignation, as it is for a legal will, a resignation ought to be the will of the signee at the present time.

If these letters were dated by someone else, other than the writer, wouldn't that be an element of fraud?

If undated letters can be applied legally to remove appointed senators, couldn't they also be applied to ministers of government, MPs, even prime ministers. Despite being elected, they were officially appointed to their posts, and they, too, can officially resign. Undated letters seem like a clever but manipulative ploy to maintain control, but it doesn't seem legal or ethical, this matter should be settled in Courts.

Andrew Holness as re-elected leader, had a tremendous opportunity to put the party on a new path, uniting divisive factions, and cementing himself as a formidable choice and change, as was the perception of the public. The JLP continues to be perceived as a fragmented party with a bunch 'yes men' who must toe the line, or else.

This is definitely a difference with how the PNP is perceived. Many who didn't support Holness's leadership accepted the results nonetheless, and were open to change. Of course, Andrew Holness had every right after the JLP elections to reshuffle his appointments. However, this should've been done based on ability, talent and experience, without fear, malice or vindictiveness. It would've been a great show of unity to reappoint many of those who didn't support him, a sign that he is listening and willing to work harder to make the party better.

Holness must realise by now that his challenger, Audley Shaw, amassed nearly half of the delegates' votes — a significant amount who obviously had a problem with Holness's leadership and the direction of the party. How can you heal, by continuing to divide? The concept of "one don" rule is outdated and shows arrogance. It continues to negatively impact public perception and, although "one don" may rule a party, it becomes more difficult to sell when it comes to general elections where a leader must be able to deal with ongoing criticisms, differences of opinion, conflicting views -- even within his/her own ranks!

But, one has to ask, does the Government also use undated resignation letters to keep their senators in line?

P Chin

chin_p@Yahoo.com

Are undated resignation letters even legal?

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Dear Editor,

Let me start off by saying that I have no opinion regarding the guilt or innocence of the accused, Adidja "Vybz Kartel" Palmer regarding the killing of Clive "Lizard" Williams. This disclaimer is necessary given the penchant of his rabid supporters to attack persons who criticise him.

I am disturbed, though, that for his recent appearances in the Supreme Court, his face appears to be freshly "bleached". The "bleachers" featured not so long ago on All Angles, and the myriad Youtube videos suggest that to maintain the bleached complexion requires constant use of the various creams and substances.

Vybz Kartel has been imprisoned for nearly two years. Therefore, it is difficult to conceive of how he could sustain his "colouring" while in confinement. His original hue surely should have returned over this period (darker or otherwise).

Are the prison officials complicit in Palmer's access to these creams? What a picture of the state of the justice system where an accused could be supplied with bleaching creams while in the custody and care of the State. While ordinary Jamaicans continue to live in fear of rape, robbery, kidnapping, assault, and murder, prisoners are delivered luxuries (if bleaching creams can be called that) in lock-up.

Our fears and experiences have been reduced to another performance or the lines of another Vybz Kartel song, and almost sadistically, we still wait with bated breath for the next scene... a warden enters with another delivery of cake soaps.

Janene Laing

janene.laing@gmail.com

How has Vybz Kartel kept up his colour?

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Dear Editor,

Please allow us to update on the National Youth Policy revision process which was the subject of a letter published on Friday, November 8, 2013 headlined 'Sill no revised National Youth Policy'.

The revision of the existing National Youth Policy (2004) is an involved process with several steps, requiring several months for completion. The process begun with evidence-based primary research to inform the priorities to be advanced within the new policy. We have consulted several stakeholders and have developed proposals which we have submitted to Cabinet for its consideration. The next stage will be to present the draft in a green paper for wide debate and feedback, before it is finalised and comes into effect.

The feedback from the youth population is most important. Indeed, one of the main activities for Youth Month will be the 'A Suh Di Ting Set, Reset di Ting! Forum' to be held on Wednesday, November 20, 2013 at the Jamaica Pegasus in Kingston, where young people from across the country, representing various groups, will debate the proposals with senior officials and others involved in the policymaking process.

I wish to point out that, in addition to upgrading the policy, we are at the same time working on policy frameworks, instruments and assessments to support the policy including: Strategic Plan; Monitoring and Evaluation Strategy; Legislative Review and Assessment as well as

Framework for a Coordination Mechanism and the relevant Memoranda of Understanding among partners in the sector.

Much work has gone into the revision process and we are moving to complete the job and present an upgraded National Youth Policy for Jamaica. We are on track.

Oliver Watt

Director of Communications

Ministry of Youth and Culture

National Youth Policy a work in progress

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Dear Editor,

"Play with puppy, puppy lick your mouth". Over the decades the press has placed the People’s National Party (PNP) and their leaders on a pedestal and have made them the untouchables in our society.

They never usually ask the PNP leaders the tough questions and so they have got accustomed to that lifestyle.

How dare Mr Brown (TVJ reporter) break away from tradition and ask Portia Simpson Miller a knock-out question!

If Mr Brown asked her a question up her ally, like how she won the election she would have smiled from ear to ear, her eyes would sparkle and she would babble on for minutes explaining how she "whipped Andrew".

He may have even received a hug from her.

Some people are now spreading propaganda that Mrs Simpson Miller’s life was placed in danger and her security team should be relieved of their duties.

Really? Portia was faced with a microphone as a communication tool, not a weapon of mass destruction, and her life was in danger?

Tell that to the hundreds of taxpayers who have relatives that are murdered daily not from a microphone but from M16s.

--My Observation

Among the notices at church last Sunday, was an item informing of an attack on a member who was out jogging. This attack was carried out by a machete-wielding man who appeared to be of unsound mind. It resulted in the victim receiving some 20 stitches to the head.

Quite frequently we see these apparently mentally challenged persons walking around with various implements including machetes, bits of iron and other items that can be of extreme danger to the unsuspecting citizen going about their normal lawful business. Information gleaned is that these are oftentimes weapons of defence from attacks by uncaring persons in the society who would not be classified as mentally unstable. But is this so?

However, the reality is these dangerous implements in the hands of the insane cannot be allowed in a sane society. What must be a violation of the law is being done in plain view of the police, whose aim is to protect the citizens. The question is how do we treat the insane and homeless on our streets across the nation? What can be done to a person who parades totally nude or masturbates openly passing schools and other public spaces . For years we have tolerated similar indecent exposure, masquerading as art in the Fern Gully, and despite several utterances, it still exists

If there is a policy in place as to the approach to be taken dealing with the insane, then it needs to be acted on. If there is none, it is desperately needed. In our Kiwanis clubs street people feeding programmes, there is evidence that more persons are taking to the streets. Many of them suffer some depression with a tendency to lash out at any time. This poses additional stress as we go about our daily business. To whom do we turn to have these dangerous persons removed from our streets, not just physically removed but to a place where their psychological needs can be addressed?

We thank God for sparing our sister's life and pray for her speedy and complete healing. The streets are indeed dangerous.

Ralston Nunes

Kiwanis Lieutenant Governor

Division 23 East

ralstonnunes@gmail.com

Danger on our streets

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Dear Editor,

Natural disasters are deadly and dangerous sweepers and hitters of deaths. They are very famous and consistent in creating unbearable agonies on humanity. They have no mercy, no consideration and respect for mankind, animals, buildings, plants, etc. They are rough, rugged, wicked, and wild, in their tremendous power flight. There is no holding back in their destructive pursuits.

We have no control over tsunamis, typhoons, hurricanes, floods, storms, earthquakes, volcanoes, or any other devastating tempest. The only control we have, is to clean up their strings and ton-loads of mess; and to recover dead bodies and the injured from wreckages; and to make sure we gear up ourselves for the next merciless onslaught.

Donald J McKoy

donaldmckoy2010@hotmail.com

Natural disasters

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Dear Editor,

The recent "confrontation" between Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller and Vashon Brown, a Television Jamaica reporter, is very unfortunate and ought not to have occurred for a number of reasons.

I blame the prime minister's security detail 100 per cent for this incident. From what I saw on the television clip, the prime minister was attempting to walk away when the reporter ran ahead of her, blocking her path, and pushed his microphone almost touching her face while asking questions.

Commissioner of Police Owen Ellington should, in my view, forthwith relieve members of the prime minister's present security detail of their responsibilities as it is evident that they were not giving the level of VIP protection to which the prime minister is entitled.

Whether we like Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller or not, we must accept that she is our prime minister and she is entitled to be accorded professional VIP protection.

Freedom of the press cannot be interpreted to mean that you can block the path of the prime minister and conduct yourself in a way to suggest that you will not allow her free passage unless she answers your question.

Freedom of the press does not mean that those who work in and for the press are semi-gods to whom all the rest of us are obligated.

The standard practice of VIP protection is that there is an inner perimeter which is strictly enforced and an outer perimeter which is less strictly enforced.

The prime minister's detail should have handled the inner perimeter in such a way that nobody could come within arm's length of the her unless it is her desire.

It is not the duty of a security detail to accommodate or to restrain the press. Their sole duty is to protect the prime minister from any and every person who seeks to get so close to her that they could physically harm her.

This is a most urgent matter for the commissioner of police.

Linton P Gordon

St Ann

lpgordon@cwjamaica.com

PM must be kept safe... even from press

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Dear Editor,

As passengers suffer lengthy delays and bus drivers cry, the State-owned Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) buses enjoy free movement along a section of the Mandela Highway.

The JUTC has recently got a lane dedicated for themselves along the Mandela Highway, during peak hours in the mornings to the disgust of the other motorists.

The "free passage" begins at the Caymanas Bay traffic light and ends at the entrance to Plantation Heights at Six Miles. This however, does not sit well with the other private bus drivers who drive along the route. The drivers argue that, if there is a bus lane, it should be accessible, not only to the JUTC buses but to all buses. They state that the JUTC is already getting financial assistance from the Government and now smooth traffic-less passage on the public road.

Having a bus lane is not new to Jamaica, and in particular Kingston and St Catherine. There is one on Washington Boulevard that is open to both the JUTC and private buses. This has proven to be fair and beneficial to both parties.

This unfair move by the Transport Authority needs to be revised in fairness to private bus drivers and their passengers. The argument is made of the number of JUTC buses taking up space on the highway being a major contributing factor to the traffic pile-up in the morning. However, when one look at buses coming from Spanish Town to Half-Way-Tree and downtown Kingston, etc it adds up to more than the JUTC's buses on the highway.

The thought of easing the traffic on the highway is a good idea, but giving JUTC such an edge is unfair to other bus drivers.

Hezekan Bolton

h_e_z_e@hotmail.com

Unfair JUTC bus lane

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Dear Editor,

Events of recent weeks should have reinforced to all well-thinking Jamaicans just how doomed we, as a people, are unless we reduce our reliance on politicians and cease to expect that anything good will come from them.

As bad as Portia may be, Andrew proves to be no better.

Portia Simpson Miller has shown poor judgement in reappointing Richard Azan -- much the same bad judgement that got him in trouble. What absolute arrogance? What disregard for good governance and her people, whom she loves so much? Further, her refusal to answer questions posed by the media not only puts her lack of intellect into question, but again can be deduced as her total disdain for those who elected her to serve.

As bad as she may be though, lest we forget, she "whipped" Andrew, as she was gleefully quoted as having told an international audience while in Japan, recently.

I was one of those who heard the prime minister's inauguration speech, approximately two years ago, during which she made a very strong statement about how she would view corruption within her Government. Less than 24 months later, and on the heels of Azan's "politically corrupt" actions in the Spalding Market saga -- as suggested by the contractor general -- Portia reappoints him and does not see the need to offer us any explanation. What a shame!

As per usual, she seems to reward what she perceives as loyalty to her, as she clearly feels that to be far more important than her being loyal to those who elected her to serve.

Andrew Holness, however, is a whole other matter. His holier-than-thou façade has been shattered, and the real Andrew is being revealed to us... and it doesn't look pretty. His talk of "a new way of politics" is drowned out by his old-style, tribalistic and "vindictive" actions against those who dare to oppose him. As he waves his hands while speaking he makes one dizzy, if not already dizzied by the nonsense going on.

The revelation of Holness's request for undated resignation letters, and his apparent use of those letters in instances aside from those initially intended, certainly does not smell like "new and transformational politics". It is an action of which, I am sure, some before him may well be proud.

Are these the ones we really expect to rescue us from the plight we as a country and people are in? If so, may God help us. Jamaica's choice between "Mama P" and her "son" truly puts us between a rock and a hard place, or perhaps the devil and the deep blue sea? Either way, we are doomed if we really expect them to "lead" us anywhere but into the abyss of prolonged poverty and increased crime and corruption.

D S

St Andrew

Between a rock and a hard place

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Dear Editor,

In 1973, I participated as a member of the Jamaican contingent in the Trinidad leg of the Annual Cadet Exchange Programme. Our campground was at Chaguaramas Bay — a stone's throwaway from where Caribbean leaders, including Jamaica's then Prime Minister Michael Norman Manley, were meeting and would later, on July 4, 1973, sign the Treaty of Chaguaramas, which gave life to the Caribbean Community and Common Market (Caricom).

On reflection, it was a heady experience for me; as the magic of Manley's rhetoric had captivated me — like numerous Jamaican youngsters at the time — and the idea of being in Trinidad at the same time as the prime minsiter gave springs to the strides of this contingent of young Jamaicans.

The signing of the treaty was a defining moment in the history of the Commonwealth Caribbean. Although a free trade area had been established, CARIFTA did not provide for the free movement of labour and capital, or the coordination of agricultural, industrial and foreign policies.

The objectives of the community, identified in Article 6 of the Revised Treaty, were: to improve standards of living and work; the full employment of labour and other factors of production; accelerated, coordinated and sustained economic development and convergence; expansion of trade and economic relations with third States; enhanced levels of international competitiveness; organisation for increased production and productivity; achievement of a greater measure of economic leverage and effectiveness of member states in dealing with third states, groups of states and entities of any description; and the enhanced coordination of member states' foreign and foreign economic policies and enhanced functional cooperation.

Between 1989 and 2000, there has been several revisions of this treaty aimed at strengthening its provisions and making it workable throughout the region, allowing the transforming of the Common Market into a single market and economy in which factors move freely as a basis for internationally competitive production of goods and provision of services.

Forty years after its birth, I am sorry to say it all still means absolutely nothing for me and thousands of other Jamaicans. The experience of Shanique Myrie on her visit to Barbados two years ago, as well as the group of 13 Jamaicans denied entry to Trinidad last week confirm that the spirit of Caricom is dead; were it ever truly alive. For, if the members of a single market and economy are denied that very basic freedom of movement between territories, then the idea of Caricom is indeed dead.

It is the people of the region who man the borders and ports who give effect to treaties such as this, not governments. Obviously, the ideas of individual government ministers and the psyche that drives these port officers are completely detached. And it seems Jamaicans are not the only Caricom nationals having these experiences in Barbados and Trinidad. Ask the Guyanese, the Vincentians, and nationals from other islands.

After reading of the latest experiences of my fellow Jamaicans on their visit to Trinidad, I am now convinced that the switch of our Jamaican passport for one that is labelled Caricom does me no service. I doubt our government will see the signal that this is a dead idea and return us to a Jamaican Passport. Maybe it is a good time to go get myself that US Passport. After all, I have earned it.

Richard Hugh Blackford

richardhblackford@gmail.com

Give me back my Jamaican passport

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Dear Editor,

Regional integration is not a concept that most Jamaicans support due to the insular nature of islands like Trinidad and Barbados, and their lack of respect for Jamaican nationals. Furthermore, it defies logic to support a body that cannot obey its own rules.

For example, although free trade is a one of Caricom's fundamental pillars, there have been trade wars between countries like Trinidad and Barbados, and more recently between Jamaica and Trinidad. Despite its years of existence, the regional bloc has never been policy oriented, reports like the Rose Hall Declaration on Regional Governance, and the aptly titled Re-Energising Caricom Policy Paper have not been effected. Therefore, it is expected that public sentiments in relation to Caricom will be negative, when the entity is ineffective and Jamaica's contribution to the region is usually downplayed. Jamaica gives too much to Caricom and receives too little.

The recent utterances by a Bajan Cabinet member shows contempt for the people of Jamaica. Since we live in a global environment, it is expected that any newspaper will report on international matters, and occasionally make editorial commentary about countries which are more prominent than Barbados and there was no backlash. So, when Minister Donville Inniss told Jamaican editors to focus on the rot in Jamaica, because they described what was deemed to be an abuse of the press, not only was he being rude, his ignorance about press freedom was highlighted.

Jamaicans are focusing on the "rot" in our country, and we want Minister Inniss to know that we maintain only necessary interest in the affairs his country and other Caribbean states on a whole. Caricom needs Jamaica, Jamaica does not need Caricom, and the sooner Minister Inniss understands this, the better for all of us.

Further, the decision of Trinidad's immigration officers to deny Jamaican nationals entry into that State is a breach of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas and the people of Jamaica should not support such an action. It is quite impractical for this administration to declare its unwavering support for Caricom, when countries like Trinidad do not abide by the rules. Regional integration must be based on mutual benefit, not the emotive sentiments of politicians.

Lipton Matthews

lo_matthews@yahoo.com

The beginning of the end of Caricom

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Dear Editor:

We need to wake up to the reality that our country is in an economic and social mess, and we need to fix it.

We cannot take offence to this statement (Owen Arthur, former Prime Minister of Barbados in delivering the inaugural independence lecture of the School of Politics, warned that if remedial action was not taken, Barbados could suffer the same fate as its Caribbean Community (Caricom) partners, Guyana and Jamaica) when the truth is as plain as day.

We need a wake-up call to realise that Olympic success and record sales do not improve the lives of the average Jamaican. Our dollar has gone to over J$100 to one US dollar. Can winning Olympic gold medals change that startling reality?

We have one of the highest murder rates in the world. Can Tessanne Chin winning The Voice change that?

I know it sounds harsh, but it is true. We cannot take the achievements of a few individuals who have worked hard to get where they are as a sign that our country is progressing. We can look to them as role models to see what we are capable of as a people, but we can't think that their success alone will get us out of the rut we have put ourselves in.

Wake up Jamaica! We are holding on to past achievements and images of success and progress when we need to dig our heels in and start some serious nation-building, so that as our pledge says, "Jamaica may under God, increase in beauty, fellowship and prosperity and play her part in advancing the welfare of the whole human race".

Yes, we can be proud of our country, and yes, we can be proud of our achievements, but national pride alone does not build a nation -- hard work does.

Let us take this as a springboard for self-introspection and see what we can do to rebuild Jamaica land we love.

--2blessed2bstressed

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