Marcus Garvey 2011

Written by Geoffrey Philip

“Nationhood is the only means by which modern civilization can completely protect itself. Independence of nationality, independence of government, is the means of protecting not only the individual, but the group. Nationhood is the highest ideal of all peoples”  

The Philosophy and Opinions of Marcus Garvey, Or, Africa for Africans. Compiled by Amy Jacques Garvey. Dover: Majority Press, 1986.

 These words of Marcus Mosiah Garvey are still true, and it is no wonder that Garvey is Jamaica’s first national hero. Marcus Mosiah Garvey was a man of determination, and he believed in the principle of success. As Garvey said in a speech in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in 1937, “At my age I have learnt no better lesson than that which I am going to impart to you to make man what he ought to be—a success in life. There are two classes on men in the world, those who succeed and those who do not succeed” (Marcus Garvey: Life and Lessons, xxv). So, on this day of  the celebration of our nationhood, what does Garvey’s life mean to Jamaica in the face of beheadings,political corruption, and a seeming loss of faith that we may be heading toward being defined as a“failed state”?

 No doubt, many Jamaicans will be going to church tomorrow and they will listen to various speeches about this and that, platitudes that balm a cancer. Commentators will have answers to every question under our beautiful sun. But the real questions that we should be asking ourselves are ones that I pose to the characters in my fictions: Who are you? What do you want? How will you get what you want?

 I never begin a first draft until these questions are answered, Then, I make a rough outline of the plot with an inciting incident, lock-in, first culmination, main culmination, and what I think will be the third act twist, where the hero makes a discovery–which surprises the audience and the hero–or something/someone reminds the hero of who she really is. Whether she has the courage to act on what she knows, means that that I will be writing (in the broadest sense of the terms) a tragedy (she fails to achieve her goal) or a comedy (she achieves her goal). Once I know these elements, I begin writing. I never begin writing before I know how the story will end.

 As far as the short [her]story of Jamaica goes, we’ve been through the inciting incidents of resistance, lock-in of Independence, first culmination in the exodus of the 70s, and main culmination in the recognition of the Diaspora. I don’t know what the third act twist will be. If our story will be a tragedy.

 But we do have the wisdom from our heroes and a wealth of courage in our people But how will we answer the question: Who are you?

 When the “right time comes,”–which is always now– I hope as Brother Bob says, “when the preaching and talking is done, ” we will “live up/ Cause the Father’s time has come” (“Survival’).

 Surprise me, Jamaica

Garvey, Amy Jacques. The Philosophy and Opinions of Marcus Garvey, Or, Africa for Africans.  Dover: Majority Press, 1986.

Obama’s Advisors Should Respect Marcus Garvey



Written By George Graham

I never knew Marcus Garvey. He died when I was 6 years old. But my mother heard him speak when he visited Guy’s Hill back in her childhood. And, if my information is correct, my granduncle, the Rev. William Graham, advised and encouraged him.

To my mother, Garvey seemed rather strange. In those days black men did not command the kind of respect they did in later years – after Jamaica achieved independence from England. Today, black leaders occupy the highest positions of power and privilege in Jamaica, which is only to be expected as the country’s population is overwhelmingly black.

Back in the Twenties and Thirties, Garvey’s ideas were considered – to say the least – unusual. If my memory is accurate, he was among the first, for example, to claim that Jesus was not a white man. He urged the black Diaspora to return to Africa and called on black people everywhere to join forces and reclaim their dignity. “Our union must know no clime, boundary, or nationality… let us hold together under all climes and in every country,” he said.

To Americans like FBI czar J. Edgar Hoover, his ideas were seditious. Hoover is suspected of framing Garvey and having him put in jail. The Jamaican-born agitator was convicted of mail fraud in 1923 and was deported after spending two years and nine months in an Atlanta prison.

Now, nine decades later, Jamaicans want Garvey pardoned. The American conviction is a blemish on the legacy of a native son who is revered in the island today. He was the first person to be proclaimed a National Hero when Jamaica became independent. And to Rastafarians, Garvey is a prophet.

The Jamaica Observer reports:

Florida-based Jamaican-born attorney Donovan Parker has been writing to president Obama every week since January requesting a posthumous pardon for Garvey, who many believe was set up by the J Edgar Hoover-led Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), fearful of his widening popularity among downtrodden US blacks.

In a shocking response – shocking to Jamaicans like me, anyway – the Obama Administration has refused. The Observer reports:

In a tersely worded reply to Parker’s request, White House Pardon Attorney, Ronald Rodgers said such a move would be a waste of time and resources since Garvey had been dead for ages.

“It is the general policy of the Department of Justice that requests for posthumous pardons for federal offences not be processed for adjudication. The policy is grounded in the belief that the time of the officials involved in the clemency process is better spent on pardon and commutation requests of living persons.

“Many posthumous pardon requests would likely be based on a claim of manifest injustice, and given that decades have passed since the event and the historical record would have to be scoured to objectively and comprehensively investigate such applications, it is the Department’s position that the limited resources which are available to process requests for Presidential clemency — now being submitted in record numbers — are best dedicated to requests submitted by persons who can truly benefit from a grant of the request,” Rodgers replied on behalf of Obama, who is the first black president in the history of the United States.

This might seem like quite a reasonable argument. But it is an unfortunate one.

Respect is important in the Jamaican culture. And, to me, this shows disrespect not only for Garvey’s memory but also for the sovereign nation of Jamaica.

I see this as one more example of the Obama Administration’s deplorable tone deafness. Hundreds of thousands of Jamaicans now live in the United States – one small city, Miramar, has about 50,000 residents from the island. And many of us have become citizens. President Obama has enjoyed enthusiastic support from the Jamaican Diaspora. We expect him to be more sensitive to our feelings.

I certainly do not think the president is personally to blame, but I wonder at his administration’s political insensitivity. The elements in American society who elected Obama have been poorly treated. Black unemployment, for example, is more than twice the national average. The anti-war movement and other progressives are ignored and derided. Organized labor is so disenchanted that the AFL-CIO has threatened to withhold financial support in next year’s elections.

To me, this is a poor re-election strategy for the nation’s first black president.

Black Woman! Love Thy Hair & Skin!

             Miss Angola  Leila Lopes has won  Miss Universe 2011


Carol Carter aka Ripuree wrote this.



Black African daughters of Jamaica or wherever


Mothers of all skin shades and textures of hair.

Carrier of prototype human material

Yet promoting only lighter shades with straight hair?



Yes; there was a time when we could do no better

When our bodies, mind or space we could not control

When we were raped anywhere, anytime before loved ones

Thus we and our men, are still challenged to connect.



It wasn’t possible to experience that degree of self negation for centuries

And not end up wanting to portray any image, but our own

Thus, too few Negro men admire Negro women’s beauty

While we encourage our sons to continue such ways.



Still, it matters not what we did yesterday, yesteryear or the last moment

All that matters is who we decide to become from now on.

We couldn’t do better, when we didn’t know better

Or when we were mentally blindfolded, with our limbs cut off.



So daughter of Africa and mothers of mankind

What causes will we make to correct our plight?

What future do we want for successive generations of our children

In the world of tomorrow and beyond?



Sisters, we’re sensuous and we’re gorgeous

We’re the mothers of the human race.

But we’re retarding our own growth, plus that of all others

Mindlessly making causes; not considering future effects.



Critically examine our views of God and Allah

Can they unite and inoculate our minds from self hate?

And can we stop being so Heavenly focused for a moment

To honor other Negroes, with whom we share earth space?



Should we still shout black love, unity and power

When our most Negroid features, we so strongly detest?

Should we expect anyone else to accept us color-blindly

When we cannot accept ourselves “as is”?



Do the blackest children have a chance in Jamaica

When the Bible and Western culture tell us that black is sinful and bad?

Can we refuse such self-defeating nonsense

And choose uplifting self descriptions instead?



Today we know that verbal and physical traumas

Can negatively impact us for life.

While self-love produces healthy self image,

So why accept degrading meanings of ourselves?



Why do our children still ingest fear-filled Bible notions?

Which are: violent, unjust, irrational and ungodly

As much as, or more than censored T.V. show.

How are such things wise for compromised minds?



Sisters, many of us sow negativity further

Encouraging fathers to not support children they had when we met.

But what lessons are we teaching by such actions?

And would we want our daughters, to meet same fate?



Can we not think more lofty than lower animals

Who ensure that only the best are reproduced.

By looking for others already with good character

Not their weakness to manipulate?



Can we cultivate and elevate a new default mindset,

That considers what is ultimately best for the whole

Not just a Chosen Few

As when only a few prosper, they must fear everyone else.



Sisters, men have ruled the world in Wars and economic businesses,

but we’re the molders of the character of those Men.

So when our wealthier men mostly choose Caucasian

It’s our words and ways, they replicate.



Yes; we do have the power to uplift or demote

And we’re truly stagnating our collective progress

By refusing to acknowledge that we hate our own color;

Thus the reason others disrespect us, where we’re most.



Our men we must respect and cherish

Because without them, we’re only half.

Plus, they’re products of our uterus,

And were nourished to grow from our breasts.



We first taught them to be men

But whatever we’ve been teaching has been flawed

So now it’s our maternal right and responsibility

To teach anew, from our authentic images and selves.



Selfishness, greed and stupidity, were the life- conditions prevailing

When some Negro Africans profited from the Slave Trade.

And those vibes have now expanded exponentially

Since worldwide, we seem most against ourselves.



Many of us (self included) have acted dishonourably.

But we needn’t remain marinating in guilt and shame.

All that matter is who we’re committed to becoming

With every thought we think, and action we take.



Negro women of the world

No matter what any Teacher, Bible or Society tell us

Let’s know; that before us there were no others

And after us, none shall remain.



As first humans we have great responsibilities

Overtime, and by dilution Negroes produced all others

While no other two, can produce Negroes overtime

Prototypical Negro state must therefore be protected, respected, and not despised.



Black is not less important than white, nor equal to sin as the Bible imply.

And darkness is not obliterated by light

Therefore; rethink all the nonsense we’ve been taught

By the Bible, and all else that inform our minds.



Negro daughters of Africa, and mothers of all human

It’s our duty, in Jamaica and worldwide

To honour our selves in ways that make it impossible

To be scorned and denied, where we’re the most.

Can the UK looting be justified?

Written by Myrna Loy

Can the looting be justified? This of course depends on whose perspective you are looking at. The teenagers will say it is justified because they are getting back at the police for killing Mark Duggan, a mixed-race 29 year old who was shot in the back of his head while in a taxi going home. They will say that they are getting back at PM David Cameron for making their parents lose their jobs, putting their family below the poverty line; they will say that because their parents can’t buy them the things they deem necessary, they have a right to take them if the opportunity presents itself. They say there are no jobs; no opportunities, it is time to take something back. “We pay taxes, said one female looter, so we are entitled!”. For those suffering the impact of the recession, it became payback time! Opportunism and greed fanned the flames in Tottenham and around 26 different cities in the UK

From what I have read and heard, the family carried a banner which said “Justice for Duggan” and marched to Tottenham Police Station to get answers. What started off as a peaceful demonstration to ascertain why the police shot Mark Duggan, turned into another Broadwater Farm riot after a female member of the Duggan family was bludgeoned by a police officer outside the station when imploring for an explanation. That was the straw that broke the camel’s back: the demonstration spiraled out of control, fuelled by an angry, frustrated members of the Tottenham community.

The first Broadwater Farm riot occurred on 6 October 1985, when Cynthia Jarrett, a black woman died from stroke after a police raid in her home; exacerbated by another black woman being shot during a police search a week earlier. What followed culminated in the death of Police Constable Blacklock. It is ironic that yet another death in Tottenham has resulted in mass rioting, not only in the area where it happened but in other cities around the country.

According to sources, 1.4m are living below the poverty line; 1.3m are living with substance abuse parents. 1 in 5 young Britons are out of work - 1 in 2 black people are unemployed but we are told by politicians that a lack of values was the cause of the riots, and that social networks, like Facebook, twitter and the Blackberry BBN, enabled the way the riots were organized. They seem to forget that values come from enjoying a stable upbringing; earning a living; feeling respected and proud – but with 1 out of 2 black people denied the right to have their basic needs satisfied, it is no wonder that the riots involving them, are the outcome. It is surprising that the sensibility of what seemed like senseless, uncontrolled rioting ceased as quickly as it started when they realized their irresponsibility resulted in the death of three innocent traders who were trying to protect their property.

Now the government is now seeking to give parents back the right to discipline their children (after the horse has bolted!); and they are planning to give teachers that right too. Too little too late!

3,000 perpetrators have been arrested, meaning there will be even more unemployable black people. Employers will not employ someone with a prison record – so the unemployment statistics go up, and the downward spiral and vicious cycle continues.

*********

Different perspectives

The perspective of those who lost their homes, lost their cars, and other property: why did they suffer the impact of Mark Duggan’s death? Many left homeless – they feel should not have lost everything to fire. They could understand if the rioters had burned down police stations, but they didn’t, they burned down innocent people’s homes and left people jumping from buildings for their lives.

From the perspective of the deceased’s family: Mark Duggan was a family man, a father of four, living with is fiancé of 12 years, with plans to move out of Tottenham and get married. “He always avoided confrontation and would not have fired at police”

From the perspective of the police watchdog: “There is no evidence Mark Duggan opened fire at police before being shot dead by a firearms officer, the Independent Police Complaints Commission has said. The police watchdog said ballistic tests showed "no evidence that the handgun found at the scene was fired".

BBC News understands firearms officers discharged their weapons in the belief there was a threat to human life. Their guidelines allow them to open fire in such circumstances”

The David Starkey, politician said that white people were acting black, and that Jamaican patois and black culture fuelled the riots, while Prime Minister David Cameron said that it is not a race issue but a crime issue and that we live amongst a broken and sick society.

Compare my generation to the new generation when we were respectful to our elders; we couldn’t back chat; we opened up doors, gave up our seats; didn’t speak unless we were spoken to – and did do any harm? No! These days you will find that while there are always exceptions to the rule, the majority of young people in the UK are arrogant, disrespectful to their parents and/or authority.

According to Angela Bajaican – “we must look for solutions to the crisis. … the backlash from the riots is: 'Bring in Robo-cop', 'Stolen bottled water - first offence - six months in prison'; 'white is the new black', 'Gas all the coons' - there is no question which community is in the firing line, despite the facts that illustrate many races were involved, the blame is on the black people as being the instigators, so the challenge for the Black community therefore has never been greater.

Back Home In Jamaica

Written By Carol Lawton

I am coming close to my year 5 of being home in Jamaica. Do I miss the streets of America, I would say yes. Do I miss less stress I would say yes. Do I miss less aggression , I would also say yes. But with all the stuff I miss I would say it was worth it. I now have a better understanding of my Jamaica. I was a bum( aimless visitor) just partying and eating food then I worked as a lawn boy, NYS camp manager, consultant, an environmental activist, fish monger, a farmer, a juice manufacturer, gas attendant, a liason on a bridge and now find myself in remittances. Why so much jobs. Just did not know what to do and wanted the experience. My Jamaica is just that an exciting place with negative and positives. It’s not the same for every Jamaican, its mine.


There’s nothing like the restaurants of Kingston, and Fiction, The beaches of the island, going into the hills or mountain, The walks through the market or a simple local bar, the garrisons and uptown, customers and the high cost of living. My Jamaica is not a perfect place. Here I saw more deaths than I should have in such a short time with most being very personal. The reason for this is to be poor here is looked upon as being nothing so the poor die without a second thought and this lesson of the garrison I hold near. Yet most who consider themselves not living in the garrison is less than one generation from poverty. An important thing to look at because if the world recession had hit harder many without their jobs would return to the lot. Lesson two of this culture, Guns are as easy to get as bread and butter yet the law abiding citizen can carry a knife. Conflict resolution is nil here so its fight or flight and think fast if your action can not back your mouth.

Waste is the order of the day and its with everything. Waste of ideas, waste of food, waste of water, waste of talent, Waste of money, waste of time and the very expense waste of energy. SUVs and the biggest appliances. Forget solar its all oil yet they complain about the bill. Cant buy food or send kids to school but money for party , weed and hair. Just used the rent money for car gas cause cant be seen taking the bus . So many become beggars with polite words about how the pay check short. Long line to get to the teller wondering what’s happening here don’t mention the ATM. Here few recycle but the scrap thief will destroy new to sell for old and wonder why no water coming to his house. Red tape linger like a mummy on business and government process.

Here in Jamaica, we kill for work yet sit around doing nothing expecting the work so extortion must be the end result. In a worst case the expext politics to come to their gate and give it to them and sad to say some people get work only that way. Government projects are prone for this as the people expect corruption and plan for corruption and to go around the corruption even if there is no corruption. In the belly has taught me much that it’s a hostile environment that contractors operating in and too many factions that think they have a right to work and no skills to complete the task but because of fear the contractors give in. Imagine having to pay the RATS! When they do not work but are a sunk cost in how business is done in the construction industry. Sometimes a gun is a paycheck in our Jamaica so why wonder many youths first ambition is a gun vs education. Most major project will see death and corruption and its not the politician, it’s the people.

They want more than what exist thus creating a system of revolving work which really only revolves poverty and frustration. Can you imagine get a job think 5-6 months finally some work and then after 2 paycheck get laid off to see someone doing the same work with the same people. The money finish and now there is 2 more in the rotation and two on the side who know decide to threaten to eat someone “food “to show power just to get a $1500 a day job. JIC rates are a wonder now. That’s something I learn and will use as a standard guide for all work even on the farm. Can you imagine having border where you can and cannot work in Jamaica. The garrison is strong and alive in ways that many cannot even imagine and in place that seem nice and quite as well

Here weed smoke and oxygen is one in the same as in every 20 feet walk and you smell a next grade. Young men here have a serious hand cupping and rubbing problem that need attention and not jail time. Time to decriminalize weed and set up laws like Dutch! In my Jamaica, young women know sexual exploitation and harassment and sad to say some young men are changing their sexual lifestyle to get a job. Some have to sleep with the interviewer to get to the interview table and still don’t get the job. Here even so call up town girls are as cheap as a bottle of Moet because its all hype to say who they slept with or which club/hotel they just came from. That’s just the life.

Race and class is still an issue. So much bleaching that maybe one day they will need body bubbles to protect them from skin cancer. Speaking properly makes you a weak person so middle and upper class are sometimes bullied or believed to be from another country if they are not black Jamaicans. The poor are blocked from jobs as many are darker. Everyone looking a browning so pose with as a sign of success and this is both males and females. There is the idea that the upper class and middle class did not work for anything and that it was given so nothing wrong is taking from them. For all the changes nothing have really changes from when I was young. I still remember “Black is beauty and red is corruption” but its crazy to see black person lighter than me and sisters.

My Jamaica does not value the environment . Parks are few and respect is nil. Nothing worse that walking along a sidewalk with the high ammonia smell of sun baked piss. Here bags juice bags litter the place as plastic cover everything include a certain beach in Rockfort. A person once laugh Jamaica land of garbage and litter bugs. Sewage is everywhere yet the bills are sky high. But cant blame all on people as are receptacles at times but why put in if the bottom is rotten and not there. Here you can build anywhere even in the water sheds of the mountains. Coal burning is still in full swing as forest run away.

Farmers rush to farm with limited knowledge of new technology and they prove that they can farm. Here the farmer is looked down on even though they smile in your face in the Banks. . Farm labour is at nil but farm product thief is at a all time high. Here Banks give you negative returns on your savings as the interest given is below inflation. But lately their loan packages are not so bad the interest is tolerable and trending down. You better not dear go to a mirco loan company because the hussle the poor with over 120% APR on their loans yet usury laws are in place. Here technology is at a finger tip yet few use it to develop opportunity for economic development.

Our universities are producing mindless graduates who equate education to more money yet they have no experience. They are unwilling to work their way up but expect executive pay. The country educate them it seems to become educated lumpens. They stand for nothing yet expect everything. Some read Garvey, Che, Mao and think that makes them a militant yet none have any new idea to change things as they will not stand out in a crowd. None have the backbone to move against a system.

Investigative Journalism is dead here. The media waits for things to happen then repeats it over and over. Columnist write chatter on things that mean very little most time. Thank God for the Cartoonists in the paper. So much talk and insight into world affairs on America, Libya, Israel and Arab Spring as many rush to show that they have intellect but with only the research of CNN and AL Jazeera and yet very little on Jamaica and its root problems. In America, I clung to the media via the net here I cant tell when I watch the news. The gleaner when I buy it are for the classified ads and postings of opportunity. Everyone is an intellect because of position. All the high office and titles cannot buy intellects!

The middle class wonder how did it come to this. Personally I live in a community control with fear as to who live in the squatter community on the hills. The politician focus on them and they receive the spoils of the tax dollar. Cant blame them either as they come out to the polls while the middle class come out in a high 15% as the hide behind complaining about what is wrong and high walls. Both parties used to depend on the middle class now it has changed. So do not wonder what happened because we caused it by not being a part of the electoral system yet still have to foot the bill.

I do business in a town where more than 60% of the adult are illiterate. I do business in a parish that can not even come together to keep a chamber of commerce going. Customer service in business is hard here as the customers are agressive and do not xpect customer service and the people behind most of the counters do know how to deliver customer services so it always leads to frustration at some point. Mr. Vaswani was right when he told me that that will be my biggest headache after bills. Yet they wonder and complain about no growth when they are not ready for investment but ripe for plundering as outside see that we will buy anything. I get to look and watch the fact that socially Jamaicans treat each other with contempt, disrespect and rarely can work together for long periods. Strong men sit in buses while old women hang on stand with one hand to a bus rail as comfort is more important. Here I have become more aggressive to match the environment yet when confronted and I show that I am far more aggressive that thought, it look at as being wrong. Are we all sheep for the slaughter?

In my 5 year journey I did not drive, I walked and as I walked and reflect about what I saw each day. I started to look objectively at my Jamaica. Here the pretend and façade is high no matter where you go or the social circles as it all HYPE. A car is deem a part of success where it can make or break you or even exclude you out. People build larger and larger house with smaller and smaller families. There is total lack of self esteem that the material determine the person value or intellect. Its not always the case but the social cliques are strong here and the circles very small. In my Jamaica, it not about merit but the same old story different spin.

In my five years, I wanted to understand power and politics in Jamaica. One day I got called in a room to be told that I have year of politics left in me so go to the side lines and I am too aggressive and uncontrollable. In politics your friend is your enemy and your enemy your friend but don’t go across party lines at times. Politicians here die a million deaths it seem. I have gained a deep understand above and beyond the garrison. Its not as easy as most think. Democracy is just that. Politics is about system so you better can fight your own to get in and up the ladder in the party then fight the outside. Politics here is not for the weak or faint of heart. The politician gives up a lot in the pursuit and sometimes get lost in the mass and forget why they entered politics in the first place. Its not weakness but just how the system is. They don’t run the system, the people do and sad to say the people are the ones who support corruption and sometimes use the politician to implement and give it out as that’s how the spoil are had. At the end of the day, morals and ethics come to play and that’s where backbone comes in. Tons to do here in that regard but it’s the people not the office.

I wanted my right to vote in Jamaican when I was in America so I return because the Diaspora can not vote while overseas. I thought it ridiculous and still do but I understand better the issue now and why most should not vote who are citizens of other countries yet we find some in Parliament. I read my Constitution in grade 10 in America. Yes the Jamaica one as that was when I knew even the word and what it was good for. Most Jamaicans do not know their rights from their right hand so the courts are filled. The courts are a story to themselves and is best to avoid if possible. But the green card holder must be allowed to vote as they are still 100%. The issues of living here is far different from being in America or any other place, how can you vote on issue you don’t know anything of expect word of mouth especially after becoming a citizen of another country. Worries are abound since week about the Diaspora conference. My question is who cares. Who knows these people. Who elected them to represent the Diaspora. I certainly did not care when I was in America as my eyes and ears were here because of a simple thing and that was Jamaica is home and America was where I worked. Many times there are nothing new coming from the conference so its like beating an empty box and it made sound because there is noting in it but it does make headlines. What does it really matters as long as it just all talk coming from these people at the conference whose ideas and voices do not impact the ground and no action in a time when real action is needed.

In five years I met many deported and they have excellent ideas. There is nothing stupid about them but they have issues that will cause problems when they return home. Remember Marcus Garvey is a deportee most have forgetten this fact. The deportee return is not smooth to transition into this more aggressive and class driven culture and that is the first problem as the land here with no document or expired documents and no clue where to get them. They return with only the negative and fail to realize that they have an advantage to do good because of their experiences. Nothing dies faster than a deportee who forgets that this is not foreign but Jamaica. It’s cold but the truth.

I have come to a sobering conclusion based upon my experiences both good and bad since I have return. Even though I highlighted the negatives because they are so easy the difficult parts are the how to do more good. I am now a local again but the Diaspora is still in me. It is time for those who shout the loudest to shut up in the Diaspora and put up. Stop the bickering and decide to help with more than just money. Money here in Jamaica is worthless without hands and minds to put it to work. Start integrating Jamaica into your businesses in America so that our young people can get summer employment like the European student do to get exposed to new ideas and experiences. Come home and implement new businesses which are not here to offer services for local and international clients while providing employment . Come home and do some hands on charity or environmental work to change. Come together and build new schools or create scholarships to get the most talent out. Put your force and challenge the government to create new policies so you can invest in nation building such as low interest US based government bonds to do key development project and refinance debt.

I am not offering any solutions as too busy fixing what I have to fix to live here in Jamaica. Too much talk and no action. He who feels it knows it. I have heard so much things of why Jamaica is so bad and I have felt so much that if I was negative I would think cursed place. Jamaica is alright to live, work and raise a family in. Its not perfect and there is tons of work to do. I now find myself balancing farm, business and loans with a growing staff from 2 to 12 in less than 2 years and slated to expand more as casual labour is not included or business expansion. So yes the economy is growing as small business gear up to move. Was it solely government policy? I will tell you all no. It’s consumer confidence. The people must feel good about Jamaica for it to grow! The government can do better, the citizens must do better, the Diaspora must do better. Respect our land and environment, respect our people (out of Many One), respect for self goes along way.

KEEP THE FAITH

Written by Carl Foster

In the current climate of world recessions, high cost of living and job cuts, fuel costs and house prices rising every year, you may feel like throwing in the towel and giving up on the good life. The idea of success seems like a distant dream and a distant memory. The temptation to follow the crowd and do what everyone else is doing may seem a desirable option. All though these may be challenging times, one thing is for sure there are still people winning in this world. The dreamer lives on. There is still room to dream. No matter how bad it gets you can still win. In the 1930's America suffered a great depression of which brought suffering and hardship onto millions of people. People lost their jobs and their lives. They saw no hope and no way out. It was inconceivable to even think of success in those conditions, but sure enough during the great depression there were still people winning, there was still people making money and living the dream. Such people as:

1) Henry Ford (Ford car motor company)

2) Luther Burbank (World famous scientist)

3) John D. Rockefeller (Inventor)

4) Andrew Carnegie (multimillionaire)

5) Napoleon Hill (author writer and philosopher) Napoleon Hill once “said anything the human mind can believe, the human mind can achieve“.

The power of faith. The dream was still alive just a little dusty, but the dream was still here. In life we live by the law of polarity: Polarity is a point of view and your level of awareness.

For example for every up there is a down, for every right there is a left. For every back there's a front. There are some people wining, there are some people lousing. There are some people living, there are some people dying, there are some people working, there are some people out of work. Rich or poor these are the laws of POLARITY. Depending on your mind set if ever positive or negative, this will determine which group you will fall into. POLARITY states that there is always opportunity no matter how bad it gets. It just depends on your level of awareness. If you have a prosperity consciousness you will see opportunity for success in all situations and if you have a poverty consciousness you will see lack of opportunity and limitations. The world will seem like a dark and empty place to you. The dynamics of prosperity are always there, which means the opportunity for happiness and success is all ways there too.

The great 18th century philosopher James Alan once said: Man is made or unmade by himself. As a beings of power and the masters of his thoughts. Man holds the key to every situation and contains within himself the transforming and regeneration agency by which he may make himself that he wills.

As human beings we are natural born survivors and creators. When one resource dries up we find new resources, new solutions and new opportunities. We have a mind that is so powerful it has the answers to all things possible. We need not worry as one thing is for sure, we will succeed and overcome our challenges and obstacles. In fact we will grow stronger than ever. We will think and create new ideas, new jobs, new inventions, new inventions, new technology and new ways of living. When one thing ends another is created that’s polarity. That’s the law. There are always positive conditions and negative conditions side by side. Despite the media and wide spread fear for loss of jobs. There are millions of people right now happy as ever and living out their dreams. They are enjoying their life as they see it.

The rich and famous hold dear to their dreams and never give up despite a forever changing world. In today’s current climate despite recession and job cuts there are many successful people enjoying great wealth and fulfilment such people as:

1) Richard Branson (Multi millionaire)

2) Allan Sugar (Multimillionaire)

3)Oprah Winfrey (Actress, talk show host and multimillionaire)

4) Simon Cowell ( Creator of X factor, reality show and multimillionaire)

5) Katie Price aka Jordan (Model and multimillionaire)

6) Donald Trump (Multimillionaire)

You need never give up on your dreams as you can win too. Your success is important to us all, as your success may be an idea that could change the world for the better. Your success could be the solution: Let’s take a look at the dreams of the past that came true and changed the world and made human life more comfortable for us: A house, the motor car, the phone, the aeroplane, the train, buildings, great cities, Sky scrapers, ships and boats, Radio, television, the phone, the computer, the internet, the mobile phone, all these dreams that came true and many more have changed the world for the better. These creations seemed impossible in the beginning but somebody was persistent and what is sure someone kept the faith. That’s why your success in life is important as your ideas, your goals and dreams may change the world for better too. You see it’s all connected success is important to us all in one way or another. Are you serious about your dreams? How serious are you? Do you want a happy and successful life? Freedom, love life, happiness, great health and wealth. It’s up to you. You hold the key to your new life. Your success is buried deep in your subconscious mind, with all the answers you need to succeed.

Earl Nightingale from Greatest Secret said: All you need is a purpose and FAITH.

Understand you hold the key to your dreams. KEEP THE FAITH. Your success begins now. You can win
Keep the faith written and created by author Carl Foster March 2011

Jamaica in my heart

By George Graham


At this moment, somewhere in the Northern Hemisphere, a Jamaican expatriate is looking out the window at snowflakes drifting from a leaden sky, coating the limbs and trunks of trees, sculpting pristine mini-mountains and creating a postcard-perfect winter scene.

So, you might ask, is the Jamaican expatriate marveling at the beauty of winter?

Not on your life.

The Jamaican expatriate is thinking of sun-drenched beaches and misty-blue mountains, of island music and belly laughter. The Jamaican expatriate is dreaming of home.

That expatriate could be a powerful source of tourism revenue for Jamaica.

I am not talking only about the Jamaicans scattered across the face of the earth. Of course we all want to go home. We go home to visit and, increasingly, we go home to stay. Friends in Jamaica tell me that retiring members of the Jamaican Diaspora are coming home and buying up houses and land at such a rate that real estate prices have escalated.

But there’s more to it than that.

The members of the Diaspora have made friends and business associates in their adopted countries. They have made contacts in various fields. The Diaspora could be a powerful sales force for Jamaican tourism.

There are many organizations that could help marshal the force of the Diaspora. Across the world, groups of Jamaicans have come together to form clubs and associations. The Jamaican American Club (which publishes this newsletter) is a case in point. And in some areas, Jamaican groups are joining with other Caribbean organizations for social and political strength.

I recently met with radio host and actor Ron Bobb-Semple and teacher/actress Evie Larmond to discuss the launching of the Caribbean Coalition of Associations, Inc. in Tampa, Florida. Ron is from Guyana; Evie is from Jamaica. Ron is noted for his portrayal of Marcus Garvey. And you may have seen him in television commercials. He also hosts an Internet radio broadcast.

Evie is founder of Project Read Initiative, which sponsors seminars for Jamaican teachers of Grades One and Two. The four-day seminars held in Jamaica focus on teaching reading and comprehension. So far, 700 Jamaican teachers have attended the seminars.

The Caribbean Coalition’s launching was set for Jan. 12 at the Clarion Hotel on Fowler Avenue in Tampa. It was planned as “an evening of cultural diversity,” including stage presentations by students reflecting the folklore and traditions of the islands.

These are just a few of the organizations that I think the Jamaican government should recruit to help promote tourism.

George Graham is a Jamaican-born journalist and author who has worked as a reporter in the Caribbean and North America for more than half a century. He lives in Lakeland, Florida. His books, "Hill-an'-Gully Rider" and “Girlie: A Love Story,” are available at http://stores.lulu.com/georgeg.

Blog - http://blogs.jamaicans.com/gwgraeme

Web site - http://www.george-graham.i8.com