Post Independence Cross Country Comparisons

[Tuff Gong]

Re: Post Independence Cross Country Comparisons

Originally posted by Fledgist:
[qb] 'Spy' Robinson's first name was Albert.

D.K. Duncan is still pulling teeth in Kingston. I saw him when I was down there this summer. [/qb]

Oh yes....I think my mind is going.

Dr Duncan once filled a few of my teeth, I don't know if he is the best but he was very expensive. Funny I am just now listening to JIS (Jamaica Government Propaganda Information Service) and they are doing a feature on the Dental School one of DR DK's pet project.

Oh Fledge Portia was returned first reclaiming ground from Peter, that means the next PNP President will be a woman the next Prime Minister of Jamaica might be a woman.

[Tropicana]

Re: Post Independence Cross Country Comparisons

There has been some excellent discussion in this thread so far. While the country profiles are not complete (perhaps I should have done that before opening this thread...oh well hindsight is 20-20), I think we now have enough information to enable us to begin comparing the post independence development of the various countries.

Let's discuss and compare Jamaica's experiences with those of other nations.

What challenges have these former British colonies faced?

What strategies have they used to resolve them?

What lessons can we learn from other countries?

What areas have we as Jamaicans mastered well compared to other countries?

Please feel free to add other questions.

I will add one more question.

What are Jamaica's strengths when compared to the other countries we have looked at?

[Tuff Gong]

Re: Post Independence Cross Country Comparisons

Originally posted by Tropicana:

What challenges have these former British colonies faced?

All have different class and ethnic backgrounds to deal with. All except Malaysia and Jamaica have very limited land mass.
In Singapore and Malaysia’s case they had to deal with real wars, Japanese occupation(pre-independence), Race Riots and like Jamaica a Federation gone sour.

What strategies have they used to resolve them?
Singapore used its old strengths, Trade Industrialization by invitation, Social Investments, like housing and education.

Malaysia which is really a what left of the Federation of a number of territories moved from just a producer of Raw Materials to export driven especially in technology.

Barbados with the most limited of potential have invested in the Social Capital (education and Housing), basically continued to be an agricultural country, using its stability to enter into Offshore finance, and of course the staple of the Caribbean Tourism.

Jamaica has a larger landmass than all but Malaysia had many advantage at the start.
1940 Hotel Incentive Act
Industrial Incentive Act
Superior lines of Communication
Natural Harbours near some of the World Biggest Markets
A united People
Natural Beauty on par with any Country in the region of the Americas.

What lessons can we learn from other countries?

That we cannot continue get parties and leadership in power merely to redistribute scarce goods and spoiles to party favorites and transfer wealth from the poor to the rich.

What areas have we as Jamaicans mastered well compared to other countries?

?

I will add one more question.
What are Jamaica's strengths when compared to the other countries we have looked at?

At this point I don't know if we have any strengths left, I don't see any new thinking. I see we have destroyed our public transport sector, in favour of every man in a car. We are stunted IT will intra-Island metered rates. We have a Government which still have a great appetite for capital, the largest tax package in the history of Jamaica was not for development but to correct a problem that the finance minister bragged about causing in the run up to a general elections. We have Monopoly Power Supply Company that cannot keep the power on. We cannot rein the Unions in. We cannot educate our population. Interests rates cannot come down to an affordable level to induce investments. 45 cents in every dollar that is invested in a government project goes to pay corruption. Severe environmental damage. The Cold-War is over.

Crime , Crime, Crime!
And we have population who takes little or no interests in politics.

Strengths....I don't know. Okay I see one we are still in a good geographical area if not a good geo-political Zip Code.

[Fledgist]

Re: Post Independence Cross Country Comparisons

Originally posted by Tuff Gong:
[qb]

Originally posted by Fledgist:
[qb] 'Spy' Robinson's first name was Albert.

D.K. Duncan is still pulling teeth in Kingston. I saw him when I was down there this summer. [/qb]

Oh yes....I think my mind is going.

Dr Duncan once filled a few of my teeth, I don't know if he is the best but he was very expensive. Funny I am just now listening to JIS (Jamaica Government Propaganda Information Service) and they are doing a feature on the Dental School one of DR DK's pet project.

Oh Fledge Portia was returned first reclaiming ground from Peter, that means the next PNP President will be a woman the next Prime Minister of Jamaica might be a woman. [/qb]

Just wait till PJ steps down, and the core of the PNP shows Portia what they think of her!

[Tuff Gong]

Re: Post Independence Cross Country Comparisons

Originally posted by TG:
Oh Fledge Portia was returned first reclaiming ground from Peter, that means the next PNP President will be a woman the next Prime Minister of Jamaica might be a woman.

[qb]Originally posted by Fledgist:
Just wait till PJ steps down, and the core of the PNP shows Portia what they think of her! [/qb]

I am sure you have heard about the new region 7 involving Paul Burke, I wonder who they will back. They came out strongly against what they called the West Kingston effect, yet it is been built around your friend Omar, Paul Burke, Ronnie Twit, men who cannot say they have not delve into the Garrison type Politricks.

Heard about PJoke's new gaff?
What for it I will post it when it comes out in print.

Not to get too far off topic.
I am sorry Ms Tropicana for using Malaysia instead of Ceylon. I just remember it was the DR that mentioned Malaysia and not you.

Really if you want short quick background facts the CIA World Fact Book is invaluable:
CIA WFB

You cannot study Singapore without studying
Lee Kuan Yew
Here is a quick LKY Primer

The face of Jamaica Business today:

Grinding to a halt

Carib Cement files for protection

Life after sugar

Gov't paying over $95m yearly in consultancy fees

A litany of waste

Getting ahead in Jamaica

[Tropicana]

Re: Post Independence Cross Country Comparisons

You cannot study Singapore without studying
Lee Kuan Yew

Agreed 100%.

Thank you for the links. I will check them out.

[britisha]

Re: Post Independence Cross Country Comparisons

I throw this question out to my fellow boardites. Given the escalation of violence in Jamaica, should the Jamaican Government take drastic action similar to what Manley did in 1974?

Trop, when I just joined the board I started a thread "Where are the guns coming from?" It ran for three long pages. I learnt a lot from that thread including the fact which was almost borne out on a documentary on PBS that some governmenmt officials were ALLEGEDLY involved in the illegal importation of guns into the island. I have it on tape somewhere. So we can only thank the who di cap fit wearers for this as well...Jack Mandoorah!!

The point being, as I said before IF they wish to rid the country of violent crimes or at least make an attempt, it can be done, and in fact it must be done. It is not as simple as it seemed for for the little that I know about the Gun Court it was undemocratic bordering on illegal.

We had even suggested an Amnesty where criminals could turn in their guns for a price, as they did here in the States, no questions asked. Actually there is such a program now in Ja as well as one that ppl can call in and squeal on the gun owners...who will? However man agguh tel yuh seh, dem need dem gun fi dem own protection. The island should be made safe a place where one does not feel threatened that he or she has to arm himself so as to avoid becoming a victim. Oh Tropicana, it is a serious complex problems and I don't know where to start. That thread is looong gone. I printed it but didn't save it...but from time to time then we had some posters here who came up with some excellent suggestions....mi deyah a wanda a why dem gaawn.

Government has to be serious about crime and mean it...serious about finding these criminals who btw sometimes rent guns from other criminals to [go out] and commit crimes. I had even pushed for the victims' families sueing the gunmakers who knowingly sell guns to would-be criminals when it is obvious that they are not being bought for protection. How can one person buy 4 and five guns all at one time? The idea didn't catch on. I am here wondering if it is too late to close the gate afta di haaawse gaawn chroo.

Holla back.

[Tropicana]

Re: Post Independence Cross Country Comparisons

Yes the gun court did result in an encroachment of civil liberties.

Re: getting rid of the guns, measures like the house to house search in certain areas that was attempted last year but a TOTAL fiasco along with an amnesty could work. Obviously, corruption runs high. Someone tipped off the gun men about what was coming.

Anyway, I promised that I would find info, about the incident that took place while I was in Malaysia 3 years ago. I am printing it to show that, while we have our challenges in Jamaica, other countries are also facing theirs. We don't have AL Quaeda cells, highly militant groups or terroist attacks ....yet. I know this will be of little consolation given the current state of affairs with respect to the high murder rate.

Three sentenced to death in Malaysia


Electronic Telegraph (28.12.2001)/ HRWF International Secretariat (29.12.2001) - Website: http://www.hrwf.net - Email: [email protected] - T


The Malaysian High Court has sentenced three members of a Muslim cult to death for planning a "holy war" to topple Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.


Sixteen other members of the Al'Maunah group also found guilty of treason were given life sentences for their attempt to set up an Islamic state in Malaysia.


Announcing his decision Judge Zulkefli Ahmad Makinudin said his judgement was made in the national interest.


"In passing this sentence I have taken into consideration both the public interest and the interests of the accused and have decided that public interest exceeds that of the accused. I found all of the accused to be involved in realising the mission of the Al'Maunah to topple the current government by force in the name of jihad," he said.


The martial arts cult taught members they were invulnerable to bullets. In July 2000, some cult members disguised themselves as soldiers and stole more than 100 weapons from two military armouries.

((Remember, this is what I saw on TV at the airport. They showed the soldiers after this had taken place. My comment was "They don't look very happy" My business colleague proceeded to explain what had taken place as the broadcast had been in Malay.


They then retreated to a jungle hideout where they broadcast calls over army radio for Mahathir to quit. The group surrendered after four days during which they murdered a policeman and a soldier they had held hostage.


Judge Zulkefli imposed the death sentence on the leader of the cult, Mohamed Amin Mohamed Razali, along with two of his followers, Zahit Muslim and Jamaludin Darus.


The formal charge against the group was of "waging war" against the king, but the court was told during the months of evidence that the group planned a "holy war" to oust Mahathir and set up an Islamic state.

Malaysian Muslim sect rebels face gallows or life


by Simon Cameron-Moore



Reuters (27.12.2001)/ HRWF International Secretariat (29.12.2001) - Website: http://www.hrwf.net - Email: [email protected] - A fate of hanging or life imprisonment on Friday awaited 19 members of a Muslim sect convicted of armed rebellion for their role in a hare-brained scheme to create an Islamic state in multi-cultural Malaysia.


The men, all members of the Al-Ma'unah movement which grew out of martial arts cult, filed into the High Court in Kuala Lumpur, a day after being found guilty, for the judge to hear the last of the mitigation pleas before passing sentence.


Al-Ma'unah's 30-year-old leader Mohamed Amin Razali, a former army private, and 28 followers surrendered in July last year after a stand-off in the jungle of northern Malaysia, during which a soldier, a policeman and a sect member were killed.


The gang was tracked down after driving off with arms and ammunition from two army camps, where they had by-passed guards by posing as officers.


During the 125-day trial only one defense witness was called, but several of the accused turned on their leader, Amin, blaming him for tricking or coercing them into following his orders to wage a jihad, or holy war.


Amin was removed from court several times during the trial because of his disruptive behavior -- at one point he threw his shoe -- but has seldom spoken even to his defense counsel. Entering the court on Friday, Amin, arrived in the lead Landrover of a police convoy, and was brought in alone, flanked by policemen toting submachine guns.


Some of the other convicted men smiled and waved to relatives waiting in the rain outside the courthouse as they were brought handcuffed to the court.


Half of them have already made their pleas, apologizing to the king -- Malaysia's constitutional head -- and country and begging for mercy.


Almost a year ago 10 members of the cult were sentenced to 10 years in jail after charges against them were lowered to a lesser count of preparing to wage war.

Google cached story

[Tuff Gong]

Re: Post Independence Cross Country Comparisons

As long as the PNP is in power there will never be a Referendum or a State of Emergency. The previous ones have left a bad taste in the party mouth and they will not put their fingers in the fire unless they have to.

Anyway about the roots of poltical crime in Jamaica this might help:

Crisis in Crime
Coming home to roost
published: Sunday | August 24, 2003


Earl Bartley, Contributor

THESE DAYS as the Jamaican middle and upper classes go through their frequent paroxysms about crime I am reminded of Malcolm X remark about "chickens coming home to roost" referring to President John Kennedy's assassination who had been plotting to assassinate President Fidel Castro. In my lifetime I have being in a good position on three occasions to view the spawning and development of crime. And I believe these observations may be helpful in understanding the nature of the crime monster and how we may evaluate the adequacy of measures being tried to curb it.

THE EGG IN THE WOMB

From 1958 to 1968 I lived in Rose Town, in "Kingston 12", that Bob Marley made famous in his song Trench Town Rock. If Trench Town gave Jamaicans reggae music it is also one of the original spawning grounds for crime. From the early 1960s one could see the buds emerging. Then, whilst at least one parent had a job (usually the men), the great majority of young people who had "out" school had few training or employment opportunities. Job possibilities for young women were to get a job in a store downtown which only a few obtained, or to work as a domestic helper in Upper St. Andrew which nearly all spurned. Available training opportunities was to learn dressmaking or hairdressing.

For young men opportunities were equally sparse. There was the possibility of becoming a 'gardener-boy', or a messenger, or to become an apprentice in the motor mechanics or construction trades. Only a few of the young people got jobs in factories which were far from ubiquitous despite 10 years of Industrialisation by Invitation. What was noticeable however, is that though opportunities were scarce those young people who followed their parents urgings "to put on your clothes on a Monday morning and go walk and inquire in stores and factories" did eventually find something to do.

Most of the other young people spent their days in idleness. The girls sat around in their backyards and talked about the latest dance they had gone to or were planning to attend and got into all kinds of 'su-su' and 'carry-go-bring-come'. The young men for their part, spent the whole day and at least half the night 'clowning' on the street corners and engaging in penny-penny gambling.

Despite the idleness and manifest laziness of many of these youths their parents often indulged their indolence providing them with accommodation and food well into their late twenties instead of insisting that they go and learn a trade or get a job.

THE EMERGENCE OF RUDE BOY

Round about 1964 rock-steady supplanted American rhythm and blues as Jamaica's leading popular music only to be rapidly eclipsed in an even shorter time by the more scrappy and assertive reggae rhythm, which launched the 'rude boy' phenomenon. Reggae music and rude-boy was to Jamaican social progression what the Roaring Twenties and the Jazz Age was to American social evolution. It marked the emergence of youth culture as the dominant influence in society. But whereas jazz was a sophisticated music developed by aspirants for inclusion in society, reggae was developed by unschooled youths not particularly sure of their identity, their purpose, or place in society. In the first assertion of their social selves these youths celebrated their invincibility, toughness, and fearlessness with Desmond Dekker 1965 song, Rudie Don't Fear being the anthem of the age.

Reggae was the first thug music long before hip-hop became popular. It had its own style of dress thigh foot pants and Clark's shoes, and it's own dance called "skanking" a bumptious assertive strutting and posturing which was truculent in the extreme. Despite the many other styles that have being associated with reggae over the years roots and lovers rock in particular the thug influence has remained the most resilient and enduring feature.

The 'Rude Boy' phenomenon blurred the difference between good and bad and made the youths vulnerable to negative influences and sly manipulation. The years 1966 and 1967 were watershed years in Western Kingston and Jamaican politics. Signalling their entry as a dominant force in Jamaican society, young men associated with the rival candidacies of Edward Seaga and Dudley Thompson shot it out for the power and the glory of their candidates in what was then the most violent election contest in Jamaica's history.

The involvement of the youths in politics in this life destroying way was a cynical manipulation of their idle and misguided energies. But the level of public outrage was remarkable for its insignificance. Though a State of Emergency was instituted in the area for six months, there was no Commission of Enquiry to try to unearth the source and suppliers of the guns. Though Martin Luther King was intoning "that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere", people in Havendale, and Mona, and Montego Bay to Morant Bay, seemed not to have cared. The main concern was to cauterise the area with the dismissive hope that the fools 'down there' would cease from killing each other.

Still, up until 1974 the entire area now referred to as the "Ghetto" was one seamless whole. Almost anybody could walk from Tivoli through Rose Town to Maxfield Avenue, or from Arnett Gardens to Bumper Hall. Then one day in the summer of 1974 thugs associated with the self -styled 'Trench Town Rock' former Housing Minister Tony Spaulding descended on Rose Town and proceeded to systematically drive out the people and burn down their houses. The apparent purpose to create a no-man's land or buffer zone between Arnett and Tivoli Gardens.

After the razing of Rose Town and the fixing of the political boundaries, things definitely changed for the worst. People could no longer move from one community to another. Guns and armaments built-up in these areas to fight the political wars soon found an outlet in criminal enterprise. The dons, generally the most ruthless and domineering thugs, emerged as community leaders supplanting all previous civic leaders. Then, having established a structure of fear and intimidation, the don imposed taxes on all who passed through or conducted business in these areas claiming to protect them from random attack by his minions. Thus the eggs laid in indolence and idleness in the early 1960s, hatched and nurtured in the heat of political war and social indifference, have now become full-blown chickens roosting where they will and demanding all the corn.

CRIME AND POLITICS

Further cementing my childhood observations, in the early 1980s I worked as economic adviser in one of our major political parties and observed close-up the functional integration between politics and crime in Jamaica. I noticed how easily the 'fryers' gunmen inter-related with the rest of the administrative staff. At times, aggrieved over the slow pace of disbursement of some benefit or other they would complain loudly, "I fired my gun for the party, and I will turn and fire my gun at the party." The dons for their part, would have their quiet audience with elements of the Party's leadership as scheduled. In our frequent after work drinking sessions, one was often regaled with tales of past political wars. One of my more indelible memories is the admission of a former party official that during the near civil war of 1980 he personally handed out 300 M16 rifles in a two-month period.

CRIME IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR

Then towards the end of the 1990s, I worked within the Public Sector and witnessed brazen corruption and the craven forces of greed, sycophancy and careerism which facilitated it. Generally, whatever the Minister wanted the Minister got even if it meant turning long-standing regulations and procedures upside down. Moreover, public funds were often spent not to optimise public benefit, but to maximise private gain to the politician, or bureaucrat, or to support the political patronage system. On several occasions contracts would be awarded to renovate a facility, the money would be spent, and like the Goodyear factory renovation, the purpose would be scrapped soon after.

What was most appalling was that the great majority of public sector bureaucrats, at least in the agency where I worked, though recognising the waste and possible misappropriation of public funds, failed to resist these schemes as required by their professional and public duty. Instead, they often did their utmost to advance them in order to advance their careers. Today I hear many of these same people complaining about crime.

REMEDIES

As the experiences I have described illustrate, crime is interwoven in the fabric of Jamaican society and infects most of our major institutions. What is more, crime is today a $20 billion industry with the main revenue sources being the extortion racket, drug-dealing, and public sector fraud. Measures such as plea bargaining and electronic eavesdropping, greater use of undercover operatives, publication of the photos of suspects, and improved mobility of the police could help in the fight against crime. Domestic murders might also be reduced if Jamaicans resurrected two of our more common words of former years 'hush and never-mind' instead of always dealing with each other with this aggressive give-no-quarter attitude we have developed over the past fifteen years.

More than anything, Jamaicans are going to need to toughen their national will and relinquish their 'see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil' attitude towards crime. The problem is, I cannot see the leadership for this effort coming from our present crop of political leaders, many of whom have been sullied by their association with violence and corruption. Nor does the record of the Commissioner of Police or the Director of Public Prosecution engender confidence in their leadership in the fight against crime. Maybe, not until we get a new attitude, a new generation of leadership, and a new constitution will we be able to defeat the scourge of crime. Let us hope that John Maynard Keynes and the criminals are wrong, and in the longer term we won't all be dead.

Earl M. Bartley is a businessman and economist. You can email him at [email protected]

Article Source

Here is are snippets of a few articles I found on my Hard Drive:

Death of a don
Death of a don - Sunday May 20, 2001.htm
Claude Mills, Staff Reporter

Delroy Chuck loser of the week - Sunday December 2, 2001.htm
Ian Boyne, Contributor

Crime, politics
Saturday, November 17, 2001

Dilemma of the dons
Thursday | December 6, 2001


Jamaica's murder toll has reached 1,000 this year. Who is to blame: gangs or police?
Containment gives way to brutal crackdown on Kingston criminals

Jamaica becoming a lawless country - Sunday February 10, 2002.htm
Anthony Woodburn, Contributor

ASHAMEDLY, Jamaica is one of the most violent countries in the world. This is corroborated by the statistical department of the Jamaica Constabulary Force.


Oliver Burkeman in Kingston
Saturday December 14, 2002
The Guardian

Inner-city poverty, squalor stun police, soldiers
Cops show concern for conditions in inner cities
KARYL WALKER, Observer staff reporter
Wednesday, December 04, 2002



Darkness in the ghettos

KEN CHAPLIN
Tuesday, December 10, 2002


Drug money and politics
published: Tuesday | February 11, 2003


Crime crippling investment - JEF
published: Tuesday | March 11, 2003

By Balford Henry, News Editor


Crime hampering IT market in Kingston
published: Wednesday | March 26, 2003

By Denise Clarke, Staff Reporter
WESTERN BUREAU:

Extortionists targeting Portmore householders
published: Thursday | June 12, 2003

By Glenroy Sinclair, Staff Reporter

Crisis in Crime
Coming home to roost
published: Sunday | August 24, 2003

Earl Bartley, Contributor

Keeping the poor unarmed
published: Tuesday | September 2, 2003
THE EDITOR, Sir:


Cops cramped
Hefty bills force police high command to place restrictions on station phones
Observer Reporter
Wednesday, September 17, 2003

[Tropicana]

Re: Post Independence Cross Country Comparisons

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Tuff Gong:


Anyway about the roots of poltical crime in Jamaica this might help:

Crisis in Crime
Coming home to roost
published: Sunday | August 24, 2003


Earl Bartley, Contributor

Then, whilst at least one parent had a job (usually the men), the great majority of young people who had "out" school had few training or employment opportunities. Job possibilities for young women were to get a job in a store downtown which only a few obtained, or to work as a domestic helper in Upper St. Andrew which nearly all spurned. Available training opportunities was to learn dressmaking or hairdressing.

For young men opportunities were equally sparse. There was the possibility of becoming a 'gardener-boy', or a messenger, or to become an apprentice in the motor mechanics or construction trades. Only a few of the young people got jobs in factories which were far from ubiquitous despite 10 years of Industrialisation by Invitation.


What was noticeable however, is that though opportunities were scarce those young people who followed their parents urgings "to put on your clothes on a Monday morning and go walk and inquire in stores and factories" did eventually find something to do.

((This is significant.))

Despite the idleness and manifest laziness of many of these youths their parents often indulged their indolence providing them with accommodation and food well into their late twenties instead of insisting that they go and learn a trade or get a job.

((So is this. My question is WHY??))

THE EMERGENCE OF RUDE BOY

The 'Rude Boy' phenomenon blurred the difference between good and bad and made the youths vulnerable to negative influences and sly manipulation. The years 1966 and 1967 were watershed years in Western Kingston and Jamaican politics. Signalling their entry as a dominant force in Jamaican society, young men associated with the rival candidacies of Edward Seaga and Dudley Thompson shot it out for the power and the glory of their candidates in what was then the most violent election contest in Jamaica's history. But the level of public outrage was remarkable for its insignificance. Though a State of Emergency was instituted in the area for six months, there was no Commission of Enquiry to try to unearth the source and suppliers of the guns. Though Martin Luther King was intoning "that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere", people in Havendale, and Mona, and Montego Bay to Morant Bay, seemed not to have cared. The main concern was to cauterise the area with the dismissive hope that the fools 'down there' would cease from killing each other.

((This I didn't know.))

Still, up until 1974 the entire area now referred to as the "Ghetto" was one seamless whole. Almost anybody could walk from Tivoli through Rose Town to Maxfield Avenue, or from Arnett Gardens to Bumper Hall. Then one day in the summer of 1974 thugs associated with the self -styled 'Trench Town Rock' former Housing Minister Tony Spaulding descended on Rose Town and proceeded to systematically drive out the people and burn down their houses. The apparent purpose to create a no-man's land or buffer zone between Arnett and Tivoli Gardens.

Okay, did this happen more than once? The reason I asked is that something similar happened in 1976. I remember eye witnesses calling into a talk show about it. Apparently the furniture and everything was just thrown out the door. Now if I recall correctly, the excuse that was given was that these housing units had been "captured" and these were enforced evictions. People were outraged and Portia Simpson's name came up somewhere in all of this. My memory fades after this.

One more thing. I seem to recall hearing that some of the guns that were turning up on the streets of Kingston at the time had been the SAME guns used by the Americans in the Vietnam war. I don't recall where I heard that but that comment has stood out in my mind all these years.

After the razing of Rose Town and the fixing of the political boundaries, things definitely changed for the worst. People could no longer move from one community to another. Guns and armaments built-up in these areas to fight the political wars soon found an outlet in criminal enterprise. The dons, generally the most ruthless and domineering thugs, emerged as community leaders supplanting all previous civic leaders. Then, having established a structure of fear and intimidation, the don imposed taxes on all who passed through or conducted business in these areas claiming to protect them from random attack by his minions. Thus the eggs laid in indolence and idleness in the early 1960s, hatched and nurtured in the heat of political war and social indifference, have now become full-blown chickens roosting where they will and demanding all the corn.

CRIME AND POLITICS

Further cementing my childhood observations, in the early 1980s I worked as economic adviser in one of our major political parties and observed close-up the functional integration between politics and crime in Jamaica. I noticed how easily the 'fryers' gunmen inter-related with the rest of the administrative staff. At times, aggrieved over the slow pace of disbursement of some benefit or other they would complain loudly, "I fired my gun for the party, and I will turn and fire my gun at the party." The dons for their part, would have their quiet audience with elements of the Party's leadership as scheduled. In our frequent after work drinking sessions, one was often regaled with tales of past political wars. One of my more indelible memories is the admission of a former party official that during the near civil war of 1980 he personally handed out 300 M16 rifles in a two-month period.

CRIME IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR

Then towards the end of the 1990s, I worked within the Public Sector and witnessed brazen corruption and the craven forces of greed, sycophancy and careerism which facilitated it. Generally, whatever the Minister wanted the Minister got even if it meant turning long-standing regulations and procedures upside down. Moreover, public funds were often spent not to optimise public benefit, but to maximise private gain to the politician, or bureaucrat, or to support the political patronage system. On several occasions contracts would be awarded to renovate a facility, the money would be spent, and like the Goodyear factory renovation, the purpose would be scrapped soon after.

What was most appalling was that the great majority of public sector bureaucrats, at least in the agency where I worked, though recognising the waste and possible misappropriation of public funds, failed to resist these schemes as required by their professional and public duty. Instead, they often did their utmost to advance them in order to advance their careers. Today I hear many of these same people complaining about crime.

REMEDIES

[b] ] More than anything, Jamaicans are going to need to toughen their national will and relinquish their 'see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil' attitude towards crime. The problem is, I cannot see the leadership for this effort coming from our present crop of political leaders, many of whom have been sullied by their association with violence and corruption. Nor does the record of the Commissioner of Police or the Director of Public Prosecution engender confidence in their leadership in the fight against crime. Maybe, not until we get a new attitude, a new generation of leadership, and a new constitution will we be able to defeat the scourge of crime. Let us hope that John Maynard Keynes and the criminals are wrong, and in the longer term we won't all be dead.[/B

Thanks.

Article Source

Excellent article Tuff Gong and VERY informative. Thank you for sharing the other titles. I guess we can find these in archives.

A very, very sad state of affairs. No quick fixes either.

[Tuff Gong]

Re: Post Independence Cross Country Comparisons

There have been similar happenings in 1974, 1976, and quite recently after the 2002 elections in Boardvilla.
I have detailed my experience on this board and other boeards, I went to STATHS and lived near HWT I walked to School, so I had to walk all the way down Maxfield cut though Tewari Drive (I think which was the bottom of Rose Town), of course on morning I saw a man getting shot opening his store. After they blockaded it wasn't safe to walk anymore, I had to catch the bus or go further East to Lincoln then walk through all PNP Area and come out carefully at Rema and head West Over Bumper Hall to STATHS, until I was shipped out to KTHS.
So whatever he is saying I accept because that is what we know for those of us lucky enough to live to tell about it.

Political Crime and Political Corruption cost a lot, the men and women who have ran this system for so long have remained in power, if they maintain their course and there is no new thinking how is Jamaica going to be any better off?

[Tropicana]

Re: Post Independence Cross Country Comparisons

Tuff Gong:

Is your story in the archives? If so, can you please share the link. Forgive my ignorance but I don't know what STRATHS is. Since I didn't go to school in Jamaica I don't know all of the schools. Are you talking about St. Andrew Technical High School? Is it a similar programme to Dinthill?

[Tuff Gong]

Re: Post Independence Cross Country Comparisons

Originally posted by Tropicana:
[qb] Tuff Gong:

Is your story in the archives? If so, can you please share the link. Forgive my ignorance but I don't know what STRATHS is. Since I didn't go to school in Jamaica I don't know all of the schools. Are you talking about St. Andrew Technical High School? Is it a similar programme to Dinthill? [/qb]

You are correct!
No my posts usually don't get archived, but that is not important, most Jamaicans want to believe what they believe about Jamaica anyway, so when the fire come or fail to go out I will be comfortable with the fact that, I knew and spoke the truth and that I was privileged to be around others who spoke and sought the truth.

[Fledgist]

Re: Post Independence Cross Country Comparisons

Originally posted by Tuff Gong:
[qb]

Originally posted by TG:
Oh Fledge Portia was returned first reclaiming ground from Peter, that means the next PNP President will be a woman the next Prime Minister of Jamaica might be a woman.

[qb]Originally posted by Fledgist:
Just wait till PJ steps down, and the core of the PNP shows Portia what they think of her! [/qb]

I am sure you have heard about the new region 7 involving Paul Burke, I wonder who they will back. They came out strongly against what they called the West Kingston effect, yet it is been built around your friend Omar, Paul Burke, Ronnie Twit, men who cannot say they have not delve into the Garrison type Politricks.

{Fledgist: I have a lot of respect for Paul. His mother -- for whom I have even more respect -- brought him up right. OTOH, Paul is as involved as anyone else in politics as usual.}

Heard about PJoke's new gaff?
What for it I will post it when it comes out in print.

[/qb]

He confused Stalin and Mussolini again?

[Tropicana]

Re: Post Independence Cross Country Comparisons

most Jamaicans want to believe what they believe about Jamaica anyway, so when the fire come or fail to go out I will be comfortable with the fact that, I knew and spoke the truth and that I was privileged to be around others who spoke and sought the truth.

As a nation that produced Garvey, Nanny, Gordon, and Bogle, we have always been a people of action facing issues head on. Denial and sticking our heads in the sand has never been part of our national character. I think that too many of us have spent too long "a foreign" and we are starting to copy the thinking and behavioural patterns of the majority of people in the countries in which we live. It's a shame.

Guess this thread has a new home. Oh well.