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Stark Contrasts
JAMES MOSS-SOLOMON
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Let me begin by congratulating all those who have been mentioned in the National Honours List - my best wishes!
This week's article deals with my perspectives formed while visiting Canada recently, and my observations on returning home. When we landed safely in Toronto, there was little or no commotion on landing, but when we touched down smoothly at Norman Manley International Airport on Independence Day, there was widespread applause. I don't know whether this was in appreciation of the dexterity of the pilot or a genuine outburst of patriotic exuberance on returning to our native land. In Canada, we had "saddled up ourselves to face interrogation" as Richie Spice suggested, and certainly there was a fair share of that. In contrast, we were back home in Jamaica, safe and sound with no place they could deport us to.
In Toronto, I attended the St George's College alumni ball at the well-appointed Pearson Convention Centre. Here, we had a function with approximately 850 to 900 persons, all decked out and ready to dance. All these persons, our fellow Jamaicans, lined up in an orderly manner to purchase drinks and to be served, and there was little or no delay. I think it is fair to say that a great Jamaican "bruckings" was had by all, nobody carried a gun, and we did not have to pass through any metal detectors. There was no bad word cussing, drunkenness, herb smoking or daggering, and I was happy to meet several friends who had migrated in the seventies and eighties.
In contrast, when flying into Jamaica on Independence night, I noticed all the lights in the stadium were shining brightly, and somehow knew that some great extravaganza extolling the virtues of 47 years of independence was taking place. I was a bit sad that due to the time of my arrival, I was unable to attend this gala, but noticed the thousands of young persons walking home from the gala as I would have done in the sixties. As I looked out the windows of my JUTA taxi, I couldn't help thinking that cultural events such as this are really important for maintaining our Jamaican identity, and all the young people seemed so happy.
I woke up the following day to news that a free event where tickets had been pre-issued had resulted in a generally chaotic situation involving pushing and shoving for entrance. This just spoilt my positive image of the previous night. It sadly reminded me of the joke about a free religious crusade at which all the gates were open. It is rumoured that half the patrons climbed over the wall.
In Canada, road work was in full flight. Repairs to bridges, highway access ramps, and multiple signs proclaiming times of limited use, or detour routes, showed a clear employment focus, and an urgent preparation for a winter which will begin in another five months. Here, work seems incomplete on the Palisadoes strip and the protective barrier, although we are already in the hurricane season. We do have productive jobs for unemployed persons if only we could grasp our realities.
Spectators at this year's Grand Gala held in celebration of Jamaica's 47th year of Independence. (Observer file photo)
Then came the news of the abduction and rape of the young 13-year-old girl who was attending a church camp. That really set me thinking about many of the reasons behind my contrasting experiences, and our unwillingness to understand how cynical we have become.
My many Jamaican friends in Canada must have seen this coming from the 1970s and had taken the decision to lead a less exciting and perhaps lower remunerative existence by migrating. The mass exodus of Jamaicans over the decades has been a stark realisation that money may not be the only determinant of quality of life. Certainly we Jamaicans have had to conform to the accepted rules, regulations, and norms of the society to which we have migrated even when these are contrary to our own social norms.
Simply by observation, I now realise that that transition was not as difficult then as it seems now. Jamaica 35 years ago was a place where most laws were being obeyed, a policeman was your friend, many did not have to lock their doors at night, and your children could take public transportation to and from school safely. Thus for those in Canada, they have not really had to make a radical transition from what they were accustomed to. Rather, it is we here in Jamaica who have deteriorated to our present circumstances.
I do not believe that our Jamaicans overseas have lost their identity, but perhaps that identity is no longer recognisable by those of us living at home. It is therefore easy for us to misunderstand the role of our Diaspora, and to glibly demand that they send home more and more money to support our self-destructive ways.
This week we were again appealing to those same persons to invest in projects in Jamaica. At this time we are all learning a lesson on the dangers of only investing in paper, so I presume that what we are asking for is real investment which will translate into competitive production. Do we seriously think that these Jamaicans, who grew up when downtown Kingston and rural Jamaica were decent places to live, will find the current divided and run-down environment conducive to investment? I, for one, certainly have little hope for this.
So what of the Diaspora? I firmly believe that a more beneficial use could be had by asking Jamaicans overseas to form the necessary business units which can effectively access the distributive trade in their new home markets. I wish that they could take Jamaican trade in the First World and increase it exponentially, while at the same time mounting an effective lobby for favourable trade arrangements. I wish that they could use their expertise in these First World markets to protect the numerous copyright and geographical rights violations which seem to plague us internationally. With all our local blundering, it still seems that Jamaica enjoys a strong brand name and maintains considerable influence with those other nationalities who wish to be associated with our name and lifestyle, both good and bad.
I often ask myself, why do North Americans, Europeans, Africans and Easterners thrive on trying to speak Jamaican, dance Jamaican, deejay Jamaican, locks Jamaican, and yes, even smoke that "ting" Jamaican? For such a small country this is certainly a real contrast to the world influence of countries with larger populations than ours. Yes, they want to be like us, however many of us want to be like them. We find it hard to believe that even "living la vida loca" has its own rules which do not include violence, murder and rape.
Our concept seems to be on Facebook (really "Fass" book), expressing real foolishness designed to prove to the world that we are petty and live vicariously. I mean, who really needs to know that you are in the bathroom "relieving" yourself at the moment?! Or better still, allow your every movement to be logged as you twitter? We live large in cyberspace while not working productively, or not paying taxes, or taking our commercial garbage home to avoid paying for its disposal. The lifestyles of the rich and brainless indeed!
If we want to "walk like a champion" then we have to behave like a champion. Being friendly to tourists is only sustainable if we are friendly to one another. We will be unable to maintain a division of safety for tourists, separate from us locals, if we continue to treat each other with scant respect.
We subscribe to the words "Out of Many One People" as a national motto. This should signal that as Jamaicans we should not hold the colour of our skin, or outward appearance as a method of disqualification for Jamaican citizenship. We have no recognisable tribal roots similar to those which exist in the African, Asian and Middle Eastern cultures which constitute the Jamaica of today.
So in contrast to places like Somalia, we have no obvious reason to practise genocide. Perhaps what goes on here cannot fit the traditional definition ascribed to genocide, and therefore the only other alternative could be that we ourselves are becoming "weapons of self-destruction". To the artist's eyes, contrast can either embellish beauty or on the other side of the coin, amplify ugliness.
So my experience on that brief trip has led me to the conclusion that we have transformed ourselves in a very negative way from the 1962 idealism of "Jamaica Land We Love" to be succeeded by words expressed by former trade unionist and writer Winston Wallace for Eric Donaldson's song This is the land of my birth. The contrast should be obvious. We just live here by accident.
JAMES MOSS-SOLOMON
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Let me begin by congratulating all those who have been mentioned in the National Honours List - my best wishes!
This week's article deals with my perspectives formed while visiting Canada recently, and my observations on returning home. When we landed safely in Toronto, there was little or no commotion on landing, but when we touched down smoothly at Norman Manley International Airport on Independence Day, there was widespread applause. I don't know whether this was in appreciation of the dexterity of the pilot or a genuine outburst of patriotic exuberance on returning to our native land. In Canada, we had "saddled up ourselves to face interrogation" as Richie Spice suggested, and certainly there was a fair share of that. In contrast, we were back home in Jamaica, safe and sound with no place they could deport us to.
In Toronto, I attended the St George's College alumni ball at the well-appointed Pearson Convention Centre. Here, we had a function with approximately 850 to 900 persons, all decked out and ready to dance. All these persons, our fellow Jamaicans, lined up in an orderly manner to purchase drinks and to be served, and there was little or no delay. I think it is fair to say that a great Jamaican "bruckings" was had by all, nobody carried a gun, and we did not have to pass through any metal detectors. There was no bad word cussing, drunkenness, herb smoking or daggering, and I was happy to meet several friends who had migrated in the seventies and eighties.
In contrast, when flying into Jamaica on Independence night, I noticed all the lights in the stadium were shining brightly, and somehow knew that some great extravaganza extolling the virtues of 47 years of independence was taking place. I was a bit sad that due to the time of my arrival, I was unable to attend this gala, but noticed the thousands of young persons walking home from the gala as I would have done in the sixties. As I looked out the windows of my JUTA taxi, I couldn't help thinking that cultural events such as this are really important for maintaining our Jamaican identity, and all the young people seemed so happy.
I woke up the following day to news that a free event where tickets had been pre-issued had resulted in a generally chaotic situation involving pushing and shoving for entrance. This just spoilt my positive image of the previous night. It sadly reminded me of the joke about a free religious crusade at which all the gates were open. It is rumoured that half the patrons climbed over the wall.
In Canada, road work was in full flight. Repairs to bridges, highway access ramps, and multiple signs proclaiming times of limited use, or detour routes, showed a clear employment focus, and an urgent preparation for a winter which will begin in another five months. Here, work seems incomplete on the Palisadoes strip and the protective barrier, although we are already in the hurricane season. We do have productive jobs for unemployed persons if only we could grasp our realities.
Spectators at this year's Grand Gala held in celebration of Jamaica's 47th year of Independence. (Observer file photo)
Then came the news of the abduction and rape of the young 13-year-old girl who was attending a church camp. That really set me thinking about many of the reasons behind my contrasting experiences, and our unwillingness to understand how cynical we have become.
My many Jamaican friends in Canada must have seen this coming from the 1970s and had taken the decision to lead a less exciting and perhaps lower remunerative existence by migrating. The mass exodus of Jamaicans over the decades has been a stark realisation that money may not be the only determinant of quality of life. Certainly we Jamaicans have had to conform to the accepted rules, regulations, and norms of the society to which we have migrated even when these are contrary to our own social norms.
Simply by observation, I now realise that that transition was not as difficult then as it seems now. Jamaica 35 years ago was a place where most laws were being obeyed, a policeman was your friend, many did not have to lock their doors at night, and your children could take public transportation to and from school safely. Thus for those in Canada, they have not really had to make a radical transition from what they were accustomed to. Rather, it is we here in Jamaica who have deteriorated to our present circumstances.
I do not believe that our Jamaicans overseas have lost their identity, but perhaps that identity is no longer recognisable by those of us living at home. It is therefore easy for us to misunderstand the role of our Diaspora, and to glibly demand that they send home more and more money to support our self-destructive ways.
This week we were again appealing to those same persons to invest in projects in Jamaica. At this time we are all learning a lesson on the dangers of only investing in paper, so I presume that what we are asking for is real investment which will translate into competitive production. Do we seriously think that these Jamaicans, who grew up when downtown Kingston and rural Jamaica were decent places to live, will find the current divided and run-down environment conducive to investment? I, for one, certainly have little hope for this.
So what of the Diaspora? I firmly believe that a more beneficial use could be had by asking Jamaicans overseas to form the necessary business units which can effectively access the distributive trade in their new home markets. I wish that they could take Jamaican trade in the First World and increase it exponentially, while at the same time mounting an effective lobby for favourable trade arrangements. I wish that they could use their expertise in these First World markets to protect the numerous copyright and geographical rights violations which seem to plague us internationally. With all our local blundering, it still seems that Jamaica enjoys a strong brand name and maintains considerable influence with those other nationalities who wish to be associated with our name and lifestyle, both good and bad.
I often ask myself, why do North Americans, Europeans, Africans and Easterners thrive on trying to speak Jamaican, dance Jamaican, deejay Jamaican, locks Jamaican, and yes, even smoke that "ting" Jamaican? For such a small country this is certainly a real contrast to the world influence of countries with larger populations than ours. Yes, they want to be like us, however many of us want to be like them. We find it hard to believe that even "living la vida loca" has its own rules which do not include violence, murder and rape.
Our concept seems to be on Facebook (really "Fass" book), expressing real foolishness designed to prove to the world that we are petty and live vicariously. I mean, who really needs to know that you are in the bathroom "relieving" yourself at the moment?! Or better still, allow your every movement to be logged as you twitter? We live large in cyberspace while not working productively, or not paying taxes, or taking our commercial garbage home to avoid paying for its disposal. The lifestyles of the rich and brainless indeed!
If we want to "walk like a champion" then we have to behave like a champion. Being friendly to tourists is only sustainable if we are friendly to one another. We will be unable to maintain a division of safety for tourists, separate from us locals, if we continue to treat each other with scant respect.
We subscribe to the words "Out of Many One People" as a national motto. This should signal that as Jamaicans we should not hold the colour of our skin, or outward appearance as a method of disqualification for Jamaican citizenship. We have no recognisable tribal roots similar to those which exist in the African, Asian and Middle Eastern cultures which constitute the Jamaica of today.
So in contrast to places like Somalia, we have no obvious reason to practise genocide. Perhaps what goes on here cannot fit the traditional definition ascribed to genocide, and therefore the only other alternative could be that we ourselves are becoming "weapons of self-destruction". To the artist's eyes, contrast can either embellish beauty or on the other side of the coin, amplify ugliness.
So my experience on that brief trip has led me to the conclusion that we have transformed ourselves in a very negative way from the 1962 idealism of "Jamaica Land We Love" to be succeeded by words expressed by former trade unionist and writer Winston Wallace for Eric Donaldson's song This is the land of my birth. The contrast should be obvious. We just live here by accident.
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