Can We End Poverty in Jamaica?
Basil Waine Kong
I was amused to learn recently that the winners of the US$250,000,000 Powerball lottery were three millionaires (asset managers) in Connecticut. It started me thinking about how and why the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. I am also thinking of the gentleman who prayed fervently but futilely every day for God to bless him so he could win the lottery. Finally God had to speak directly to the gentleman: “If I am going to help you win the lottery you should at least buy a ticket. I can only help those who help themselves.”
A year ago, a country gentleman told me that his father advised him that going to school was a waste of time and that as long as he could dig a yam hill he would be fine. So, for fifty years, he has been cutting cane and planting his ground on an acre of land he rents---never expecting to own his own land. Not even in his dreams could he see himself owning adequate tools of his trade, a house, a tractor or even a bicycle. I now learn that illiterate persons will no longer be allowed to participate in the Government's overseas farm work program. According to Minister of Labour, Derrick Kellier, persons applying to pick fruit and plant beans in Canada must know how to read, write and do arithmetic. What is the future of the twenty percent of Jamaican citizens who cannot read or write? Do we just blame the victim and move on?
My fervent prayer is for the poor to get richer. But my wise friend and golfing buddy insist the rich have all the luck. I tell him that that the harder I practice and work at my game, the luckier I get. While it is a common occurrence for rich children to turn out to be worthless bums and a few children from poor families become accomplished heroes and stars. In the absence of people with extraordinary talent and discipline, as a rule it doesn’t happen often. Babies of the rich are fed delicious and nutritious meals with silver spoons, exposed to the movers and shakers of society as they grow up, go to the best schools, have access to effective healthcare, get tutors to help them learn how to handle their knife and folk, play a musical instrument and to excel in sports, travel, learn to speak eloquently, dress to impress, have their choice of employment from their extensive network of family connections and then they win the lottery. On the other hand, the poor child face daily struggles to get a plate of food each day in single parent households, crime, may or may not go to school, survive by catering to the rich, sleep on the hand ground with a rock stone for their pillow, hustle to make a living and die ten years before his rich counterpart only because he was born at the wrong address.
Will the poor always be with us? Several countries including several the size of Jamaica (Singapore, Botswana, Bermuda, Kuwait, and Oman) have now wiped out poverty. That’s right---no poor people. Everyone has a floor they can comfortably live with. What do these countries have in common?
Two Harvard professors (Acemoglu and Robinson) did an analysis of two cities and wrote:
“In Nogales, a city cut in half by the Mexican-American border fence. There is no difference in geography between the two halves of Nogales. The weather is the same. The winds are the same, as are the soils. The types of diseases prevalent in the area given its geography and climate are the same, as is the ethnic, cultural, and linguistic background of the residents. By logic, both sides of the city should be identical economically.
And yet they are far from the same.
On one side of the border fence, in Santa Cruz County, Arizona, the median household income is $30,000. A few feet away, it's $10,000. On one side, most of the teenagers are in public high school, and the majority of the adults are high school graduates. On the other side, few of the residents have gone to high school, let alone college. Those in Arizona enjoy relatively good health and Medicare for those over sixty-five, not to mention an efficient road network, electricity, telephone service, and a dependable sewage and public-health system. None of those things are a given across the border. There, the roads are bad, the infant-mortality rate high, electricity and phone service expensive and spotty.”
The key difference is that those on the north side of the border enjoy law and order and dependable government services — they can go about their daily activities and jobs without fear for their life or safety or property rights. On the other side, the inhabitants have institutions that perpetuate crime, graft, and insecurity.”
Jamaica has fourth-highest poverty rate at 43.1 per cent compared with our 23 regional neighbours and according to the IMF over one million Jamaicans live on less than US$2.50 per day. Is it possible for our politicians to accept the fact that what we have been doing is not working and our government and bureaucracy is causing poverty? Can we join together and establish a national mandate to reverse it?
Showing posts with label crime. Show all posts
Showing posts with label crime. Show all posts
Monday, January 2, 2012
Sunday, June 20, 2010
My Speech to the Kingston College Old Boys (KCOB) (Annual Banquet in Atlanta)
Is Jamaica a Failed State?
Basil Waine Kong
Good night KC Old Boys and Guests! Thank you for your kind invitation. I am honoured to be here tonight to speak about a topic that is near and dear to my heart.
I am particularly grateful to Glen Laman for that wonderful introduction. He is, without a doubt, one of Jamaica’s’ finest who goes way beyond the call of duty to promote the interest of the KCOBs, Jamaica and the entire Diaspora. The first time I saw him, I told my wife: “That guy over there looks as if he could be my brother” I had to go over and introduce myself. We have been friends ever since. But Glen is everybody’s friend. Ladies and Gentlemen, let's show our appreciation for your friend and mine, Mr. Glen Laman.
Yesterday, I read the following in the KCOB Newsletter about one of your famous alumni,Principal of the Norman Manley School of Law and Rhodes Scholar, Mr. Stephen Vasciannie: “But unlike most of us who studied abroad, Vasciannie eschewed the lure of financial security and comfort of America and returned to his native land.” When he was asked why he choose to return to Jamaica?, he said: “I responded to the pull of my roots. Partly because it's home: I needed to find out whether it was true that you can never return home. But, perhaps more importantly, I had never seen myself as a migrant while I was away; I had always wanted to live in Jamaica and to make my contribution here. So I returned home when I believed the time was opportune.”
After I read the article, I was inspired to write the following poem in an attempt to capture the lament of the Diaspora.
“Kotching in Atlanta”
I didn’t come to American to stay
I only came to learn and earn a little money
To go back home to build a house, buy a car and maybe a bar
But I now have seven grand pickney here
Who don’t know the joys and have no interest in the place I call home
I yearn for the Rock but the rock won’t have me
While I am kotching in Atlanta, my heart is in Jamaica
I don’t want to stay but I cannot go
See me daya between the sheets of the bed I made
With no idea where the grass is greener
I try to duplicate Jamaica in Atlanta but the patties are not Tastee or Juici
I play dominoes, drink rum punch and Red Stripe Beer
I can eat escovitch fish, curry goat and rice but it’s not Coosho’s
I can get fried fish, bammy and festival but it’s not at Hellshire Beach
I scream for run raisin ice-cream but it’s not Devon House
I watch the cricket match but it’s not at Sabina Park
I read the Atlanta Journal Constitution but it is not the Gleaner
I enjoy all the comforts of home but it no home
I miss Mass Birtie, Mother Blake, Uncle Benji, Brother Boogs and Aunt Poochos
Greeting me with “mawnin” and “God bless you” when I share what I have with them
Sorrel and fruitcake in December only make me long for Father Christmas
I don't want a "Merry Christmas" I want a "Happy Christmas"
I can watch 200 stations on my TV but find nothing to watch
Instead of pumpkin beef soup on Saturday I now eat hamburgers and beans
Mi Belly full but mi hungry
My favorite Jamaican joke was originally told by Tony Winkler and goes like this: “Tony said he was sitting on a plane headed for Los Angeles and while his seatmate admitted to being born in Jamaica, he wanted nothing to do with the country of his birth. Tony’s seatmate took great pains to point out that he not only separated from Jamaica, he got a divorce. “The people are arrogant and illiterate, drive recklessly, the place is dirty and riddled with crime”, He was going on and on about the backwardness of the country when the plane took a sudden dip to which he loudly exclaimed: “RASS!” The moral to the story is “once a Jamaican, always a Jamaican.
My second favorite story is about four Kingston Ginalds playing dominoes and contemplating what will help Jamaica to become a first world country. They had seen the Peter Sellers movie, the “Mouse that Roared” and all were in agreement that the way forward was to declare war on the United States. Their thinking was that “after the US mash us up, they would do what they always do, help the vanquished to prosperity like they did for Germany and Japan”. One of the men, however, was greatly concerned and when asked what was wrong with the plan, he finally kissed his teeth and said: “Me no know yu know, suppose we win?” And why not, suppose there was a track meet between the United States and Jamaica, who do you think would prevail?
Let me get immediately to the question that was posed to me: “Is Jamaica a Failed State?’ I am sure if this question was asked of all of you, a third would say yes, a third would say no and a third would say maybe. Some would assert that it’s a failed JLP government but not a failed state. What we can all agree on is that TG is now a failed state.
With a full recognition of our problems, I definitely and without doubt claim that not only is Jamaica NOT a failed state but a really great country where you can find happiness and prosperity. I just wish more people were more like Stephen Vasciannie who are willing to set down roots and contribute to the development of our country.
I get very upset when people learn that I retired and returned to Jamaica and they respond: “fe wa? Everyone is trying to get the hell out of here and you are coming back?” If we stop focusing so much on our shortcomings and trying to be anywhere other than Jamaica, more of us may discover that Jamaica is a highly organized society with wonderful traditions and culture. I have been back for two and a half years and I have never had a problem or a confrontation with anyone.
According to Professor William Zartman, a failed state:“Is paralyzed and inoperative, laws are not made, order is not preserved and societal cohesion is not enhanced…As a territory, it is no longer assured security by a central GOVERNMENT, As the authoritative political institution, it has lost its legitimacy.”
We are not that. We are a working democracy and will continue to enjoy the rights of citizenship. On an everyday basis, the country works and everyone can go about our business with the greatest of ease. There is not a better vacation destination in the world. Montego Bay has four world class golf courses within three miles.
When I am foreign and read about all the bad things happening in Jamaica, like you, I am scared to death and wonder why I am living there. When I am there, I go about my business without a care in the world. So, please bear that in mind as you lament our condition. When you read the Newspapers, they are reporting on about 1% of what goes on.
Admittedly, I enjoy several advantages, not the least of which I can purchase a ticket and visit practically any country of the world while the average Jamaica must wait for up to two years for a visa. My good health and income affords me to frequently stay in our fantastic hotels, play our fabulous golf courses, eat incredible meals at our five star restaurants with wonderful friends and wake up each morning with joy in my heart---it is an incredible life.
But as I position myself to get the best view of each lovely sunrise with a hunk of corn pone (You don’t know about corn pone? Hell a top, hell a bottom, Hallelujah in the middle) and a cup of Blue Mountain coffee in hand and each sunset with a Red Stripe, I am constantly wondering whether the future of this romantic place we call Jamaica is represented by the coming up or going down of the sun. Is this the real deal or a fool's paradise?
While we continue to squander many opportunities and have badly mismanaged our resources, I believe we are represented by a rising sun. While it is not shining very bright at the moment, I believe in my heart that it will be morning again in Jamaica. Challenges come to make us, not break us. Our abundant variety of flowers, vegetables and fruit trees leads me to believe that God has blessed us in a very special way. Our wealth includes rich and abundant soil, lots of rivers and fresh water, talented and hard working people, a pleasant climate, sunshine and rain embraced by the Caribbean sea.
Most of all, we have “brand Jamaica”---we set the pace. In addition to our sprinters, our hairstyles, music and entertainers, we have the best coffee in the world, the best beaches, the best rum, the best beer, the best sugar, the best aluminum, the best herb and spices, the best honey (logwood) and yes, the best ganja. We are a land of unlimited possibilities.
Japan has no natural resources except the drive and talent of their people and they are the second largest economy in the world. Singapore obtained independence the same time as Jamaica and they are a booming economy. Chile went from a poor third world economy to first world in ten years. Their secret formula? Chile decided to fight crime and educate their people. Their citizens took over from there.
My optimism notwithstanding, over the past two and a half years I have been despairing about our increasing problems:
Our imports are up and our exports are down.
More and more of our annual budget is committed to servicing our formidable national debt
Deaths from automobile accidents are outrageous. Every day, someone dies from an automobile accident.
Our children have half day school with half of them not able to pass their GSAT and suffer from lack of parental guidance as most of their mothers are in other countries taking care of other people’s Pinckney.
What were we thinking when we established half day school for our children? What are they supposed to do from 1:00 pm until they go to bed? Couldn’t we have anticipated that young people would get involved with gangs, drugs, sex and dancehall music? Japanese children go to school 8 hours per day, six days per week.
On the one hand, there is no better high school education than KC, and the other traditional high schools. At the same time, A third of our citizens cannot read. I was very sad when a gentleman told me that his father told him that if he could dig a yam hill, that was enough.
Until recently, Garrison Dons and Gunmen who were out of control. New York City, Ladies and gentlemen with a population of eight million had 400 homicides last year and Jamaica with less than three million had more than sixteen hundred. It is even more troubling that we had less than 50 convictions for murder.
But God is just. He will not sleep forever. Criminals may seem invincible, but in the end, goodness always triumphs and evil fails. History teaches us that time is on the side of law abiding citizens who just need to recognize that we are blessed with brilliant opportunities disguised as insoluble problems.
Then came our moment of truth. After much consternation, a few weeks ago, our PM decided that we had enough. Dudus and the criminals are finally on the run.
Just before the incursion into TG, I read a quote in the Gleaner from a resident of TG who said, "Dudus is next to God. Jesus died for our sins and we are willing to die for Dudus." She demanded that the authorities leave him alone.
It reminded me that for a thousand years, the Japanese people believed that their emperor was God. After the Allies occupied Japan and the Emperor was made to declare on the radio that he was not God and was just an ordinary man with no Godlike powers, thousands of Japanese citizens, the true believers, committed suicide, not being able to accept that the god that they worshipped and prayed to was just another human being, nothing more or less.
I also thought of Plato's Allegory of the Cave. Imagine, writes Plato, a tribe of people who spend their entire lives in a cave. Their only exposure to the outside world was the shadows that were projected on the sides of the cave through the cracks on the opposite walls. During an earthquake or some other earthy disturbance, a member of the tribe escaped and was confused and dazzled by the fantasy to which he was exposed. As he was marveling at the sights and sounds, him buck him toe on a rockstone and it hurt. He walked into a tree that he thought was just a fantasy and hit him head. He fell into a river and almost drowned and gradually came to realize that he had things backwards. This was the reality and he and his people were living a lie and only shadows of the truth.
Having found truth, he immediately went back to his people and with great excitement, courage and conviction proceeded to enlighten and plead with them to accept his truth and they all said: G’wey fool. You know not of what you speak. Everyone knows that the shadows are the true reality. They even killed him for his blasphemy.
I grew up in Woodlands, St. Elizabeth, with the certain knowledge that:
1. The Bible was written by God and every word must be taken literally;
2. If you were caught in the rain you would catch cold;
3. Night air was dangerous so children had to be called in when it got dark;
4. Crop failure, hurricanes, earthquakes, sickness and death were acts of a vengeful God;
5. Anything foreign was better than anything produced in Jamaica;
6. If it is written it is true. Arguments would immediately cease once someone produced a “writing”, particularly a Gleaner article. "Why would they write it if it wasn't true?"
As I discovered that science nicely explained away many of our traditional beliefs, on one of my trips back to Jamaica armed with a substantial education, I liberally shared the knowledge I had acquired in an effort to correct these myths. My grandmother just smiled. She said I was still too young to know anything while the rest of my people more aggressively ran me: G’wey!
Some of the residents of Tivoli Gardens know no other reality but the see no evil approach to life. Dudus, the President, the Godfather, dispenser of the proceeds of crime, merely ask that the recipients of his largess reciprocate with loyalty and obedience. "He was a hero who kept order and more importantly protected us from abusive police. He could stand up to anybody."
How does a criminal strongman capture a community? Well, he provides quick fixes to people's problems. What could be wrong with that? Yet as time progresses, the easy way becomes easier and easier until it seems you have no other choice, until you want no other choice. It is at that moment, when you have an established need of such a person, that the price is exacted. While for those of us who can support themselves, the greatest treasure is freedom; for those who are starving and desperate, freedom may not be much of a price to pay for their daily bread and daily fix for school fees, uniforms, lunch money, court costs, food, etc.
Mr. Coke used the proceeds of his various enterprises to prey on poor Jamaicans looking for quick fixes because the government failed to provide the framework of education and economic resources to help them out of their dependent relationships.
Unfortunately, a vacuum of power will result with the removal of Dudus. So, what is to become of the many citizens of TG who have grown used to dependency and are now destitute?
I cry for my beloved country because some of our people are so badly neglected and mis-educated that they are willing to drink the “kool-aid” of fast money and quick fixes that the criminal element offers. My plea is: please don’t drink the kool-aid! The most predictable road to independence, long term happiness and prosperity is integrity, scholarship and hard work.
Let us stop this conspiracy of silence and form a coalition of the law abiding so we can persistently fight crime and promote prosperity in Jamaica. Each of us has a choice to make. Every member of our society has the power to act in the interest of good. When someone is not afraid to die, they immediately become powerful. Each of us must commit to a future when evil will not feel at home in our country. One man or woman with a cause, courage and God becomes a majority.
If there is no struggle, there is no progress. You cannot have crops without ploughing up the ground and you cannot bake a cake without breaking some eggs. We should never surrender to the menace of evil in our society. Let’s have no truce with criminals. They are the people who are invested in preserving poverty and promoting the rule of the jungle rather than the rule of law.
If they continue to do their worse, let’s double our efforts to do our best. There is nothing wrong with Jamaica that what is right with Jamaica cannot fix. Let us be excellent to each other. More than cleverness, we need kindness and courage.
I hope my talk tonight will spur you to action. If not you, who?. What we are famous for doing is understand and participate meaningfully in all the other countries of the world. Wherever I go, I find Jamaicans doing incredible things for their adopted countries. What we do worse is understand and invest in our own country. Every little bit you do will help little bit.
Our only hope is for the rich and poor to come together for the good of the country. My fear is that it will be too late when the rich finally reach out to the poor, they may find that the poor has turned to hate. I hope we aspire to a better Jamaica and not bitter Jamaicans.
Thank you for your kind attention and may God continue to bless you all!
(June 19, 2010)
Basil Waine Kong
Good night KC Old Boys and Guests! Thank you for your kind invitation. I am honoured to be here tonight to speak about a topic that is near and dear to my heart.
I am particularly grateful to Glen Laman for that wonderful introduction. He is, without a doubt, one of Jamaica’s’ finest who goes way beyond the call of duty to promote the interest of the KCOBs, Jamaica and the entire Diaspora. The first time I saw him, I told my wife: “That guy over there looks as if he could be my brother” I had to go over and introduce myself. We have been friends ever since. But Glen is everybody’s friend. Ladies and Gentlemen, let's show our appreciation for your friend and mine, Mr. Glen Laman.
Yesterday, I read the following in the KCOB Newsletter about one of your famous alumni,Principal of the Norman Manley School of Law and Rhodes Scholar, Mr. Stephen Vasciannie: “But unlike most of us who studied abroad, Vasciannie eschewed the lure of financial security and comfort of America and returned to his native land.” When he was asked why he choose to return to Jamaica?, he said: “I responded to the pull of my roots. Partly because it's home: I needed to find out whether it was true that you can never return home. But, perhaps more importantly, I had never seen myself as a migrant while I was away; I had always wanted to live in Jamaica and to make my contribution here. So I returned home when I believed the time was opportune.”
After I read the article, I was inspired to write the following poem in an attempt to capture the lament of the Diaspora.
“Kotching in Atlanta”
I didn’t come to American to stay
I only came to learn and earn a little money
To go back home to build a house, buy a car and maybe a bar
But I now have seven grand pickney here
Who don’t know the joys and have no interest in the place I call home
I yearn for the Rock but the rock won’t have me
While I am kotching in Atlanta, my heart is in Jamaica
I don’t want to stay but I cannot go
See me daya between the sheets of the bed I made
With no idea where the grass is greener
I try to duplicate Jamaica in Atlanta but the patties are not Tastee or Juici
I play dominoes, drink rum punch and Red Stripe Beer
I can eat escovitch fish, curry goat and rice but it’s not Coosho’s
I can get fried fish, bammy and festival but it’s not at Hellshire Beach
I scream for run raisin ice-cream but it’s not Devon House
I watch the cricket match but it’s not at Sabina Park
I read the Atlanta Journal Constitution but it is not the Gleaner
I enjoy all the comforts of home but it no home
I miss Mass Birtie, Mother Blake, Uncle Benji, Brother Boogs and Aunt Poochos
Greeting me with “mawnin” and “God bless you” when I share what I have with them
Sorrel and fruitcake in December only make me long for Father Christmas
I don't want a "Merry Christmas" I want a "Happy Christmas"
I can watch 200 stations on my TV but find nothing to watch
Instead of pumpkin beef soup on Saturday I now eat hamburgers and beans
Mi Belly full but mi hungry
My favorite Jamaican joke was originally told by Tony Winkler and goes like this: “Tony said he was sitting on a plane headed for Los Angeles and while his seatmate admitted to being born in Jamaica, he wanted nothing to do with the country of his birth. Tony’s seatmate took great pains to point out that he not only separated from Jamaica, he got a divorce. “The people are arrogant and illiterate, drive recklessly, the place is dirty and riddled with crime”, He was going on and on about the backwardness of the country when the plane took a sudden dip to which he loudly exclaimed: “RASS!” The moral to the story is “once a Jamaican, always a Jamaican.
My second favorite story is about four Kingston Ginalds playing dominoes and contemplating what will help Jamaica to become a first world country. They had seen the Peter Sellers movie, the “Mouse that Roared” and all were in agreement that the way forward was to declare war on the United States. Their thinking was that “after the US mash us up, they would do what they always do, help the vanquished to prosperity like they did for Germany and Japan”. One of the men, however, was greatly concerned and when asked what was wrong with the plan, he finally kissed his teeth and said: “Me no know yu know, suppose we win?” And why not, suppose there was a track meet between the United States and Jamaica, who do you think would prevail?
Let me get immediately to the question that was posed to me: “Is Jamaica a Failed State?’ I am sure if this question was asked of all of you, a third would say yes, a third would say no and a third would say maybe. Some would assert that it’s a failed JLP government but not a failed state. What we can all agree on is that TG is now a failed state.
With a full recognition of our problems, I definitely and without doubt claim that not only is Jamaica NOT a failed state but a really great country where you can find happiness and prosperity. I just wish more people were more like Stephen Vasciannie who are willing to set down roots and contribute to the development of our country.
I get very upset when people learn that I retired and returned to Jamaica and they respond: “fe wa? Everyone is trying to get the hell out of here and you are coming back?” If we stop focusing so much on our shortcomings and trying to be anywhere other than Jamaica, more of us may discover that Jamaica is a highly organized society with wonderful traditions and culture. I have been back for two and a half years and I have never had a problem or a confrontation with anyone.
According to Professor William Zartman, a failed state:“Is paralyzed and inoperative, laws are not made, order is not preserved and societal cohesion is not enhanced…As a territory, it is no longer assured security by a central GOVERNMENT, As the authoritative political institution, it has lost its legitimacy.”
We are not that. We are a working democracy and will continue to enjoy the rights of citizenship. On an everyday basis, the country works and everyone can go about our business with the greatest of ease. There is not a better vacation destination in the world. Montego Bay has four world class golf courses within three miles.
When I am foreign and read about all the bad things happening in Jamaica, like you, I am scared to death and wonder why I am living there. When I am there, I go about my business without a care in the world. So, please bear that in mind as you lament our condition. When you read the Newspapers, they are reporting on about 1% of what goes on.
Admittedly, I enjoy several advantages, not the least of which I can purchase a ticket and visit practically any country of the world while the average Jamaica must wait for up to two years for a visa. My good health and income affords me to frequently stay in our fantastic hotels, play our fabulous golf courses, eat incredible meals at our five star restaurants with wonderful friends and wake up each morning with joy in my heart---it is an incredible life.
But as I position myself to get the best view of each lovely sunrise with a hunk of corn pone (You don’t know about corn pone? Hell a top, hell a bottom, Hallelujah in the middle) and a cup of Blue Mountain coffee in hand and each sunset with a Red Stripe, I am constantly wondering whether the future of this romantic place we call Jamaica is represented by the coming up or going down of the sun. Is this the real deal or a fool's paradise?
While we continue to squander many opportunities and have badly mismanaged our resources, I believe we are represented by a rising sun. While it is not shining very bright at the moment, I believe in my heart that it will be morning again in Jamaica. Challenges come to make us, not break us. Our abundant variety of flowers, vegetables and fruit trees leads me to believe that God has blessed us in a very special way. Our wealth includes rich and abundant soil, lots of rivers and fresh water, talented and hard working people, a pleasant climate, sunshine and rain embraced by the Caribbean sea.
Most of all, we have “brand Jamaica”---we set the pace. In addition to our sprinters, our hairstyles, music and entertainers, we have the best coffee in the world, the best beaches, the best rum, the best beer, the best sugar, the best aluminum, the best herb and spices, the best honey (logwood) and yes, the best ganja. We are a land of unlimited possibilities.
Japan has no natural resources except the drive and talent of their people and they are the second largest economy in the world. Singapore obtained independence the same time as Jamaica and they are a booming economy. Chile went from a poor third world economy to first world in ten years. Their secret formula? Chile decided to fight crime and educate their people. Their citizens took over from there.
My optimism notwithstanding, over the past two and a half years I have been despairing about our increasing problems:
Our imports are up and our exports are down.
More and more of our annual budget is committed to servicing our formidable national debt
Deaths from automobile accidents are outrageous. Every day, someone dies from an automobile accident.
Our children have half day school with half of them not able to pass their GSAT and suffer from lack of parental guidance as most of their mothers are in other countries taking care of other people’s Pinckney.
What were we thinking when we established half day school for our children? What are they supposed to do from 1:00 pm until they go to bed? Couldn’t we have anticipated that young people would get involved with gangs, drugs, sex and dancehall music? Japanese children go to school 8 hours per day, six days per week.
On the one hand, there is no better high school education than KC, and the other traditional high schools. At the same time, A third of our citizens cannot read. I was very sad when a gentleman told me that his father told him that if he could dig a yam hill, that was enough.
Until recently, Garrison Dons and Gunmen who were out of control. New York City, Ladies and gentlemen with a population of eight million had 400 homicides last year and Jamaica with less than three million had more than sixteen hundred. It is even more troubling that we had less than 50 convictions for murder.
But God is just. He will not sleep forever. Criminals may seem invincible, but in the end, goodness always triumphs and evil fails. History teaches us that time is on the side of law abiding citizens who just need to recognize that we are blessed with brilliant opportunities disguised as insoluble problems.
Then came our moment of truth. After much consternation, a few weeks ago, our PM decided that we had enough. Dudus and the criminals are finally on the run.
Just before the incursion into TG, I read a quote in the Gleaner from a resident of TG who said, "Dudus is next to God. Jesus died for our sins and we are willing to die for Dudus." She demanded that the authorities leave him alone.
It reminded me that for a thousand years, the Japanese people believed that their emperor was God. After the Allies occupied Japan and the Emperor was made to declare on the radio that he was not God and was just an ordinary man with no Godlike powers, thousands of Japanese citizens, the true believers, committed suicide, not being able to accept that the god that they worshipped and prayed to was just another human being, nothing more or less.
I also thought of Plato's Allegory of the Cave. Imagine, writes Plato, a tribe of people who spend their entire lives in a cave. Their only exposure to the outside world was the shadows that were projected on the sides of the cave through the cracks on the opposite walls. During an earthquake or some other earthy disturbance, a member of the tribe escaped and was confused and dazzled by the fantasy to which he was exposed. As he was marveling at the sights and sounds, him buck him toe on a rockstone and it hurt. He walked into a tree that he thought was just a fantasy and hit him head. He fell into a river and almost drowned and gradually came to realize that he had things backwards. This was the reality and he and his people were living a lie and only shadows of the truth.
Having found truth, he immediately went back to his people and with great excitement, courage and conviction proceeded to enlighten and plead with them to accept his truth and they all said: G’wey fool. You know not of what you speak. Everyone knows that the shadows are the true reality. They even killed him for his blasphemy.
I grew up in Woodlands, St. Elizabeth, with the certain knowledge that:
1. The Bible was written by God and every word must be taken literally;
2. If you were caught in the rain you would catch cold;
3. Night air was dangerous so children had to be called in when it got dark;
4. Crop failure, hurricanes, earthquakes, sickness and death were acts of a vengeful God;
5. Anything foreign was better than anything produced in Jamaica;
6. If it is written it is true. Arguments would immediately cease once someone produced a “writing”, particularly a Gleaner article. "Why would they write it if it wasn't true?"
As I discovered that science nicely explained away many of our traditional beliefs, on one of my trips back to Jamaica armed with a substantial education, I liberally shared the knowledge I had acquired in an effort to correct these myths. My grandmother just smiled. She said I was still too young to know anything while the rest of my people more aggressively ran me: G’wey!
Some of the residents of Tivoli Gardens know no other reality but the see no evil approach to life. Dudus, the President, the Godfather, dispenser of the proceeds of crime, merely ask that the recipients of his largess reciprocate with loyalty and obedience. "He was a hero who kept order and more importantly protected us from abusive police. He could stand up to anybody."
How does a criminal strongman capture a community? Well, he provides quick fixes to people's problems. What could be wrong with that? Yet as time progresses, the easy way becomes easier and easier until it seems you have no other choice, until you want no other choice. It is at that moment, when you have an established need of such a person, that the price is exacted. While for those of us who can support themselves, the greatest treasure is freedom; for those who are starving and desperate, freedom may not be much of a price to pay for their daily bread and daily fix for school fees, uniforms, lunch money, court costs, food, etc.
Mr. Coke used the proceeds of his various enterprises to prey on poor Jamaicans looking for quick fixes because the government failed to provide the framework of education and economic resources to help them out of their dependent relationships.
Unfortunately, a vacuum of power will result with the removal of Dudus. So, what is to become of the many citizens of TG who have grown used to dependency and are now destitute?
I cry for my beloved country because some of our people are so badly neglected and mis-educated that they are willing to drink the “kool-aid” of fast money and quick fixes that the criminal element offers. My plea is: please don’t drink the kool-aid! The most predictable road to independence, long term happiness and prosperity is integrity, scholarship and hard work.
Let us stop this conspiracy of silence and form a coalition of the law abiding so we can persistently fight crime and promote prosperity in Jamaica. Each of us has a choice to make. Every member of our society has the power to act in the interest of good. When someone is not afraid to die, they immediately become powerful. Each of us must commit to a future when evil will not feel at home in our country. One man or woman with a cause, courage and God becomes a majority.
If there is no struggle, there is no progress. You cannot have crops without ploughing up the ground and you cannot bake a cake without breaking some eggs. We should never surrender to the menace of evil in our society. Let’s have no truce with criminals. They are the people who are invested in preserving poverty and promoting the rule of the jungle rather than the rule of law.
If they continue to do their worse, let’s double our efforts to do our best. There is nothing wrong with Jamaica that what is right with Jamaica cannot fix. Let us be excellent to each other. More than cleverness, we need kindness and courage.
I hope my talk tonight will spur you to action. If not you, who?. What we are famous for doing is understand and participate meaningfully in all the other countries of the world. Wherever I go, I find Jamaicans doing incredible things for their adopted countries. What we do worse is understand and invest in our own country. Every little bit you do will help little bit.
Our only hope is for the rich and poor to come together for the good of the country. My fear is that it will be too late when the rich finally reach out to the poor, they may find that the poor has turned to hate. I hope we aspire to a better Jamaica and not bitter Jamaicans.
Thank you for your kind attention and may God continue to bless you all!
(June 19, 2010)
Saturday, March 20, 2010
How Did Jamaica become so Lawless and Violent?
Is our Romantic Island Dead and Gone?
My Appeal to the Gunmen of Jamaica.
Basil Waine Kong
Somewhere people feel safe, go out to restaurants and clubs at night with no concern about their safety, but not here in Jamaica. We are afraid. We now live in continual fear of kidnapping and violence. We are forced to bear the unbearable. No issue is more compelling here than the wanton murders committed five times each day---every day. There can be little hope for our country and little joy if these killings continue. In some communities, only the dead smile, glad to be at rest. A business woman is shot in her yard, the son of our Caddie Master is shot four times while he is sitting on his veranda with his family. A police officer is run over while trying to stop a vehicle. Criminals repeatedly breaking into schools to steal computers. What a guaan? Our government seems to have no clue. We are overwhelmed and paralyzed with fear. Perpetrators literally get away with murder in Jamaica as less than a third of homicides are solved. While there were over 1600 murders there where less than 100 convictions for homicides in 2009.
In 2009, New York City (12 million people) had less than 500 homicides compared to Jamaica (2.5 million) with more than 1,600 murders.
I appeal to you, whether you are a politician who place personal ambitions above the welfare of the country, a Don who terrorize some of our communities, a policeman who practice extra-judicial killings and otherwise abuse your power, a thief with a gun, a member of a gang or just an angry, disrespected or frustrated man or woman, let us send death on a holiday and cultivate forgiveness and harmony. It could become contagious.
If you have been wronged, the atrocity of your reprisal will create a lifetime burden on your soul. A tooth for a tooth and an eye for an eye will only make us a country of toothless and eyeless people. In the name of God and your tormented countrymen, we beg, beseech and command you: Value human life and stop these murders. Whosoever destroys a single human life is as guilty as if he destroyed the entire world. The victims have children, grand children, mothers, fathers, other family and friends. The impact on their lives is always tragic and endless. Their belly bottom bun. Enough of their blood and tears. Come my friends, it’s not too late; let’s go back to the old Jamaica when everyone reached out to each other and felt safe. Let us rile against this crime. Someone has to stand up and shout "Enough already. We have had enough murders. Children Should Know Their Grand Parents.”
What kind of life are you bequeathing for yourself and your children? Time wounds all criminals. Are you aware that the life expectancy in Jamaica is the shortest for gunmen? You should not be surprised. If you live by the sword, you will die by the sword. While we work on promoting a more just society, give peace a chance. We implore you to stop being the problem and become part of the solution for this great country and the great God we serve.
We have survived slavery, economic meltdowns, earthquakes, train wrecks, hurricanes, floods, droughts, famines and epidemics, but the most tormenting is the tragedy of these senseless murders---cutting short the life of loved ones and all their potential future offspring.
We are a good people with loving arms to hold you, appreciate and nurture you. Give the gift of "peace and love” to each other. We have but one country and one destiny. The murder of any Jamaican diminishes me. Ask not for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for all of us.
Why do you boast of evil, you mighty man?
You love evil rather than good.
You who are a disgrace in the eyes of God
and grow strong by destroying others
Surely God will bring you down to everlasting ruin
(Psalm 52)
__________________
#8 Doug Richards 2010-04-06 07:03
We need to put fear of the police and jails back into the hearts and minds of criminals, or pretty soon you will have a beautiful country that no one wants to visit or live.
#7 Moi 2010-04-04 05:46
It is sad, glad I left years ago, returning for visits has to be short as I am not comfortable living like a prisoner to protect myself from the criminals, which should be the other way round.
This article will never reach those who should read it as most of them do not read, but are used in the game of corruption by those who can read.
#6 Humble Lion 2010-04-03 12:00
Jamaica oh Jamaica, what a wonderful land. The false reality of the new world is what messed up this great country. Jamaica lost a lot of their culture because they want to be too much like America. One person said only prayers can help…while that is the belief of many people, people have been praying for years and nothing have change. What we need to do is to know ourselves and know the power that we have. We need to step outside the box..
#5 Garth Nelson 2010-04-02 15:17
While I concur with every sentiment that has been expressed, I must confess that I still feel the nostalgia when I am home. That is why I emphasize so deeply with Dr. Kong because I have been away for 36 years, and my once lovely island is dying like a sick child in my arms.
Years of badly eroded leadership have damaged if not totally eradicated all the post-Independence successes we once enjoyed. Prayer is indeed our best answer at this time; God help us.
#4 Doreen Jones 2010-04-02 08:47
I am impatient for change because I am proud to be a Jamaican. Maybe the solution is education where people would be taught to read and write, to love themselves and each other and to create rather that destroy. Then and only then will there be the possibility of change where citizens will want to build because they believe they have a stake in society and in the country.
#3 Sheron Pearson 2010-03-31 10:52
I hope your heartfelt plea will not fall on deaf ears.
#2 Esteban Agosto Reid 2010-03-27 09:38
Could it be, that we have passed the Rubicon and there is no point of return? I sincerely hope not. But,indeed, one wonders.
#1 Doreen Jones 2010-03-23 15:21
It saddens me that I cannot go back to my beautiful island and that I am forced to live in an alien environment where I am despised. It saddens me that our women and children are not protected and are abused by those who are meant to protect.
It saddens me that those who purport to run my beloved island do neither love nor does anything for the people but fill their pockets with the bounty of those who believe because they lack color they are superior. It saddens me that there is no hope for my island.
I am afraid to return, I am afraid for my island and for my brothers and sisters. I need more faith.
My Appeal to the Gunmen of Jamaica.
Basil Waine Kong
Somewhere people feel safe, go out to restaurants and clubs at night with no concern about their safety, but not here in Jamaica. We are afraid. We now live in continual fear of kidnapping and violence. We are forced to bear the unbearable. No issue is more compelling here than the wanton murders committed five times each day---every day. There can be little hope for our country and little joy if these killings continue. In some communities, only the dead smile, glad to be at rest. A business woman is shot in her yard, the son of our Caddie Master is shot four times while he is sitting on his veranda with his family. A police officer is run over while trying to stop a vehicle. Criminals repeatedly breaking into schools to steal computers. What a guaan? Our government seems to have no clue. We are overwhelmed and paralyzed with fear. Perpetrators literally get away with murder in Jamaica as less than a third of homicides are solved. While there were over 1600 murders there where less than 100 convictions for homicides in 2009.
In 2009, New York City (12 million people) had less than 500 homicides compared to Jamaica (2.5 million) with more than 1,600 murders.
I appeal to you, whether you are a politician who place personal ambitions above the welfare of the country, a Don who terrorize some of our communities, a policeman who practice extra-judicial killings and otherwise abuse your power, a thief with a gun, a member of a gang or just an angry, disrespected or frustrated man or woman, let us send death on a holiday and cultivate forgiveness and harmony. It could become contagious.
If you have been wronged, the atrocity of your reprisal will create a lifetime burden on your soul. A tooth for a tooth and an eye for an eye will only make us a country of toothless and eyeless people. In the name of God and your tormented countrymen, we beg, beseech and command you: Value human life and stop these murders. Whosoever destroys a single human life is as guilty as if he destroyed the entire world. The victims have children, grand children, mothers, fathers, other family and friends. The impact on their lives is always tragic and endless. Their belly bottom bun. Enough of their blood and tears. Come my friends, it’s not too late; let’s go back to the old Jamaica when everyone reached out to each other and felt safe. Let us rile against this crime. Someone has to stand up and shout "Enough already. We have had enough murders. Children Should Know Their Grand Parents.”
What kind of life are you bequeathing for yourself and your children? Time wounds all criminals. Are you aware that the life expectancy in Jamaica is the shortest for gunmen? You should not be surprised. If you live by the sword, you will die by the sword. While we work on promoting a more just society, give peace a chance. We implore you to stop being the problem and become part of the solution for this great country and the great God we serve.
We have survived slavery, economic meltdowns, earthquakes, train wrecks, hurricanes, floods, droughts, famines and epidemics, but the most tormenting is the tragedy of these senseless murders---cutting short the life of loved ones and all their potential future offspring.
We are a good people with loving arms to hold you, appreciate and nurture you. Give the gift of "peace and love” to each other. We have but one country and one destiny. The murder of any Jamaican diminishes me. Ask not for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for all of us.
Why do you boast of evil, you mighty man?
You love evil rather than good.
You who are a disgrace in the eyes of God
and grow strong by destroying others
Surely God will bring you down to everlasting ruin
(Psalm 52)
__________________
#8 Doug Richards 2010-04-06 07:03
We need to put fear of the police and jails back into the hearts and minds of criminals, or pretty soon you will have a beautiful country that no one wants to visit or live.
#7 Moi 2010-04-04 05:46
It is sad, glad I left years ago, returning for visits has to be short as I am not comfortable living like a prisoner to protect myself from the criminals, which should be the other way round.
This article will never reach those who should read it as most of them do not read, but are used in the game of corruption by those who can read.
#6 Humble Lion 2010-04-03 12:00
Jamaica oh Jamaica, what a wonderful land. The false reality of the new world is what messed up this great country. Jamaica lost a lot of their culture because they want to be too much like America. One person said only prayers can help…while that is the belief of many people, people have been praying for years and nothing have change. What we need to do is to know ourselves and know the power that we have. We need to step outside the box..
#5 Garth Nelson 2010-04-02 15:17
While I concur with every sentiment that has been expressed, I must confess that I still feel the nostalgia when I am home. That is why I emphasize so deeply with Dr. Kong because I have been away for 36 years, and my once lovely island is dying like a sick child in my arms.
Years of badly eroded leadership have damaged if not totally eradicated all the post-Independence successes we once enjoyed. Prayer is indeed our best answer at this time; God help us.
#4 Doreen Jones 2010-04-02 08:47
I am impatient for change because I am proud to be a Jamaican. Maybe the solution is education where people would be taught to read and write, to love themselves and each other and to create rather that destroy. Then and only then will there be the possibility of change where citizens will want to build because they believe they have a stake in society and in the country.
#3 Sheron Pearson 2010-03-31 10:52
I hope your heartfelt plea will not fall on deaf ears.
#2 Esteban Agosto Reid 2010-03-27 09:38
Could it be, that we have passed the Rubicon and there is no point of return? I sincerely hope not. But,indeed, one wonders.
#1 Doreen Jones 2010-03-23 15:21
It saddens me that I cannot go back to my beautiful island and that I am forced to live in an alien environment where I am despised. It saddens me that our women and children are not protected and are abused by those who are meant to protect.
It saddens me that those who purport to run my beloved island do neither love nor does anything for the people but fill their pockets with the bounty of those who believe because they lack color they are superior. It saddens me that there is no hope for my island.
I am afraid to return, I am afraid for my island and for my brothers and sisters. I need more faith.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Letter to The Gleaner RE: Jamaica a Hurting Nation
Thanks for Dr. Karen Richards’ piece (Sunday, February 08, 2009) on “Jamaica Drowning in a Sea of its Own Violence,” diagnosing us with Borderline Personality Disorder (DPT) to explain why Jamaica has the highest murder rate in the world (64 per 100,000). Kingston is convulsing with disorder and collapsing under the weight of crime.
In the face of feeling vulnerable, the wealthy are willing to spend millions on security rather than contribute to social institutions that have the promise to uplift people and perhaps take away their motivation to commit crime. We need to recognize that no one, no matter how rich, can protect themselves from crime. We can turn our homes, cars and workplaces into garrisons and we will still be vulnerable.
If we must use psychological models, I prefer Sigmund Freud’s characterization to explain the personalities in Jamaica.
I often ask friends who they believe are the most powerful people in Jamaica. Are they gunmen? Dons? Politicians? Religious leaders? Rich people? Policemen or babies? If you define power as one’s ability to quickly get what they want, then the answer is a crying child. The distressed child, who is hungry, wants his diaper changed or wants comfort will cry until his needs are met. Nature programmed us to respond urgently to children’s crying.
A child is all "id". A child has no ability to delay gratification or consider anyone else’s needs: “I want what I want when I want it.” “If I itch, I want it scratched.” Some of us never grow out of this immaturity. “I will kill anybody who disrespects me.” These are the grudgeful and bad minded people who always want something for nothing and who want to prosper at someone else’s expense. This childish conduct can be quickly recognized on the roads from the drivers who put everyone at risk by inappropriately overtaking others because only their needs matter. The other day I witnessed an accident because one of the speeding buses decided it needed to drive on the wrong side of the road and incorrectly merge into traffic only to run into the car that had the right of way. Everyone at this point was inconvenienced; the passengers of the bus, the cars behind the accident and the driver whose car was smashed.
Ordinarily, as one matures, we learn a reality principle or the cause and effect rules of life which Freud calls the "ego". If I put my hand in a fire, it will burn. If I fall down, it will hurt. If I steal or otherwise break the law, the police will arrest and imprison me. A healthy fear of punishment takes hold. We learn to value the rights of others and respect boundaries. If I treat others special, they will be kind and helpful to me in my hour of need. If I work hard, develop meaningful skills, knowledge and attitudes, I can find employment or own a business so I can support myself and take care of my family. If there is no family structure or if the rules of society are not predictably enforced, some people will not believe they will be punished for crime and that they can get rich quick and always get their way by intimidating others---including their parents and the police. It troubles me greatly that less than a third of all homicides are cleared up even with the help of Scotland Yard. Killers now believe (and rightly so) that they can get away with murder. Do we really want the world to believe that our country is run by “outlaws”?
Finally, Freud believed that we also develop a super-ego. Our family, our community, our religious institutions and our culture impress ethics on us. If society is successful, we feel guilty when we don’t do “the right thing”. We don’t want to be disgraced. We are embarrassed if we violate a social code like going to a funeral wearing a bathing suit. Our conscience becomes our guide. If we have a conscience, we are motivated to be kind and generous to needy relatives, the sick and the elderly. If you don’t have a conscience, a criminal may even consider robbing the most vulnerable if they have something he or she wants.
Ideally, we need a balance. We need the "id" so we can have a good time. Dancing, partying, playing games, competing, playing tricks on others, telling jokes, laughing and that whoopee feeling all come from the "id". There is nothing wrong with fun, especially after the work is done and you have actually accomplished something. We also need to know what is real (ego strength), as well as being responsible parents to restrain the less irresponsible among us from over-indulgence and to guide and nurture the next generation. I don’t believe we ever want to be so guilt stricken that we need to beat up ourselves every time we enjoy ourselves. However, we should also learn that moderation and balance are the keys to a truly successful life.
Imagine a little jockey (our developed ego and super-ego) riding a big, powerful horse (our id). Even though the horse weighs ten times more than the jockey, the horse can be skillfully controlled by the jockey. If the horse is unbridled, however, the id cannot be controlled and we become undisciplined, unproductive and completely selfish.
As a society, if we truly want to stop homicides we can start with enforcing the rule of law for small infractions, which will lead to stopping the major ones. Jamaica needs solid and unwavering enforcement of the law, first by each individual doing the right thing and in those cases in which a segment of our society refuses to do the right thing; the police can rein them in. Specifically, we should put 1,000 traffic police on the road in unmarked cars with video cameras to record the outrageous infractions that occur every minute of every day as evidence to be presented in court so dangerous drivers will be prosecuted and punished. Treat these offenders like drunken drivers. Lock them up and confiscate their vehicles. The same ten percent that is causing havoc on our roads are also our undisciplined criminals. Get them off the road.
It is going to take the church, schools, families and all the institutions of society to train the jockey---to develop our ego and superego so that law and order can prevail. I am in a constant debate with my wife about whether God blesses honest, disciplined, hard working considerate people. I believe that good people also succeed because everyone wants to do business with them and crave their company. Who wants to be friends with or do business with people who lie, cheat and commit crimes? In the final analysis, good people will always prosper because no one ever secures happiness by committing crimes.
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