Servants & Shifts

We are very thankful for the sacrifices of the many Jamaicans that have offered themselves to the rigorous, risky & rarely appreciated roles in national service, whether politically, in the civil service, community development or otherwise. However, there are many Jamaicans (some unnoticed) available, eager & ready to serve with their time, talent & treasure in countless capacities without the intention of undermining or threatening the positions of their antecedents. And those that have played their part, & yes, still do have much to offer, should mentor & guide and allow others to offer their time, talent & expertise without presenting themselves as stumbling blocks in the way of this generation, who would prefer to partner than to purge. But where there is blockage & constipation of sorts, some, among this generation, may consider purging as a necessary & inevitable option. Yet, I contend, that if wisdom prevails, this generation and its forerunners will find amicable ways to work together in furtherance of the common good.

Heroes Day Reflection - Law & Order

Not too long ago, slave holders & oppressors used state sanctioned violence to suppress unrest & nonconformity, or in other words, 'fight crime' to maintain 'law & order'. Today, we hail heroes, yes, those non-conformists who challenged unjust laws & who died to eliminate conditions that necessitated social unrest.

Yet, Today, in a free society, we still use the same approach, speaking of 'fighting crime' or suppressing deviance & nonconformity to 'maintain law & order', without sufficient attention to addressing the conditions that necessitate social unrest.

On this heroes day, let it be known, that in vain do we fight crime & unrest, without tirelessly fighting unjust conditions, laws or attitudes that confront the most vulnerable among us, who, without justice, cannot guarantee the observance of 'law & order'.

Resistance

It is not the government's duty to provide man's daily bread; nevertheless, the government has an obligation to promote, secure & maintain the requisite environment that will enable man to create & secure his daily bread.

Further, where conditions obtain, that are unjust, unfair & inequitable, the government must exercise extraordinary effort to protect the vulnerable, whose ability to provide their daily bread is limited by these unfair conditions.

Hence, where government fail to create an enabling environment, secure just conditions, & protect the vulnerable, then they must be prepared to face inevitable resistance & nonconformity to the rules/laws & conditions that limit man's ability to secure his daily bread.

Illegitimate Governments

Justice is neither socialist nor capitalist; it is neither PNP nor JLP. Justice should reflect the interests of the people and not the narrow interests of a powerful few; it should not be complicated by the bureaucracies or dictates of the law-making powers of any government.

Therefore, since governments are trustees for the people, then governments that fail to secure justice for the well-being of their citizens are not legitimate.

Independence - Emancipation beyond chains

Though the years have passed & we have achieved much, I still believe it is essential to continue efforts at deconstructing & where necessary abandon colonial relics; whether these be physical, legal or traditional.

While many people will have their own issue to defend, with aspects that are important to their personal & private affairs, I believe that critical to our social, economic & political destiny as a nation, is serious constitutional reform, along with an overhaul of the existing political system, that still has as head of state, the queen of England. Additionally we need unequivocal reforms of our economic systems & approach as well as re-arrangement of the agencies & institutions of the state that maintain, reinforce & promote economic inequality, classicism & by extension, corruption. 

I have no doubt that today, our existing systems, though evidently providing some benefits for some, do not for the most part promote access for the masses to realize their full potential. Regardless of all the other freedoms for which we fight, and rightfully we are deserving of them, without access to land & credit, all other freedoms are frustrated.

Sadly, up to this point in our history, with all that we have accomplished, there is still a systemic & embedded reality that makes access to land & credit virtually insurmountable. This privilege continues to be the domain of a few, who by extension can completely exploit the other offerings available in the long lists of rights & freedoms that we have fought for; while the poor, marginalized & dispossessed continue to wonder if they are truly free or simply under the colonial rule of masters of a different skin color.