Fresh air

Perhaps because he has recently been re-elected, or perhaps because his people clearly enjoyed the cricket, the President of Guyana, Bharat Jagdeo, is NOT joining the chorus of Caribbean leaders blaming the ICC, the WICB, Chris Dehring etc for their own poor stewardship of their own citizens’ tax dollars…

He reckons that World Cup Cricket was good for Guyana.

Hot air

Meanwhile, much to the relief of those who believe everything they read, Chris Dehring has announced that Cricket World Cup 2007 is proceeding according to plan. Lots of money is rolling in and even the crowds are pretty much as he expected. So much for all the whiny hoteliers and governments who are complaining that the whole exercise has been a massive disappointment …….

P.J. Patterson (retrospectively) smells somewhat like a rose

Former Prime Minister of Jamaica P.J. Patterson must be smiling at the praise he’s receiving from one of his (formerly) fiercest critics.

This administration has a leader who is now reaping the benefits from the Patterson-led one. The physical successes are there to see. Sprawling highways being built across the island. Huge hotels being constructed on the north coast. The rising of a new, black middle class being able to afford $50,000 three-day vacations in the more moderately priced all-inclusive (questionable service) hotels on the north coast. (Mark Wignall, Jamaica Observer)

Turns out that P.J. Patterson was just a wonderful Prime Minister whose long list of achievements are now being unjustly claimed by his successor, Portia Simpson Miller….

Jamaica prepares for elections (God help us)

In line with the usual election preparations, the Jamaican security forces have conducted a huge operation in West Kingston (the stronghold of the Opposition Jamaica Labour Party). Four people dead – 2 killed by gunmen, 2 by the police

The Naysayers remind us that terrorising Tivoli is the usual election gambit by the ruling PNP.

The Yeasayers remind us that the gunbattle lasted for nearly 3 hours (that’s a lot of guns and ammunition in the hands of men who are not members of the security forces) and that the operation included the PNP stronghold of Arnett Gardens.

The front page of the The Daily Gleaner says it all – a screaming, terrified child who has just learnt that his brother is among the dead…………

When did we get used to this ?

Electricity company employees find out the meaning of “minority shareholder”

The Jamaica Public Service Company (JPSCo), the island’s main (but not sole) provider of electricity has been sold to a subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate, Marubeni.

A cursory reading of Marubeni’s website indicates that this should be a cause for rejoicing, as, unlike bruk-pocket previous owners Mirant, Marubeni is a Fortune 500 company (2006 rank:215) which operates in 72 countries.

However, as the Government of Jamaica is a mere 20% shareholder in the JPSCo, the sale of the company was a matter for the former majority shareholders, Mirant. They chose to inform their Jamaican employees of the sale of the company at the same time (April 17, 2007) as they informed the Jamaican public.

The employees and their union representatives are furious. Just imagine how they’re going to feel if Marubeni decides to introduce a few famously efficient Japanese-style working practices……….Speaking as a consumer, I can’t wait.

Jamaican Christians finally get around to reading the New Testament

Jamaican church and political leaders have called for their fellow citizens to cease attacking and killing people whom they believe to be homosexual. Congratulations to Colonel Trevor McMillan (JLP), Councillor Angela Brown-Burke (PNP) and various church leaders for saying, albeit reluctantly, that homosexuals are fellow human beings.

For years, the island’s sodomy laws have been used by people (who openly commit such sins as adultery, covetousness and bearing false witness) to condemn homosexuals and to say that they only get what they deserve. The Archbishop of Canterbury, head of the Anglican Church has a few words for the self-righteous.

Of course, if all Jamaicans are to get what we deserve according to the Bible, we might as well prepare for a very dark future indeed…….

Since Easter has just passed, let’s remember what we were supposed to be celebrating (King James version, Luke 10) :-

25And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

26He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?

27And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.

28And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.

29But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?

30And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

31And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

32And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.

33But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,

34And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

35And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.

36Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?

37And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.