Reshaping a Jamaican Dream
30 Sunday May 2010
Written by Corve DaCosta in Entertainment, Jamaica, Thoughts & Commentary
Tags
caribbean, christopher dudos coke, Employment, Jamaica, jamaica labor party, jamaican dream, living your dream, Peoples National Party, Politics, reshaping a jamaican dream, tivoli, unemployment in jamaica, us embassy, violence
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The extradition issue in Jamaica that has turned into a manhunt for Christopher Dudus Coke was not only a blunder on the part of Bruce Golding but has proved to be decades of mismanagement by Jamaican politicians. Over the weeks Jamaica has found itself in a position where it is being ridiculed by the international community for its handling of the extradition of Christopher Coke. Jamaica’s problems began when the country gained independence from Britain in 1962. It began with Michael Manley’s policies which were similar to Fidel Castro. While Caribbean nations like Barbados was investing in its people and education for generations, Jamaican politicians invested in garrison politics depriving the country of real growth. In the 70′s and 80′s they (poilticians) imported guns and ammunitions for these gangs and area leaders they created to intimidate voters which has escalated into Jamaica becoming one of the most violent nations on Earth. The problem still exist in Jamaica because senior politicians like the former Prime Minister Portia Simpson-Miller, former Security Minister Peter Phillips, former Finance Minister Omar Davies and the current Prime Minister still in 2010 represent garrison communities. These slums can be found all over Kingston and St. Andrew with a major one in the tourist capital Montego Bay, St. James.
Jamaican politicians are not accountable to anyone; their mediocre leadership over the years have not achieved anything great but they continue to win elections because they have been able to divide the country along party lines to the extent where persons are killed because of the color shirt they wear during election campaigns.
Isn’t this a failed state?
As a young Jamaican I am depressed and ashamed of my country. Like many Jamaicans that have invested in education we aren’t working together to build a nation we can be proud of. Instead we are among the unemployed searching desperately for jobs to repay loans and to survive. I strongly believe in the coming months frustrated Jamaicans will be applying to other countries where they will be accepted and able to make a difference.
One can justifiably ask ‘where are the young political minds to change Jamaica?’ There are some among us while others have given up hope. Among them are former Miss World Lisa Hanna and Dr. Christopher Tufton – two young politicians that are ready to make a difference. The question is ‘Are they ready to fight the titans of their parties?’ The young politicians whom we expected to make that change was given a huge blow when the youngest Jamaican in history to have entered the Senate (Kern Spencer) was implicated in the Cuban light bulb scandal. His case is currently before the local courts. Jamaica’s biggest problem is not its people, it is the misguided politicians that have served us over the years. Jamaicans are livid about the current state of the country. We are upset with the Prime Minister Bruce Golding and the Jamaica Labour Party but when we look to the PNP we see the same structure, same leaders who have led Jamaica down this road before. Interestingly, the only man that can solve Jamaica’s political problem is Christopher Coke. If the US arrests him all the political secrets will be revealed. If he is murdered it could be business as usual. I honestly hope that he will be extradited to the US so that Jamaica can turn a new page. A new page to rewrite all the wrongs and to change Jamaica for the better. It is about time.
14 comments
May 30, 2010 at 10:16 PM
Hi Corve:
It is kind of like what I suspected. I am sure it took a lot of courage to write that piece. I am also fearing for your safety because you let it all out and I am sure that is not what many would like to hear.
But be as it may, things are bound to change; particularly if people are no longer gullible or easily intimidated. Why have to all hope for the best.
Again, try to keep safe and don’t take unnecessary risks.
Let us all know what else we can do.
saludos,
raulito
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May 31, 2010 at 11:31 AM
You’re a brave man to make such thoughts public !!!
.-= Duncanr´s last blog ..Susi & Spice and all things Nice =-.
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May 31, 2010 at 12:27 PM
Corve, your courage in speaking forth about this shambles in your nation is truly humbling. Just watch your back my friend, corruption being exposed tends to over-react badly. Lock the door at night FFS!
As a side thought, how about you making a bid for your elected chamber?
.-= Dave Hambidge´s last blog ..HALF A GRAND OF MEMORIES; TREE STUMP =-.
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May 31, 2010 at 2:31 PM
well said!
.-= Eduardo Guize´s last blog ..Loving: LOL Boys, "Arabesque" =-.
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May 31, 2010 at 5:58 PM
I hope Coke does get out and expose the truth. Stay safe.
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June 1, 2010 at 4:30 AM
Excellent commentary. I remember how hopeless my grandparents felt growing up in the deep South here in the U.S. when things were very much segregated and they were being prevented access to good schools, jobs, and all around growth and equal rights as citizens. Still, they prayed for a better day to come and it did finally come but only after years of civil rights killings, protests, and economic boycotts (the latter of which finally sparked real change). It’s a shame that there was little social and government responsibility for so long and it’s a shame that so many innocent people today still have to deal with the fallout from political corruption. I do think there will come a brighter day over there but I honestly feel that the best and the brightest minds sometimes do need to get out and away so that they can make the necessary political and social connections overseas to come back and serve their country sometimes in much the same way Gandhi did.
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June 1, 2010 at 4:40 AM
*PS – I also agree with the other posters in that while I sincerely commend you for your courage and conviction safety-wise this blog and your talking to the international community writers can make you more vulnerable than you may think so be verrry careful. Here, when people apply for jobs or even volunteer positions, they definitely do background checks and search for your blogs, myspace, facebook, networking sites, etc…so keep yourself and your information as safe as possible during this tumultuous time.
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June 1, 2010 at 6:34 AM
U r really a brave person.
.-= Pamela´s last blog ..The Pickle Jar =-.
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June 1, 2010 at 6:35 AM
Great work Corve. I do appreciate.
.-= Sandra´s last blog ..Save The Dead Rabbit =-.
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June 1, 2010 at 9:55 AM
Yes, Jamaica is definitely a failed state. Hopefully, this civil unrest will not be a nine day wonder, but, instead, the opportunity for serious changes and reforms re degarrisonization and the obliteration of the nexus between politics and criminality.Nuff respect !!
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June 1, 2010 at 4:23 PM
So now what?
.-= thegaytekeeper´s last blog ..THE HUMAN REVOLUTION PROJECT =-.
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June 2, 2010 at 8:49 AM
wow when is this gonna be under control.. this is wild
.-= Vanisha´s last blog ..Stop acting like =-.
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June 5, 2010 at 5:34 PM
Excellent commentary. I remember how hopeless my grandparents felt growing up in the deep South here in the U.S. when things were very much segregated and they were being prevented access to good schools, jobs, and all around growth and equal rights as citizens. Still, they prayed for a better day to come and it did finally come but only after years of civil rights killings, protests, and economic boycotts (the latter of which finally sparked real change). It’s a shame that there was little social and government responsibility for so long and it’s a shame that so many innocent people today still have to deal with the fallout from political corruption. I do think there will come a brighter day over there but I honestly feel that the best and the brightest minds sometimes do need to get out and away so that they can make the necessary political and social connections overseas to come back and serve their country sometimes in much the same way Gandhi did.
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June 9, 2010 at 6:43 PM
I find your commentary heavily biased on to JLP. And contrary to you commentary… Michael Manley invested in FREE EDUCATION… which created the current middle class, he also advance social gains like the no bastard issue, the matter of colour and shade of people who work in places like air jamaica and ncb, cashiers and such. The communist and socialist model doesn’t fail from within… but mainly due to external interference from source like the US… who have been responsible form false flag operations and CIA interference, which is now a know truth… they have mingled in the South & central Americas, as well as the Caribbean.
The hold an ILLEGAL INTERNATIONAL EMBARGO against Cuba… which is almost unanimously voted against every year at the UN, yet it persists ILLEGALLY… hence CUBA’s economy is stifled by the US solely on the basis of IDEOLOGICAL differences about how society ought to aligned. Cuba has a 90 odd % literacy and the best bio technology field in the Caribbean and Western Hemisphere… ahead of the US. With cures for Vitiligo, and vaccines for CANCER… which consequently a US firm in California I believe bought.
US interference again demolished the communist government a legitimately elected party, in Grenada, and killed then Prime Minister or President Maurice Bishop. The US used military force and illegal action.
Currently the communist country of China is now a world super power with a thriving economy.
After drunking off Mikhail Gorbechov the US end Communism in Russia and immediately crime and alcoholism and suicide skyrocketed and led the rise of the Russian Mafia.
It seems illogical to me to question an ideology that posits or puts forward… COMMUNITY and COMMUNAL life as the root of its agenda and plan, or an ideology like SOCIALISM which is putting forward the idea that SOCIETY and SOCIAL LIFE are the plan and foundation for society. Instead we perpetuate CAPITALISM which says and professes MONEY AND CAPITAL are what the world is made off. This is the same thinking that has lead to international financial crisis after the next. That is why 3 billion people on earth live on 2 US dollars a day and that Bill Gates can have enough money to clear all CARIBBEAN debt. And the same thinking lets the US give ISRAEL the same amount of AID that it gives the rest of the world in total.
Norman Manley and other fathers of the nation did invest in JSA and the agriculture of Jamaica, in education and such. But through US and UK interference and through evil concepts like GLOBALIZATION an extension of Capitalism and a new form of COLONIALISM have allowed Muktinationals through freeports to suck the country dry without investing in the country.
We’ve had a history of CAREER POLITICIALS and old men running the country. Foreigners without interest in our people as whole.
It is now incumbent, it now the duty of you and I & I, and all the Independent and free thinkers, new fresh minds now need to present viable sensible feasible options and candidates, that are divorced from Career politicians, corruption, and the oligarchy of Old Veterans in government who conspire to hold the country in a state of stagnation. We now need to divorce business interest and this business of multinationals handling matters in the interest of the state and naively believing that they will do the best for us and act in our interest. We need leaders who don’t just comply with every international treaty, and I am not referring to the extradition but matters at the WTO and initiatives like the TIEA. We must learn the cost of our complacency and compliancy. We now know we do not need leaders of yesteryear, most of whom are dinosaurs and were born before planes flew in Jamaica and before independence, before even world war II to tell us, sensible, informed minds, people with a better imagining of a better world, to tell us how to continue the train wreck they have been driving and steering for years.
Jamaicans need to handle life literally very very differently from now on; in the home, to the community, to the municipality, to the county, to the country. We need to be governed by a new logical and properly informed decision making process, a new pragmatism needs to be at the heart of our way of life, and the common interest of every Jamaican needs to be foremost in our minds. We need a genuine agenda of social equity, opportunity, we need justice, the return to due process and respect for humanity.
We think not informed by greeed, endless economic growth and money.
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