DUTTY LABOUITES

It was many, many, many, many decades ago, while growing up in a predominantly PNP environment, that I first heard the term "Dutty Labourite". As it was explained to children then, Alexander Bustamente, leader of the Jamaica Labour Party was illiterate so those who supported his party were the uneducated people who worked mainly in the cane fields and as field work kept one dirty, they were loosely referred to as  "dutty labourites". In fact, in those olden days, the term was even used to encourage children to study hard, lest they end up being "dutty labourites!" 

I had though that term had been removed from the Jamaican vocabulary many decades ago, what with successive Ministers OF Education always boasting about their great achievements which had brought education to the darkest corners of the island. So I had (wrongly?) assumed that the few illiterates left could not make up the fairly large bulk of Jamaicans who describe themselves as JLP supporters!

Mr. Damion Crawford's glib use of the term recently therefore tells me a lot more about what happens behind closed doors at PNP meetings than even about Mr. Crawford himself. For Mr. Crawford would have been born somewhere in the 80's, long after that term ceased to be in common usage. Yet it flowed as naturally from his tongue as honey flows from honey comb!

This just serves to reinforce my belief that cultism is hazardous to the development of this fledgling nation!~

AN ARMED GUNMAN NEXT?

MONTEGO BAY, St James — The killing of prominent People's National Party (PNP) activist Kenley 'Bebe' Stephens has left the party's organisation in St James in shock.

Yesterday, party officials mourned the killing with chairman of the PNP's Region Six, Dr DK Duncan, remarking that Stephens made a meaningful contribution to the party.

"Like most persons, we are saddened by his passing. He has made significant contribution to the PNP, through the youth organisation and the West Central St James constituency," Dr Duncan reflected.

Meanwhile, West Central Member of Parliament Sharon Ffolkes-Abrahams, who expressed unease about the violent manner in which the nation's youths are dying, argued that Stephens was not only a party man, but a zealous community worker.

"We are very shocked and hurt at his sudden and violent death. We are concerned about the horrific way in which our young men are dying, not only in St James, but in the nation," Folkes-Abrahams told the Jamaica Observer.

"He was at the Regional Executive Council in Montego Bay on Sunday and the Labour Day project (on Friday) where he was there joking around and riding a horse. He has always been enthusiastic about community activities. He will be sadly missed," Folkes-Abrahams lamented.

Meanwhile, in a release from the PNP secretariat -- which extended condolences to Stephens' relatives and friends -- the need for a sustained fight on crime was articulated.

"This latest killing confirms that while strides are being made in the fight against violent crimes and all criminality, we still have a long way in the journey to victory against criminals," the release read.

Members of Stephens' native Granville community were also shocked by his tragic passing.

"It is a very sombre mood in Granville, everybody is mourning. Bebe was a very popular man in Granville and the entire St James," Michael Troupe, the PNP councillor for the Granville Division, told the Observer.

The above is a report  in the Observer of the reaction on the 27th May 2014 of the governing People's National Party (PNP) to the murder  of one of their vice presidents in the western section.

Interestingly, this governing party had no words of regret to the murder of a nine year old child days before and one wonders if his death was not regretted as he had not achieved the necessary heights of crime to be considered important to the politicians  in that part of Jamaica? For this is how the Gleaner paints the same Stevens who is being lauded by the governing party,  "The colourful Stephenson, who was quite prominent on the social circuit in western Jamaica, has had several run-ins with law over the years.

Accusations against him have ranged from illegal abstraction of electricity to lottery scamming.

Following his May 2012 arrest by the Anti-Lottery Scam Task Force, Superintendent Leon Clunie described him as a major player in the scam.

"Bebe is one of the founders of the illegal lottery scam," said Clunie, the head of task force at the time. "He has been living a luxurious lifestyle, yet he has never, from our understanding, been employed in any of the services in Jamaica."

With that type of individual being held up as a role model  by the ruling party in the west, I suppose we should not be surprised if a known gunman is elected to replace him there soon!

Thank heavens the western PNP hierarchy  disassociated itself from Jamaica by removing the green from the flag at the swearing in of their mayor for it would be a sad day for Jamaica if that lot was held up to represent the type of politicians that are acceptable in this country!

Only In Jamaica

I was told a story about an accident on Mount Rosser recently, which if it were not such a sad reflection on our attitudes and callousness to each other, would be very hilarious.

As seems a regular occurrence in that area, a truck's brakes failed and the driver tried desperately to bank it but ended up crashing and destroying a car and a part of a house. He and his sideman were severely injured in the accident.

As it comes to me, whenever trucks crash in that area, many residents move in quickly to pilfer whatever the truck is transporting while totally ignoring the fate of the injured.

This they set out to do at this accident also, only problem is that the truck was empty as it had delivered the goods to St. Ann was returning.

As the driver and sideman lay on the ground injured and in need of assistance, I understand they were severely abused by some citizens for crashing an "EMPTY TRUCK!"

Of course they had no words of sympathy either for those who lost their  vehicle and had their home damaged,  as I understand they too were very distraught. Their one and only concern was that they had found nothing to pilfer!

I keep hoping against hope this report is not true but based on the actions of so many persons at accident scenes in this pathetic country recently,  I am really finding it difficult to dismiss this report.

ANOTHER GREAT BIRTHDAY

I think I have the greatest brother in the world, Bernie. Actually, he is the only one I have ever had so there is no way of comparing in this life, but I have the funny feeling that those in my past life were not as wonderful as Bernie. so I hope he will come back as my big brother in my next life. Who cares if no one else believes in reincarnation, I do and that's how I feel!

Big brother Bernie and daughter Whitney

Although my birthday is not till tomorrow, we had the party to celebrate another great year, on Saturday last, to accommodate him. For when I called him earlier this year to tell him that I would be having a big bash as my grandson Shadrach, whose birthday is six days after mine, would be here for the first time in eight years during May we could celebrate together, he checked with the doctor who sits in for him and told me he could come down a few days earlier. The next surprise came when he and my grandson decided that the party would be better at the beach house in  Duncans than in Kingston so Bernie came down on Wednesday before and Shadrach and his friends headed down the same day to go enjoy the beach. By the time i got down on Friday night, all had been arranged so I came as a guest instead of being the hostess of my own shindig as usual. And it was absolutely wonderful as everything was taken care of.

I had to put in my own treat though, for all my life I  have wanted to make a pig of myself by eating as much of a sucking pig done on a pit, as I could manage and I had planned that aspect of the party way in advance. And boy did I make a go at it this time as we got a nicely sized one from the prison farm in Spanish town and Stewie devised a spit on top of the barbecue, stuffed it with seasoned rice and when it was finished, I had a good go at the crackling before the guests arrived. The rest of the food was absolutely wonderful too but I had eaten so much crackling before that I could not take a message at dinner time! lol.

One of the best aspects of this birthday gathering was having my long time friend Michael James who had been like a little brother to me when we were growing up but since I am bad at keeping in touch with people, it took  Bernie to find him and I saw him for the first time in decades only to learn he too had celebrated a birthday 2 days before. Others who celebrated with me were my cousin Delroy who shares my and Victor whose birthday was actually the day of the party.

Fellow rider friend Pat made the wonderful cakes and my other friends from Fun and Thrills donated it. It was wonderful having so many of that group take the effort to come down, with Barry and Johann riding all the way down while Richard, Pat and Sharon rode part way and the others drove.

Everything was absolutely wonderful, the food, the camaraderie and of course the music which had everyone on the floor until karaoke was set up. Although those of us who dare to sing could never be called singers, that session too was great and hilarious at times.

The big excitement of the night was when Michael (Campbell) fell into the pool fully dressed. Luckily he had a change of clothes.

Yup, we need to celebrate when we again chalk up another year without too many setbacks  and I have been doing it ever since I turned 50 and will be doing it until I drop down dead. What the heck, why not?+

THE REAL FREELOADERS

The latest scandal in this beautiful country of  ours is the cutting off of electrify by the Jamaica Public Service  (JPS) to some of their legal, legitimate customers who are unfortunate enough to reside in some of the notorious garrison communities.

Among the comments you hear from those trying to justify JPS's actions is that most people who live in those communities are free loaders who take what they cannot pay for as they figure  society owes it them. This  may be true to a certain extent, but who are the real freeloaders?

 In my book, it is not so much residents in those areas but the members of parliament who do not live in the areas they "represent"  but who are the the real beneficiaries of garrison politics. For in these garrisons, although most residents may get free water, free light and free homes, they have to give up a great deal of their personal freedoms  for these benefits, which may be free to them but not to us the taxpayers and consumers of electricity.

The real freeloaders get to enjoy the great benefits that come with being a representative in parliament without ever having to do a day of campaigning,  for the  party support has been solidified over time  and constantly maintained by the gunmen aligned to the parties.

 Because of the structure of these constituencies, the representatives have to do absolutely nothing  to improve the lot of the residents and although from time to time you are assaulted by their pompous pronouncements about the many "....decades they have spent serving the people",  when you visit these areas,  you often see people living in conditions not fit for humans.

As far as the JLP and PNP are concerned, these garrison constituencies are however top prizes to be awarded  to the senior and elite of their parties as rewards for years of  service to their particular political club, with no concern about what the maintenance of these garrisons is doing to the country and the future of our children.

 In fact, it is totally disgraceful that in 2014, while we profile about being a democratic county, almost 25% of the constituencies can be described as garrisons or near garrisons.

Unfortunately for the JPS, they are the only private company that has to deal with the officially endorsed and encouraged theft that  comes with garrison politics as the "free"  houses and water comes straight out of the taxpayer's pockets without a peep from us.

I wonder how the outrageous action that the JPS felt forced to take, thus exposing to the world the illegal nature of  a large segment of our "democracy"  so the blessed ones can sit in parliament and become our representatives on the world stage, will  reflect on our reputation when those who compile the "ease of doing business"  do their next survey?

Poor James Forbes

I think most Jamaicans are saddened that Senior Sup. James Forbes has been found guilty in what is loosely being called the Bicknell bribery affair, as for years Senior Sup. Forbes has represented all that we wished for in a police force, by giving it a warmer, human face and an air of professionalism. 

What I have found lacking in the press reports of the trial is what was made of the fact that it was a former Commissioner of Police and current adviser to the Ministry of Security, Lucius Thomas who dragged Forbes into the who messy affair. 

For according to the Gleaner report of the 22nd August 2012, which stated under the heading "Thomas Offered Advice" "When Police Sergeant Jubert Llewellyn met with former Police Commissioner Lucius Thomas at his home, the younger police officer was reportedly advised by the retired police chief to ensure that he takes care of his family.

The police sergeant had reportedly gone to Thomas' home on the advice of a friend, after pressure was allegedly brought to bear on him to drop the bribery charge against businessman Bruce Bicknell.

It is understood that when the sergeant solicited the retired policeman's advice, Thomas sought an assurance from Llewellyn whether he was convinced that Bicknell was actually seeking to bribe him.

The former police commissioner reportedly told the sergeant that he had done the "correct thing", based on what was happening but urged him to think about his family.

It was then that the former Police Commissioner proposed that mediation would best serve to resolve the issue, which brought Senior Superintendent of Police James Forbes into the mix."

It seems therefore it is the former commissioner who brought the Senior Sup. Forbes into the mix to "mediate"! So what weight was given to this and was Thomas called at all to testify at this trial? The report seems to have left out this very important aspect of the affair.

And what did former and present security adviser Commissioner Thomas mean when he reportedly advised  the complainant Jubert Llewelyn to "Think about his family?" 

There is too much left murky in the report of the trial of Senior Superintendent Forbes,  leaving me with a funny feeling that the other half has never been told! 

UPDATE

It took almost nine years, but justice was finally done, hence the Gleaner Headline of February 26, 2021; 

James Forbes freed of corruption charge.

In his famous ‘Letter from Birmingham Jail’, Martin Luther King Jr. wrote that “justice too long delayed is justice denied”. 

That being the case, can we ever say that most people in Jamaica who are drawn before the courts, ever achieve justice?

 Sad.

Poor Santiago de Cuba.

New houses in Santiago

The streets of  the city of Santiago de Cuba remind me of the streets of some in San Francisco in that they descend steeply to the bay but that is where the similarity ends. For most of poor Santiago is now one big, derelict, depressing mess. 

This is because it has yet to recover from the extensive damage done by Hurricane Sandy in 2012. 

In fact according to the Cuban hurricane organisation; "Reports from the area after the passage of Sandy spoke of widespread damage, particularly to Santiago de Cuba.  Throughout the province, 132,733 homes were damaged, of which 15,322 were destroyed and 43,426 lost their roof. Electricity and water services had been knocked out, and most of the trees in the city had either been ripped off their roots or had lost all their leaves. "

Monument at General Maceo Plaza of the revolution

While the historic, official  buildings and monuments are in pristine condition, obviously restored and repainted since the hurricane, the residential areas including most of the 132,000 homes seem to have had very little if anything done since the devastation although I will admit that Santiago is the only place in Cuba I have seen brand new homes. 

These are just across from the 26 de julio museum and I had thought they were offices or some other type of official buildings until I saw the lady who works in the bathroom at the museum entering one and she told me she lived there.

Anyway, the historic districts are a must visit when you go to
Cuba as there is so much to see and learn.

On the other hand, the  historic city centre  is the only place I have ever seen beggars  and persons pestering you to buy everything from tours to services, after four visits to Cuba.

However, the province of Santiago de Cuba itself is really beautiful, lush, expansive, with thousands of acres of healthy cane fields, billowing ranches where horses and cattle seem to roam without a care in the world while the  looming, variegated and historically important Sierra Maestra mountains hover protectively on the periphery.

Despite how depressing some of the city now looks however, I am indeed happy that we undertook the over 170 km ride  from Holguin in our smooth running 1953 Chev  (driven by Rashell) to once again visit that historic province which remains the home of so many Jamaican descendants .

                                                    Other memories

The magnificent cathedral

Fidel and Raul

I found it interesting that although Raul Castro took over from his brother Fidel as president of Cuba from 2008, Fidel remains ever-present.

For on a recent visit there, although we traveled about 600 kilometeres during our one week stay, almost every billboard (and there were many) we saw with Raul, had Fidel  in the background. Only one did I see of Raul alone during the entire time

Interesting!

Transportation in Cuba

A sidecar

As far as I am concerned, the most devastating effect of the continued US embargo against Cuba, is to be seen in the transportation system.

On a recent visit to Holguin and Santiago provinces, Isaw the most decrepit and uncivilized forms of transportation as people were packed like cattle into anything on wheels, from wagons drawn by tractors, oxen and horses, bikes with side cars to trucks on which rough covering have been installed, at times allowing you to see only the eyes of the passengers in what would be prison like lorries in other countries.

Bicycle taxi stand

The roads are also full of very old American cars which run like a charm and a spattering of new cars and a number of Russian made Ladas.

In the cities the novelty is s.the bicycle taxis which all have umbrellas stashed away to be pulled out when the rain falls.

Of course, there are well organised tour companies run by the government and these have brand new airconditioned buses to take tourists around, but no such luxuries for the natives
I guess the only benefit of this terrible embargo is that because people have to walk and ride a lot, there are very few fat people around.

During our week long visit, we started to count the fat people and after only finding five in the first four days, abandoned the project!

Of course the benefits the Cubans get from exercise seem to be widely counteracted by the widespread use of cigars and cigarettes, but like us here, I guess they say, what the heck, who wants to live forever!

HOLGUIN, OPEN FOR BUSINESS

Holguin is a province in the north eastern side of Cuba (incidentally, the main town is also called Holguin)  and because sugar cane played such an important role in making that island extremely wealthy in the early 1900's, many poor Jamaicans migrated there in search of a better life. 

And I can see why, for it is a beautiful section of the island.

On my fourth trip

On our arrival there, we stayed at Pernik, a nice hotel near the centre of town. However after a few days, we found a delightful place just five blocks from the city centre where the four of us shared two nicely decorated flats operated by Yusi, a young entrepreneur who had completed five years of medical school before taking the opportunity to go into her own business when liberalization started a few years ago.

Yusi (blond) with my friends and family

And that is exactly why I have entitled this article, "Holhuin, open for business" for there they seem to be on a massive drive to privatize and the people are responding. So everywhere you go, you see for sale signs on the houses as the government is now giving people the opportunity to become their own landlords.

The response has apparently been well received been as you see construction and painting up taking place on all the streets. Yusi told us that when she got the opportunity to own her home, she decided to add two rooms upstairs to rent to visitors and her location close to downtown gave her a great advantage. 

A section of downtown Holguin

To achieve her dream however, she had to work non stop, helping the plumbers, carpenters etc in every way. Her efforts have paid off as the rooms are tastefully done and nicely furnished with fridges, flat screen tvs etc and she happily provided breakfast for us for an additional cost, which was quite small, considering the huge amount of food we got each morning!

You see the result of this liberalization downtown too as it is always bustling with people patronizing the stores, restaurants museums and parks and I suspect a large percentage of the people we saw there each day were tourists from Canada, Europe and Latin America.

This is because there is a lot to see there as there are numerous parks and lots of interesting monuments all over.

I never had a boring day for the entire week when we were there for there was so much to see and do. I am especially proud of  having been able to visit Loma De La Cruz. Proud, as to get there, you have to climb up 300 steps so my years of exercising at home paid off while my other three friends, resisted my invitation to accompany me up there.

Up 300 steps!

Loma de la Cruz was formerly called Cerro del Bayando but the name was changed in 1790 when a priest, Antonio Alegria, placed a huge cross at the summit to commemorate the cross at Calvary.

Once you get up there however it is more than worth the effort as this is where you get the most comprehensive view of the city.

While there is a lot of history to enjoy in Holguin, to cool off you only travel 56 kilometres to beautiful white sands beach at Guardalavaca.

The drive out is very pleasant via wide, well maintained roads with attractive fruit stands  all along the roadway.

This was my fourth visit
 to Cuba and  had thought I had seen most of the beautiful island before but I cannot recall ever having gone to Holguin. 

This trip was specially to meet the Cuban side of my family but I never expected it to be as beautiful and full as history as I found it to be. 

The Cuban Connection

Would you believe I now know more relatives from my father's side in Cuba than in Jamaica, although that side of my family was born right here!

Miriam, Bebita, (me)Magaly, Maydolys, (Back) Hector Ian Casrlos (Front)

I  tell you it was great to finally meet these members of my family and learn something about my paternal grandfather who died when I was quite young and of whom, I recall, I was very scared.

I was scared of him as he was blind so always wore dark glasses and he had a big beard. I think I only saw him twice but what puzzles me now is that I can't recall anyone ever telling me anything about him or his family!

 The only thing I knew was that he was the principal of a primary school, became blind in his 40s and died in his early 80's. It is only through my cousin Barry who lives in Canada but who had grown up with us and who later found another cousin there named Sheila who brought him up speed on the relatives of my paternal grandfather, that I too am getting some information about that side of the family.

Barry heard about the relatives in Cuba and some years ago attended a small gathering to celebrate the 105th birthday of our grand aunt there. He sent me the email address of her daughter called Bebita (Real name Florianna). We started to communicate and that is how I ended up going there this time to meet the wonderful family there who I had known nothing about on my previous three trips to Cuba.

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I now know  that my grandfather actually had eleven siblings most of whom migrated all over the world.

Bebita speaks English and is in touch with relatives in Jamaica, Canada, England and the USA and she has a wealth of information.

However her children, grandchildren and great grand children speak only Spanish and do not appear to be too interested in communicating with far flung relatives so I don't know how long the connections will remain, but it was really great linking up with them.

Body builder, Asiel

Bebita's mother migrated to Cuba around 1919 when the Cuban economy was blooming and many Caribbean migrants went there in search of good jobs. (On my latest visit there, I met quite a few descents of Jamaicans, Grenadians and St. Lucians).

Bebita was born there and while another aunt who had gone there with her mom moved on to the USA, her mom stayed there forever and raised a Cuban family. Bebita is the only child but she has three daughters, two grandsons and a grand daughter and 2 great grand sons.

Most live in Cayo Mambi in the municipality of Fank Pais which is in Holguin province, some 160 kms from Holguin city.

Her town is a pleasant, rural farming area with wide tree lined streets and high rise buildings built by the government to house the people.

Bebita had been a teacher in her youth, teaching adults English after the revolution.

In the 1962, hurricane Flora destroyed her home and she was given a two bedroom ground floor apartment in a government house.

The main source of employment used to be at the Frank Pais sugar factory, but after it was destroyed by one of the many hurricanes that constantly devastate us in the Caribbean, it was closed and many people were left unemployed.

 As a result  of the liberalization now taking place under Raul Castro, many persons have now set up small businesses in their homes and operate farms. In Cuba today, you can now keep, use and sell farm products and  small animals and you can dispose of everything as you wish, except cows which have to be sold to the state.

Cayo Mambi is a very pleasant rural town like any you would see here but it is the first place I have even seen an outdoor gym with exercise equipment for the residents to use.

The most confusing thing I found about Cuba was the money as they have two types, the peso and the Peso CUC.

To travel over to Cayo Mambi from Holguin town, we chartered an old Russian made Lada which looked a bit decrepit and had a noisy engine but it drove well. We had planned to hop on a bus to return, but learnt that the buses were reserved for the residents as the fares are subsidized so we came home in a brand new chartered, air conditioned Chinese car. It did not appear to be as good as the old Lada however as we noticed that the engine kept fading so the driver was constantly turning the key back on, but it never stopped and we got back comfortably and safely.

Flowers were laid in front of the monument dedicated to Frank Pais

I was very curious about Frank Pais as not only is the airport at Holguin and an entire municipality named after him but also the sugar factory in Cayo Mambi and the house where he was born in Santiago de Cuba is highlighted as a place of interest.

 On looking him up on my return, I learnt from WIKIPEDIA that; "Frank País (December 7, 1934 – July 30, 1957) was a Cuban revolutionary who campaigned for the overthrow of General Fulgencio Batista's government in Cuba. País was the urban coordinator of the 26th of July Movement, and was a key organizer within the urban underground movement, collaborating with Fidel Castro's guerrilla forces which were conducting activities in the Sierra Maestra mountains.^[1] País was killed in the streets of Santiago de Cuba by the Santiago police on July 30, 1957.^[2][3]
His father was Francisco País Pesqueira, a Protestant pastor married to Rosario García Calviño. Both were from Marín in Galicia, Spain and immigrants to Cuba. Francisco País Pesqueira was one of the founding members of the First Baptist Church of Santiago de Cuba. On his death, Rosario García Calviño took sole charge of 5-year-old Frank and his younger brothers Augustin, 3, and Josué, 2.^[4]

The family struggled financially, although his mother taught piano to make ends meet.^[5] Frank began to study architecture, but abandoned his studies to enroll in the Oriente Teacher’s College which he graduated from on July 6, 1953."

THE COSTAL MANAGEMEN T'S FIRST RACE

I don't think the Coastal Management made a cent after the 5K they had Saturday 26th April,  from Hayes to Lionel Town in Clarendon. For apparently the event was not too well publicized so only 27 participants were there and 15 marshals from fun and thrills! Besides, most of the participants were school kids so I don't think they paid the full entry amount.

Anyway, it was their first attempt at this type of fund raising so I guess they will learn for they never even had police presence for this one but maybe they thought they did not need it as apart from route taxis, there were not too many other cars.

The event started about an hour late and we killed time by riding up and down the roadway giving 

David Jo plenty of time to lose his pump!.

When the  race finally started, Pat and I took up positions at the first water station and saw the first young man running ahead of the pack and looking furtively over his shoulder. When we enquired about the reason for his disquiet, he said the girl behind him was his sister and he did not want her to pass him! Both were from Bustamante High school and she did pass him and won the race doing it in 29 minutes.

I eventually decided to stay behind the last walkers. One was a British woman who has been here for 35 years and active in environmental matters and the other a peace corp voluntee frrom Massachusetts who had been here for only 2 months after a two year stint in Nepal.

 

After the race lymed at the Lionel Town sports club where we had breakfast and when the DJ started to play "Rent a tile music" Chuck was so overwhelmed as that he grabbed a buxom dawta AND locked down. 

I guess because the organisers had such so few entrants at this event, they had an excess gifts so we got a gift basket for our marshaling efforts.

Then it was off to Salt river so those were prepared could swim. Most drove but Michelle and Michael decided to ride to the river while Maurice was determined to ride back by himself since there were no other crazy people willing to join him . 

I did not have any swim gear so took the opportunity to sleep for having done a 14km hike the day before and getting up from 4.30 am to go to Hayes, I was beat. 

KING RIBI

Apparently while I slept. Maurice (Ribi) rode up, did not stop and continued on to Kingston alone. We never saw him until we got to Old Harbour.       

 It was another good spin with 'fun and thrills, organised by the one and only Ayatollah with transportation assistance from Sheriff, Janet, Brian, Howie and Chuck.

Photos contributed by David Jo.