Simply the best❤️

 I cried as she was Simply the Best❤️

Winning the lottery

To some people, there is only one word that can appropriately describe the recent increases Prime Minister Andrew Holness awarded himself and his fellow politicians and that is;  is “craven.” For its as if they all won the lottery without buying a ticket.😡

Most people, including myself, do not think the vulgar level of increases ranging from 100-300 %, is by any means justifiable. For when you look at the top performers  around the world and the compensation thier leaders earn in comparison to ours, there is just no justification for the proposed level of increases.

For example, Britain has the 6^th largest economy in the world, yet the recent increase would bring our PM’s compensation to only $150,000 less than thiers, although our economy is way down at #130! (Measured by GDP).

Go figure.

In light of the hostile reaction to the disgraceful increases in politician’s salaries, the prime minister, fast on the heels of a pronouncement from the leader of the opposition, is saying he won’t grab the increase but everyone else will. (The leader of the opposition said he will only take 20% of his increase and give the rest to charity). 

Give me a break.

Another slap for the taxpayers is the fact that former prime ministers who are still living, will  also benefit from the whopping increases.

Those living are; P.J. Patterson, Bruce Golding and Portia Simpson Miller.

In my book however, the only former prime minister who deserves any raise is Portia.

For wasn’t it under P.J. that Jamaica’s economy hit rock bottom with the Finscac Affair which destroyed some 40,000 businesses and put the country into recession for years?

And why would Bruce Golding be deserving of a whopping increase when he only served as prime minister for 4 years before having to resign in disgrace after being accused of putting the interests of a notorious criminal above that of the country?

Portia is most deserving, as she returned Jamaica’s reputation to respectability and it was under her leadership that Dr. Peter Phillips restored Jamaica’s economy to viability, so we can now have money to spend on development rather than on debt servicing.

Another aspect of the inequitable handout being given to politicians without ‘accountability’ is the fact that parish councilors have also been awarded much more than they deserve.

For their pay has been increased by more than 300%, moving their renumeration from $1.6 million per year to $5 million.

How many councilors are performers? In my book, probably no more than 10%.

During the many years, I spent on radio, no topic was more pervasive than that of the non-performance of the councilors.

For decades, it has been recognized that taxpayers do not get value for the money spent on the parish council system. As in the main, their functions often overlap with that of the constituency representative, the MP.

That is why some 40 years ago, a study was done and it was proposed that parish councils be replaced with County Councils.

In other words, instead of having 13 Parish mini-governments, it should be replaced by 3 County councils, representing Cornwall, Middlesex and Surrey.

I liked the suggestion then and I still like it. For in my view, we have just too many politicians tripping all over each other with taxpayers getting short changed, every inch of the way.😡

Delivering good, cost-effective representation was not the objective of politicians 40 years ago, so the recommendation was shelved.

And value for money is not the objective today either.

Therefore, this latest act of exploitation will most likely be just another 9-day talk as politicians continue to enjoy the fruits of our labor without any accountability.

(See also  : https://joan-myviews.blogspot.com/2023/05/absolute-madness.html?m=1)

A great day

Going to the Tamarac sports complex on my birthday, May 20, was a pleasant way to close off my celebration.

For it was the city’s 60 th Anniversary and they put on a very successful series of family-oriented events to mark the day.

There were costumed characters all around but I was particularly impressed with the skills of the entertainers on stilts!

That’s balance power for you😊

On stage, there was the cultural side with songs and dances from Mexico and the South Pacific. (I came late so missed a lot including the reggae band😢)

Below is the band that closed off the cultural events before the light show.

Security was all around but thankfully, had nothing to do😊

All in all, I am happy I attended, for apart from the engaging performances, ran into quite a few friends and acquaintances.

Absolute madness

It appears that most Jamaicans are upset over the government voting itself hefty increases in salaries ranging from 100-200% and more.

 The reaction can be understood as there are no means of accountability or performance assessment for politicians, except of course through elections. 

However, with almost 25% of our constituencies being garrisons, you see our dilemma!

The timing of the announcement of the salary increases is interesting and significant!

For it came after the public servant unions had signed off on increases of approximately 20% for their members, (teachers government servants, nurses, etc.) in light of the claim from the government that they couldn’t pay more, based on the economic realities in the country.

Apparently, the Minister of Finance Dr. Nigel Clarke thought he was being smart with the timing. But the unions are not stupid, so are already decrying their measly increases in comparison to what politicians have given themselves.

In a country where pensioners haven’t received an increase in years and the minimum wage cannot even cover the minimum standard of living for any individual much less his/her family, the unconscionable increases in one fell swoop for politicians, is therefore not only absolute madness but totally unacceptable.

I suspect there will be prolonged upset and maybe even turmoil, over the anomalies during the ensuing weeks.

  

The Governor General's insignia shows an angel with his foot on the neck of a black man!

 The salary increase which hit me for six though, is the increase in the salary of the Governor General from $12 million to $34 million.

 According to the government, this is because the salary of the governor-general is tied to that of the Chief Justice.

 I cannot believe we have been living with this nonsense for decades, considering the important role and duties of the judiciary when compared to that of someone representing a foreign monarchy, with few and insignificant duties to boot!

This really explains the significance of the Governor General’s insignia; for it shows a white angel with his foot on the neck of a black man!😡

For decades I have felt somewhat lonely in raising the issue of the over $400 million we pay annually to keep that inconsequential office going!

But let's look ahead now.

Since we now have a Constitutional Committee in place, it’s time everyone pays close attention to the type of head of state we replace the monarchy with. (hopefully, it will happen in my lifetime!) 

For we simply cannot replace a virtually useless governor general with a useless ceremonial president.

If we do, the entire process will have been a colossal waste of time. 

So, while they are at it, hopefully, the new president will have useful oversight and real responsibilities.

And wouldn’t it be great if we, the voters, could choose the president, rather than having some political hack imposed on us, compliments of collusion between the PNP and JLP?

Not holding my breath at all.

 

 

 Link: https://joan-myviews.blogspot.com/2023/05/winning-lottery.html?m=1

 

 

The exploiters contender

 The story of Africa has been one of brutality, racism and exploitation. This by rich countries which have vied over the centuries, to steal the wealth of this resource rich continent.

Not much has changed over the centuries except maybe the modus operandi of the vipers and an increase in the number of those who may wish to join the rape.

The most recent entrant into the band of potential pillagers is of course China.

They have not come with the violence of the previous exploiters though, but with apparent kindness.

I only hope African leaders have learnt from the experience of  others though and most recently, the Sri Lankan experience with China. 

They also need to pay close attention to the extreme racism Africans and other blacks are often subjected to in China! (During the pandemic, it was widely reported that several African ambassadors had to write to China’s foreign minister, calling for the “cessation of forceful testing, quarantine and other inhuman treatments meted out to Africans” and Uganda even expelled some Chinese from their country in retaliation!)

Interestingly, Zambia only recently discovered huge emerald reserves. 

That’s why I find this you tube discussion I just got, so interesting: https://youtu.be/EvW18HDsFyw.

It sure stirred up bad vibes!

Hopefully the Zambians have a similar wise warning proverb like ours in Jamaica which is :’tek sleep mark death’.

Snoop Dogg versus Clarence!

Two black men made the headlines in the USA this week but for totally different reasons.

They were Calvin Broadus Jr. aka Snoop Dogg and Clarence Thomas.

Snoop is a multi-talented artist, social media influencer,  sports enthusiast, philanthropist (His non-profit Snoop Youth Football League seeks to empower youths and build character through athletics ), and an extremely successful businessman.

He made the news because a new business venture he is embarking on is to try to buy the Ottawa Senators, an ice hockey team!

While his main motivation is no doubt to make money, I saw him in an interview saying that he loves ice hockey but is disappointed that so few people of color are recruited to play this sport professionally. So by owning an ice hockey team, he hopes he will help to correct this.

Bravo Snoop. He is such a conscious and proactive person.💓

The other person I referred to was Clarence Thomas, the only black man on the US Supreme Court.

While seeing someone like themselves serving on the highest court in the land should be an incentive to black youth, Thomas made the news for the wrong reasons. 

For now lots of evidence is emerging to suggest that Thomas has sold his very soul and could now be considered the willing modern-day slave of a white man.

His puppet master is GOP billionaire Harlan Crow.

This is so embarrassing to people of color, whose ancestors were owned by rich whites who used violence to keep them and against whom they had to fight and shed blood for decades to free themselves.

But Thomas now appears to be voluntarily owned lock, stock and barrel by this billionaire.😠

I knew from having watched the Anita Hill hearings when he was being confirmed, that there was no good in this man.

He is however turning out to be a bigger disgrace than any of us could have imagined.😡

Hopefully, vulnerable black youth will realize that it's the Snoop Dogg's not the Clarence Thomas', who are the real heroes and role models!

Trump suffering from dementia!

 If ever there was a ‘Teflon don,’ it’s Donald Trump himself.

You know, a lot of us laughed when he declared in the 2016 campaign for president that he could kill a man on 5th Avenue and get away with it, but history has demonstrated that Trump knows his people. 

For while he has not actually killed anyone (that we know of), he has done just about everything else and gets away with it. 

He has used money that he collected for his foundation for his own use, refused to pay workmen and robbed those who enrolled in his Trump University, been an extreme racist, compromised the country's foreign policy with China after Ivanka received numerous copyrights from that country, used his expensive hotels to house secret service people guarding him at taxpayer's expense, is a super predator who had grabbed random women by their p*****, instigated an insurrection after trying to steal an election, tried to withhold funds from Ukraine unless they assisted him in dirty tricks for the 2020 elections and on and on. 

Name it and Trump has done it, but he retains unshakable support from most Christians and majority whites. 

I am watching this civil rape case brought by E. Jean Carrol with great interest.

Most likely she will not succeed but what has amazed me is how the media has virtually ignored his creeping dementia as revealed in this trial.  

As I said, he is covered in teflon, so while we all recognize that Biden is too old to run again, (Joan, my views: He is just too old! (joan-myviews.blogspot.com)  we often fail to point out that this also applies to Trump, as he is only four years younger than Biden and is far less mentally competent!

Where Trump's dementia surfaced dramatically again for the world to see, was in his deposition for this case. For, after claiming he didn't know his accuser, when he was shown a photo in which both she and he were quite clear, he misidentified his rape victim as his ex-wife Marla. 😅😅😅

In my book, this is clear evidence that his dementia is galloping!

No butterflies😊

I haven’t been riding much in Florida as I find the terrain so flat and boring. 

So my bicycle has been gathering dust in the storeroom.

I however jumped to it when my Guatemalan friend Rosa called to find out if I wanted to go to Butterfly World in nearby Coconut Creek, to ride. 

Having never been there before too, was a major incentive as I love to learn about new places.

Rosa is fully equipped for riding as she has a sturdy bike carrier, a good pump, (my tyres are always soft😫) and a large electric bike, so she picked me up.

 (The electric bike weighs a whopping 65 lbs! However she has a ramp to load it on to the carrier.)

We didn’t go into Butterfly World though as the entrance fee is $35!

To look at butterflies ?😡

Anyway there is much more to the park than butterflies and you don’t have to pay to be in the great outdoors if you are not riding horses, playing baseball or riding the railroad .

It’s a really nice family oriented outfit with horses, (including horseback riding) kids’ railroad, sports’ fields, cows, goats and chickens.

 

On seeing the small stock, and having just returned from the most wonderful safari in Botswana, (https://joan-myviews.blogspot.com/2023/03/heaven-on-earth.html ) I jokingly enquired from Rosa if we were at a Florida safari. 

That made her day😂. 

It was a great outdoor adventure while getting fresh air and good healthy exercise, and of course, the horsing around, camaraderie etc.

To cap it off, she had some delicious barbecue ribs and ice cold beer at her place so tired but happy, we knocked it off before I was dropped off.

A healthy happy way to spend a Saturday wouldn’t you say?

GREAT MEMORIES 

 

Karma is real

 Well, there you have it!

An adulterous couple is now not only head of fading England, ( once leader of the greatest empire in the world,) but also the Commonwealth and the head of the Church of England.

Poor God.

Of course, it is not the first time that adulterers have been heads of a major religion. In fact, when compared to former kings and queens of England, Charles and Camelia are probably saints. For they have no slaves (that we know of), have never murdered millions to increase their resources and enrich their empire etc.!

What has always amazed me in religious arguments is the Christian attitude to adultery.

Most Jamaican children (including yours truly) are taught from they can listen, to obey the ten commandments. What I have always found hilarious in discussions with parsons, deacons, or any high male official of the Christian church, is that whenever I broach the subject of adultery with them, they either totally ignore the question and start ranting about homosexuality, etc  (which is not even banned in the commandments ) or hurry off as they are always late for some appointment.😅 

 So, Charles and Camelia are well suited for being the head of the huge, influential, international Anglican Church aka Church of England.

Anyway, the British can do what they want and choose who they want to be the role models for their children but must Jamaicans and other black people always walk behind them peep peek cluck cluck?

Jamaica only finally tek shame outta wi eye after being embarrassed by Barbados (little England), in finally moving to get rid of the British monarchy as our head of state. But are we really going to be remaining in a Commonwealth headed by them?

Really, what benefit is the Commonwealth to us anyway and in terms of who heads it, surely this black-dominated body can do better than that!

I never watched the coronation as my stomach could not take it, but every newscast I have tried to watch over the last 24 hours has had an overabundance of snippets from the event. Seeing the Ja$ 24,123,750,000 (that’s what 125 million British pounds works out to be) parade put on yesterday, I hope the black people who attended were only there to enjoy the costumes, pageantry and splendor and not to pay homage to the new royals!

For, while we black people are among the most forgiving people in the world and many still tend to worship the British and all the other despots whose ancestors have murdered, enriched, enslaved and exploited our ancestors, karma is real. 

For, not too long ago, we heard that the ‘sun could never set on the British empire, but  England is today a mere shadow of itself. (five prime ministers in six years, the struggling economy, rising unemployment, crippling inflation, decline in trade, frequent strikes etc.)

I suspect too that under King Charles 111 and Queen Camelia, its descent into oblivion and international insignificance will be even more rapid.

 For Karma is real!