Climate change is real

The 2021 Global Conference on Health & Climate Change held in late October to early November 2021 in Glasgow, Scotland may seem to be just another talk shop to some people, but to us in Jamaica, it is a deathly serious matter.

Pity two major polluters, China and Russia refused to attend.

Hellshire beach, before

The fact is though, that while it is the rich countries that are the major polluters and destroyers of our planet, it is small poor states and especially islands, that are already bearing the brunt.

Look at the poor island of Madagascar. Already a huge section of that island has been suffering from a chronic drought for the past four years, resulting in over a million people facing a devastating famine.

We will certainly be hearing similar heart-breaking stories from other places in the near future as storms, floods, droughts  and other natural disasters increase in intensity.

Right now in our own vulnerable island of Jamaica, beach erosion caused by global warming which causes sea levels to rise, has already started to destroy the source of income for hundreds of fishermen and other small entrepreneurs.

This came home to me starkly last year when a group of us went over to Hellshire Beach, a popular  seafood mecca near Kingston.

There hundreds of small entrepeneurs have made a good living for years, feeding those who have journeyed from Kingston and other areas to swim and enjoy their delicious fare.

No beach left at Hellshire

It had also been a regular hangout for my cycling club. We would ride over to the beach, swim, eat breakfast and have a wonderful time, then return to Kington. However, through the rising waters, the beautiful beach has virtually gone, putting hundreds of people out of business, as who wants to go there to eat the delicious seafood that they prepare, if you can’t swim anymore?

Where will we swim?

Other areas of Jamaica are already seeing the creeping disaster too. Among them is another very popular seafood food and fishing area at Alligator Pond in Manchester. 

St. Elizabeth is not being spared either, for residents of Calabash Bay are growing increasingly anxious as their beach slowly disappears.

Yes, many look at the issue of Climate Change and conferences in Europe as being remote and not of interest to us. But they are, for, on the ground the effects of global warming are being felt at the local level.

It is therefore heartening that our Prime Minister Andrew Holness, the extremely articulate Prime Minister Mia Motley of Barbados and other leading Caribbean leaders, made their way to that conference to put our story on to the front burner before it is too late.

The rich countries have promised to curb their destructive habits and make funding available to mitigate the problem. We can be cynical and say we have heard that before or we can become persistent  lobbyists to ensure that they do.

Because for us the dangers are imminent and real.

https://youtu.be/Lqu9pMsvagg

Politics, Mountains and Beaches

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Our mountains are green, lush, picturesque and just plain beautiful. It is as if I become more invigorated each time I go into them there hills.

Today was no different as we rode to Newcastle, my fourth try and my third success. Actually my fitness level is really improving greatly for what used to be a four hour struggle is now a three and a half hour challenging ride. I am talking about a constant uphill ride for about 12 miles. The ambiance does ease the pressure somewhat as the view is so breathtaking.

As I rode into the hills a SUV stopped beside me and two ladies shouted "Joan Marshall" in unison. Well you know when you hear that name you are talking about people who come from way back in my long life. It was Maureen and Pansy Williams, two sisters who were at Hampton with me. I was in the same form with Maureen who is now a dermatologist at Cornwall Regional hospital but I also knew Pansy well and while I have seen her from time to time, Maureen I have never seen since we left school almost a century ago! It was a pleasant if short reunion but I am amazed how they recognized me in my helmet and all. It just goes to show that their memory is far better than mine for they had to tell me who they were!. C'est la vie.

I missed stopping to pick and eat raspberries on the way up to Newcastle for unfortunately they are now out of season. You know, I have to watch how I speak as people are always picking up my voice. I saw a group of men just below the Catharine’s Peak factory working on the break away on the road (there is a lot of work going on all the way on the many break aways that have emerged over the years as a result of landslides. Seems like a by-election is in the air as that is the constituency of Joe Hibbert. ) and as I told them good morning, one shouted out "Is you dat Miss Will" When I answered in the affirmative I was immediately surrounded by friendly fire as they greeted me happily. The the issues that they want me to address on radio came at me from all quarters. The main problem however is the fact that they cannot get any pay for the coffee they deliver to the Mavis Bank Factory. Apparently the factory is in financial bind and while these peasant farmers are doing their part and delivering boxes of Blue Mountain Coffee to the factory, they just can't get their money, They reminded me that that Blue Mountain Coffee covers three parishes, St. Andrew, St. Thomas and Portland and they told me the growing areas are all all represented by JLP member of parliament..... James Robertson, Andrew Gallimore and Joe Hilbert. The men said the small farmers in the hills supported the present government but they have been abandoned. I told them that they should stop supporting politicians because of family tradition for that is when they take them for granted by ignoring them when they win. It is not until the next election comes that politicians return with sweet words and they fall for it. They asked me to big them up on the programme but the only name I can remember is Kingsley and the day is not even over yet! Anyway when he told me he wanted Renato Adams to become Commissioner of police, I knew it was time to resume my trip to the army training camp.

All but Anne Marie completed the entire trip up on bicycle. When we got there, the temperature was at least 10 degrees lower than it is in Irish Town and all the hills below us were heavily shrouded in mist.

After breakfast at Cafe Bleu on the way down, I decided that I had niggeritis ( as did Damit and Anne Marie)and we drove down in Howie's pickup from Irish town to Kingston. Zorie, Stefan and Penny's 3 year old daughter, kept us amused as she chatted non stop from we got in until we arrived. She is a funny kid for seeing her this morning you would never know she had a tongue as she refused to answer us when we tried to talk to her, but after a hearty meal, there was no end to it. She clearly not only resembles her father but is also powered by food as he is!

I thought yesterdays ride to Hellshire Beach was uneventful, apart from me seeing a dead baby crocodile about two feet long on the road. He seems to have been run over by a car and I cant say I am sorry for those things grow to be 20 foot monsters that have now qualms about attacking humans. However Howie revealed that we had a near tragedy as a new rider who had been brought along by Peter had swung out in front of a car on the Boulevard and his heart stopped for it only the quick reflex of the driver that saved her. Apparently that drew the ire of another motorist who gave them a proper tongue lashing over the incident.

The sea was great and the food good but expensive. Naomi who lives in Hellshire joined us at the beach but she did not swim but went riding into the Hellshire hills with Orrell. We had two new riders a (apart from the lady who had a near miss). They are Johann (pronounced Yohan) and Soldier Mike, a flight lieutenant at the Air Wing of the JDF. He brought his wife and his two adorable kids.

Jamaica's 47th year of Independence.

On Thursday 6th August 2009, the little island of Jamaica became 47 years old and our exciting riding club "Fun and Thrills" became about 3 years old.What the heck. We really don't care how old we are, we are just determined to have all the fun, spills and thrills that we can!

So at about 6.30 am (later as usual than what we were told would be the start out time) 15 of us riders set out from our headquarters in Hope Pastures for Hellsire Beach in search of a good swim and a lovely breakfast. Of course this incluided the regulars, Charles ( head cook and bottle washer, benevolent dictator etc. etc.) Michael Williams, Michael Chuck, Howie, and of course me. Also present were the not so regulars, Andrew, David, Penny, Kevin, Stefan,Grace and Barry plus three, first timers...Johnhy Chuck, the president of the ladies Jamaica Hockey team and the president of the Gun Lobby. Damit joined us at Liguenea.

We rode down Hope Road, in to Trafalgar Road, down West King's House Road and on to Dunrobin Avenue, where Betty joined us. It was an easy, pleasant and basically uneventful ride along mandella Highway and then on to I95 with just one minor spill.

We thought we had it down pat by heading out early to Hellshire but we were shocked to see that dozens of other Jamaicans also had the same idea and the beach was already crowded. We were also surprised to see that young men in tee shirts with Hellsire Fishermen Coop printerd on them, had erected a gate at the entrance and were charging $50 per person to enter. They were also restricting the number of vehicles driving on to the beach which is good as that cut down on the traffic snarls and the ill temper which often accompnies such situations.

When we got there, breakfast which had been pre- arranged was not yet ready so we were able to get a dip in the warm, calm blue water. The breakfast was absolutely delicious...... fried fish and festival, green bananas, ackee and saltfish, fried plaintain, fried breadfrui. and lots of callalo. Lots of other persons drove over to join us for breakfast, including Lisa (with her two poodles), Spy and family, Fatman and family, Mitchum and others.

The food was really a winner then we went back into the glorious water for another couple hours.

Shortly after noon, we packed up the 17 bicycles into Howie's and Michael Chuck's pickups and we all piled into the other support vehicles for the ride home.

Driving upo Hope Road we saw a number of beautifully decorated trucks parked in front of Ranny Williams centre where the float parades to celebrate our independence was scheduled to begin.

For us, it was another great day of of fun, spills and thrills.