Suffering in Cuba

 I was really touched by the recent Observer story "Mexico to send food aid to Cuba while seeking end to oil siege — Sheinbaum." 

I must say President Claudia Sheinbaum has gone up 100% in my book, for not only her humanity but also her courage.

We all know life is not fair, but what is particularly despicable about politics is the fact that all over the world,  millions of people consistently suffer and die because of the actions of a few people.

Nowhere is this being played played out more before our eyes than in our nearest neighbor, Cuba.

I am no Cuban apologist, for I despise communism and for a few years in the 70's I even assumed an activist role when the Cubans, under their patron Michael Manley, appeared to be close to introducing their alien ideology and attempted influence into Jamaica. 

 (This is all recorded in my best seller, Looking Back, the struggle to preserve our freedoms. See Jamaica Observer review at: https://joan-myviews.blogspot.com/2017/12/joan-williams-former-local-host-looks.html).

But the reality is, the vast majority of ordinary Cuban people have suffered immensely for decades, first under the dictator Batista, then under successive dictators from the Castro family and their successors. And I like so many Jamaicans have close relatives there.

More than a century ago,  Cuba provided an escape valve for many of our ancestors and some of us remain in touch with our kit and kin living in penury there.

For in case you forgot, when slavery was abolished and thousands of "freed" slaves had no means of survival, it was to Cuba they fled  to seek employment. For as that beautiful big island is only 90 miles away at its closest point, Jamaicans could escape there in crude vessels that were barely sea worthy. So when you go to areas in Santiago, Holguin and Guantanamo Bay, there are hundreds of thousands of Cubans there of Jamaican ancestry.

 I  still remember well the old man I met in Guantanamo Bay (The Cuban side), decades ago. He had never been to Jamaica or even met or been in touch with his family here, but he listened to Jamaican radio everyday, spoke a fair amount of patois, knew everything about us, including the price of a lot of basic products and longed to meet his Jamaican family.

Our history with the Cuban government has not always been cordial, but many family ties have remained close. 

When I think of the plight of our families and others there who are today without viable incomes, light, power, basic foods, medicine etc, since the latest threat of increased sanctions from the Americans on any country that provides them with fuel, my heart goes out to them. 

This is after sections were devastated by hurricane Melissa and a recent 5.5 earthquake. 

Worse, tourism, which had remained fairly vibrant with guests coming every winter from Canada and Europe,  came to a virtual halt in late 2025, due to the power cuts and increasing shortages.

So you know that with increased sanctions to deprive them of even fuel,  things can only get worse each day.

After the Manley government era, the Cubans went from interfering in our internal affairs to assisting in many areas, especially education and health.

The reality is that neither Mexico nor Jamaica can defy the Americans as far as these threats are concerned. 

However, President Sheinbaum was not prepared to just walk away and do nothing, hence her determination to use diplomacy while sending food aid to the beleaguered people.

What is the Jamaican government doing?

 

Afrrican American Museum, Charleston

There was so much to see at the International African American Museum, that I was disappointed that I had so little time to take it in properly.

In fact, from all appearances, it appeared to have a far more comprehensive history than many others I have visited. For as it promises; it tells the unvarnished stories of the African American experience across generations, the trauma and triumph that gave rise to a resilient people.

The pictures and story boards I was able to see during a limited period, were really good.

So, below I have recorded all the pics and stories I was able to take, in the hope that soon I will be able to return to them and educate myself thoroughtly. 

section of thesculpture garden outside the museum

If I ever visit Charleston again, I will certainly put aside an entire day to spend inside this beautiful and educational museum.

 

THE FIRST REVIEW!

                       

 After much hesitation, I published "Looking Back......the struggle to preserve our freedoms" in November 2015.

This was a Semi-autobiography which was dominated by my activities between 1970 and 1980, first as a PNP activist, then as a JLP activist.

This was the period when my little island was on the verge of a civil war.

The publication got great reviews, but none better than in a humorous 45 minute interview with Cliff Hughes on Nationwide Radio.

Listen to it at;  https://youtu.be/Bye6K9uwmzo.

After that, all copies on the island sold out instantly. However, paperback and kindle versions were still available on Amazon.com at; Amazon.com : looking back by Joan Williams.

When I migrated to the USA, I relaunched it at Pembroke Pines Library in Broward County, Florida, in 2017 (Joan, my views: Florida launch of "Looking back...." (joan-myviews.blogspot.com).

The reviews from the Jamaica Observer, Caribbean Today and Caribbean National Weekly were so good that the book has continued to do very well, especially with Jamaicans living abroad.       

To tell you the truth though, I have not been paying much attention to it, except to glance at the monthly sales logs which Amazon sends me.

Then out of the clear blue sky, about two weeks ago, I got an email from Amazon advising me that the book had been selected to become an audiobook. 

The voice would be done by AI,(Artificial Intelligence) they said. 

To tell the truth, I never visited the link they sent me until I got a follow-up email from them asking me how I felt about the project?

That’s when I finally listened to it on Audible at; LOOKING BACK......... by Joan Williams - Audiobook - Audible.com,  and I could not believe how good it sounded!

I immediately shared the link widely on my blog and was pleasantly surprised that by the following day, a 5-star review was posted on the page.

I have reproduced it below.   

                                     THE REVIEW

“Title: "Looking Back: A Riveting Account of Jamaica's Turbulent Political Years (1970-1994)" by Joan Williams

 

Rating: 5/5

 Joan Williams's "Looking Back" offers a compelling narrative of Jamaica's political upheavals during the crucial years between 1970 and 1994. For readers like yourself, who may have left Jamaica during this period, this book serves as an invaluable window into the tumultuous events that unfolded under the leadership of Michael Manley and Edward Seaga.

 Williams provides a ringside view of Jamaica's political landscape, delving deep into the ideological clashes, social unrest, and economic challenges that gripped the nation. Through meticulous research and firsthand accounts, she paints a vivid picture of the power struggles between the People's National Party (PNP) under Manley and the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) led by Seaga.

 What sets "Looking Back" apart is its ability to offer nuanced insights into the complexities of Jamaican politics. Williams doesn't shy away from addressing the controversies, violence, and human toll that marked this period. Yet, amidst the chaos, she also highlights moments of resilience, community spirit, and the enduring quest for social justice.

 One of the book's strengths lies in its balanced portrayal of key political figures. Rather than resorting to simplistic caricatures, Williams presents Manley and Seaga as multifaceted individuals with distinct visions for Jamaica's future. By exploring their policies, personalities, and legacies, she enables readers to grasp the motivations driving these leaders and the impact of their decisions on the country's trajectory.

 Moreover, "Looking Back" offers valuable lessons for understanding contemporary Jamaican society and politics. Williams skillfully connects past events to present-day realities, illuminating the roots of ongoing social issues and the enduring legacy of this pivotal era.

 In conclusion, "Looking Back" is a must-read for anyone interested in Jamaican history, politics, or society. Joan Williams's engaging prose, thorough research, and insightful analysis make this book a captivating journey through Jamaica's turbulent past. Whether you're a newcomer to Jamaican history or a seasoned observer, "Looking Back" offers fresh perspectives and profound revelations that will leave a lasting impression.

 Everett Smith, Esq.

Law Offices of Everett Algernon Smith, P.A.

POB 8487.

Coral Springs, FL 33075.”

 I am extremely grateful to Amazon for having selected this publication, for such prestigious treatment, for as we are often reminded - “Those who forget history are condemned to repeat it.”

 If I can play even a small role in ensuring that Jamaica never again treads that path, it will be well worth it.

 Your feedback is invited; gratestj@gmail.com

 

Thanks Amazon.

It was such a a pleasant surprise when I got an email from my publisher Amazon, saying my autobiography "Looking Back....." had been selected to be converted into an audiobook!

This is link:  https://www.audible.com/pd/LOOKING-BACK-Audiobook/B0CY2MZL4H. 

I listened to it and it sure has been well done using AI. 

This autobiography was written in 2015 but the Florida launch was  in October  2017. (Joan, my views: Florida launch of "Looking back...." (joan-myviews.blogspot.com).

 It has been doing quite well on Amazon as a paperback for years.

 I guess that's why they selected it for the upgrade to an audiobook. 

Thanks Amazon. It's a great listen😊.

Other Links; Joan, my views: Joan Williams, former local host, looks back to go forward (joan-myviews.blogspot.com)

Joan, my views: An excellent book review (joan-myviews.blogspot.com)

Youtube; Joan Williams - YouTube

Hypocrisy to the nth degree!

 When I heard the hullabaloo coming out of the Peoples National Party (PNP), private sector and a few other hypocritical mouths, because MP Warmington declared that opposition Leader Mark Golding’s color should disqualify him from becoming prime minister of Jamaica, I had a good laugh.

For wasn’t this the same party that was able to remain in power for eighteen years, not because they had good policies, but because they were able to convince most Jamaicans that Seaga, a white man could not lead Jamaica because of his color?

How the world turns!

P.J. Patterson, who led probably the most corrupt regime in the history of my poor beleaguered country, could never have stayed in power for 14 years, were it not for the race card that the PNP played consistently.

Where were all those people who are now protesting about Warmingiton’s comments, during that period?

Jamaica’s motto is “Out of many one people” is strictly aspirational in my view, as race baiting is an integral part of our culture.

I am not saying I support racism now, any more than I supported it when Seaga was head of the Jamaican Opposition JLP. 

Of course not.

What is double amusing too, is to hear some well-known apologists even trying to promote Mark Golding on the basis of what his late father did for the country.

The late Professor Sir John Golding, was an orthopedic surgeon who was key to helping to contain the polio epidemic that hit Jamaica in the 1950's. When he saw the level of disability that it caused especially among the poor, he established the Hope Institute to make and supply prosthetics for those affected.

In addition, he opened the Hope Valley Experimental School which was the first and only school in the Caribbean to integrate disabled and normally able children. Other initiatives included a company to employ the disabled, a farm for the handicapped, a Cheshire village a fairground to employ the handicapped and to raise money for a rehabilitation center, a prosthetics and orthotics center, a physiotherapy school and a hospice.

So yes, the late Professor John Golding was a great man.

However, the last time we Jamaicans elected a prime minister on the basis of what his father had done, it proved to be a great disaster and even thrust us in a civil war.

Yes, I am referring to the late Michael Manley, who sailed to leadership of the PNP on the coattail of his father, National Hero Norman Manley.

Oh, how we lived to regret it!

Let’s not do the same crap again, as that damage was too devastating and long lasting.

Out of many one people is a great aspiration yes.

But judge Mark Golding on his ability and policies and stop the hypocritical nonsense about not bringing people's color into political discussions.

The PNP started the trend, now they and their apologists need to cut out the hilarious side show about color and demonstrate to the country what they are capable of doing.

I hate socialism!

 It is almost impossible to turn on television these days and not hear some shrill accusation about some politician being a socialist.

 Of course, these charges are being widely thrown at Democrats, who are trying to hold on to the House and Senate in the upcoming mid-term elections.

And the label is sticking, to their detriment.

Every time I hear the accusations, I realize more how ignorant some Americans are. Or maybe they are not as stupid as they pretend to be but are simply hoping  to deceive the uneducated.

For in all the years I have been following politics, I have never heard a sensible leader in the democratic party, claim to be a socialist.

I deliberately said sensible as that immediately eliminates Bernie Sanders who in my book is moving rapidly towards senility.

For Socialism is a system whereby the government controls the economy so market forces do not prevail.

This is what former Prime Minister of Jamaica Michael Manley tried to foist on us, causing me to have to endanger my life and join the fight against socialism there.

For I am totally opposed to a government controlling the so-called “Commanding heights of the economy” as he espoused.😡

That has never worked. Not in Cuba, North Korea, Russia nowhere.

Even China never started to grow until they loosened the reins and allowed market forces to prevail.

So effective has the Repubican propaganda become that I have even heard some ignorant people claiming that Justin Trudeau is a socialist and Canada is a socialist country! 

They had long thrown countries such as Sweden, Finland, Denmark etc. into that bag too!

Pure ignorance.

What these countries which all operate well established market economies have in common, is something called Humanity.

For, they do not believe people should starve and be trampled on, simply because they are poor.

That is what even the US based Social Security System was to prevent.

This was established in 1935 by President Roosevelt during the Great Depression, when poverty rates among senior citizens exceeded 50 percent.

I can just imagine the hullabaloo by the rich in 1935, when that government tried to prevent the poor from starving!

That’s whats so clear about American politics.

Republicans just do not believe in helping the poor in any way, although their supporters benefit from programs designed to alleviate poverty.

What bothers me is that the Democrats do not understand the damage the socialist label does to them, especially among immigrants from countries where they actually had to contend with the evils of socialism.

It is therefore not surprising that the polls are now showing that Latin Americans, many of whom have seen or experienced socialism, have bought into the rhetoric and are moving to the Republican party in droves.

The democrats often utter the phrase “Words matter” but I wonder if they realize how true that is!

Maybe they themselves really don’t know what socialism is, so that is why they are allowing the label to stick.

It is to their detriment.

 Link; 2020 DECISION: SOCIALIM, RACISM OR HAPPINESS?: Williams, Joan, Williams, Joan, Bridgestone, Carol: 9781696578523: Amazon.com: Books

CARRIED IN SUN SENTINEL 7/11/2022

Sister Benedict

Four years ago, (Feb 2018), the Jamaica Observer carried an article entitled “70 years of service.” It was written by their editor Vernon Davidson.  (https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/70-years-of-service/. (70 years of service - Jamaica Observer). 

In the article Davidson recorded the invaluable service a Catholic Nun named of Sister Benedict Chong, had been doing in one of Kingston’s most dangerous and deprived areas.

Her contribution to uplifting the lives of the people in the area, has been no less than phenomenal and if you want to be inspired, you should read that article.

I know Sister Benedict well, and for some reason, I recently thought about her and wondered how she was doing. So, I asked a Roman Catholic friend to contact her and find out for me. I soon got the good news that she was fine.

When I heard she was on Whats Ap, I called her. I was in absolute awe, when she told me that she was 91 years old but still lived at Law’s Street, above the centre there called Laws Street Training Centre, which she along with other nuns had operated for years. When I asked her why she was still working, she told me the other Nuns had died, young ladies were not entering the Order, poverty and need was getting worse in the area, so she had to continue the journey which includes feeding and delivering ‘care package’ to some 800 persons every other week.

It is possible however, that the younger generation does not know of the critical role, the same Sister Benedict  played in 1978, in exposing a massacre carried out by a group within our own Army called, the Military Intelligence Unit (MIU).

This was during the term of  PM Michael Manley,  who brought our country to the brink of a civil war.

Manley, an admirer of Fidel Castro in Cuba, sought to use both our army and police as his own private militia, to dominate the Jamaican people into submission. 

One particular heinous act carried out by the regime became known as the Green Bay Massacre.

Long story short, Manley had a section in his constituency which was not supporting his party, so decided to get rid of the leaders.

His constituency was poverty stricken with high unemployment, so he used soldiers from the MIU to befriend a group of young men from the area and promise them employment at a place in St. Catherine operated by the Army called Green Bay.

 Under the command of a Colonel named Ian Robinson, around a dozen young men were picked up and transported to the ‘job’ site at Green Bay, in an army vehicle. On arrival, the young men were told to walk ahead of the army personnel who transported them. As they started walking, soldiers lying in ambush opened fire on them. Most of the young men were killed but two or three managed to escape, one even swimming to safety.

He had been born at Laws Street and knew sister Benedict from birth. So, he found his way to her Centre for refuge. When he got there, he was barefooted and bleeding profusely from cuts and bruises he received as escaped by sea and running through an area covered with prickly acacia bushes. Sister hid him from the authorities and nursed him back to good health.

  In the meantime, the army publicized a story to the effect that; the army my had encountered a group of young men the night before, unloading weapons from a boat by the sea. They confronted them, were fired on, they returned fire and most of the men were killed but two or three escaped.

On hearing this version, a grateful nation thanked the army.

That story remained in the headlines for weeks as the nation cheered, thinking they had been saved by the courageous men.

In the meantime, Sister Benedict on hearing the other version from the man she was hiding, contacted an investigative journalist she knew at Jamaica’s only independent newspaper, the Gleaner. 

That journalist was David DaCosta.

 DaCosta listened to his version and with a small team, set out to investigate the matter.

They miraculously got proof of its veracity, quite by accident.

The leader of the Army’s assassination team, Colonel Robinson, had taken pictures of his family on his camara (in the days when people used cameras with films) and also on the same film, taken pictures of the scene at Green Bay.

When the film was taken to be developed, someone there realized that the pictures of the dead men were taken at Green Bay and contacted DaCosta.

Using scientific methods, they were able to prove that because of the angle of the shadows,  the incident had occurred in the early morning and not at night as the Army had reported.

With that revelation, some soldiers who had been uncomfortable with the operation, started to give information to the journalists anonymously. That caused the entire official story to unravel and even international human rights organizations helped to spread the truth about the massacre, far and wide.

I don’t think Sister Benedict’s role in exposing that major threat to our democracy has been celebrated as it should.

So, while the people of Laws Street and its environs owe that dedicated Nun for her  commitment to them for almost 75 years, the island of Jamaica also owes her a debt of gratitude for helping us retain our freedoms and democracy.

Sister Benedict is indeed a phenomenal woman.

Scratching each others back!

 

There are two popular concepts that come to mind, whenever I think of Jamaican politics.

They are; you scratch my back and I will scratch yours and the other is honor among thieves. While it was William Shakespeare who popularized the latter in the end of the 1500s in his play Henry IV, Jamaican PNP and JLP politicians have adopted it whole heartedly and been applying it religiously since we got independence sixty years ago.

Yup, we will be celebrating that great event with much fanfare in a few weeks!

In the meantime, the country continues to be impoverished by corruption which is estimated to cost us in excess of $100 billion per year.

Don’t be taken in by what the politicians say about each other from the platforms or in parliament! That is just for show, for when it comes to what most politicians want, ie. the spoils of office, it’s a different ballgame.

In fact, if a being came from Mars, it could be excused for thinking that Jamaica is the least corrupt country in the world, since all over the world it sees reports of politicians being jailed for corruption, but never Jamaica, no matter what the Auditor General finds or how many spots we slide down on the Transparency International Perception of Corruption Index.

I know, people like to point to the late JAG Smith, a former JLP Minister of Labor who was imprisoned in 1990, supposedly for stealing Farm Worker’s money.

BUT HE WAS NOT JAILED FOR CORRUPTION but for being rude and abusive to an influential member of the PNP which then formed the government!

For in true “honor among thieves’ style, the powerful late trade unionist, former prime minister Hugh Lawson Shearer and his bosom friend, the late Michael Manley who was then prime minister, had arranged that it would be swept under the carpet. Unfortunately, Smith’s legendary arrogance caused him to be abusive to the final arbiter on the matter in the PNP government and that is why it was pursued and Smith imprisoned!

In the meantime, our neighbors take corruption so seriously, that on the 8 July 2022, our own Jamaica Observer carried this item on how a former prime minister of Trinidad, allegedly involved in corruption there, is being treated in his country. It says in part “September 2 (2022) the court is to give a ruling to an application by the Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) George Busby, who has requested an adjournment into the restart of a decades-old preliminary inquiry into corruption charges against former prime minister Basdeo Panday and three others, including his wife, Oma.”

Since there is no penalty in our political system for corruption despite the numerous cases that have been cited publicly over the years, the politicians do as they like and remain untouchable. 

Our legendary corruption is not only widely known in Jamaica but in the neighboring islands, for look at this headline in the St. Kitts and Nevis Observer in 2019; “Jamaica Losing $J100 Billion Annually from Crime, Corruption.”

And yes, we do have a so-called Integrity Commission, but guess what, it is being gagged and deterred from doing its job by guess who? The Jamaican parliamentarians JLP and PNP alike of course. (You scratch my back and I will scratch yours).

This recently led our Financial Investigation Division to say in frustration that ‘the work of agencies of Government in the fight against corruption was being hamstrung by the need to seek ministerial approval before they can exchange information on investigations. The FID said where the Integrity Commission needs to exchange information with designated competent authorities or foreign entities for legitimate investigations, it should not be hindered, and that the Act needs to be amended to remove this stumbling block in the fight against corruption”.

Also, according to reports coming out of parliament last week, when the Integrity Commission Bill was being considered, there was consensus between the Government and the Opposition to curtail the ability of the commission to speak about its investigations until probes were completed and reports tabled in Parliament.

This, despite Justice Panton and numerous other pointing out that;

“The Commission is firmly of the view that this is a serious impediment to good governance.” “... It is clearly ridiculous that whereas the police, quite rightly, can say that they are investigating a criminal matter, the Integrity Commission is not allowed to say it is.”

The politicians remain firmly determined to keep secret whether any of the numerous allegations of corruption, are being investigated, thus preventing members of the public or even whistleblowers from coming forward with information.

So, whereas, the public is often exhorted with these fine words in the interest of fighting crime; ‘If you know something say something,’ that only applies where the alleged criminals are mere plebs, not politicians.

So yes, politicians shout about the corruption from the rooftops, but you scratch my back and I will scratch yours, remains the dominant feature of the Jamaican parliamentary practice.

And the people perish.

 

 

Joan Williams, is a retired talk show host. She can be contacted at; gratestj@gmail.com or followed at; Joan my-views.blogspot.com