Whose Right Is It Anyway

I have often wondered why it is so difficult to get meaningful changes in my homeland, Jamaica...how did we get to a place where taxi and robot taxi drivers recklessly ply their trade across the nation with impunity...we blame the police for not doing enough but then the police complain about lack of resources...on and on it goes... We elect governments to look after our lives and fundamental to that is our safety and security. In this pandemic, the Andrew Holness administration has done a better than average job of alerting and educating the population about the dreaded covid19 virus. To be fair, both PM Holness and the Health & Wellness minister Christopher Tufton have repeatedly said that they would do their best to delay the onslaught of the virus. They also said we should prepare for an eventual outbreak. Well, that outbreak is finally here...based on the timeline it would appear that the spike started approximately two weeks after our Emancipation and Independence day celebrations. For reasons best known to the administration, the restrictions were relaxed over those two holidays and while many were asking why, no real reason was given. Of course, close on the heels of that week, the general elections were announced. Unlike many of the detractors of the Andrew Holness led government, I am not about to blame the outbreak on the lead up to the elections although there may be some of that. Again, we were always being warned that a spike was imminent and that things would get worse. In fact, the virus is  resurging in almost every country that was previously affected. This virus is new and even with the best efforts of the scientists; a full understanding is still some ways off. There are however some things that we know and one of those is how the virus spreads...it has been long established that transmission is primarily from human to human...that is an established fact. Physical distancing, sanitizing of the hands and the wearing of a mask are the three steps to minimizing the spread of the virus and given the fact that one can be a carrier without knowing, it should be fairly easy to understand the efficacy of following these simple protocols. Perhaps this is too simple for our people to understand and so the   authorities set out to create awareness among this well connected population that have become social media demigods. Through daily press briefings utilizing both mainstream and social media, we are constantly reminded to wear a mask in public, wash or sanitize hands and stay six feet apart if you have to be in a crowded space. As far as we know, a significant part of the population have complied but like anything else, there are those who refuse to comply out of sheer ignorance or some sort of defiance. These people are referred to locally as weak fence in the fight to contain the virus and prevent community spread. In order to minimize or control these people, special measures have been adopted including nightly curfews. A special Act was also passed in our Parliament to make it an offence to be in the public space without adhering to these restrictions but for some reason, the refusal to comply continues. The PM who has been given high marks along with the Health and Wellness minister and his team is once again being looked to for further steps to enforce and even deepen the sanctions but in a lengthy press briefing earlier this week, he seemed to have danced around that idea. In fact, as the spread of the virus increases exponentially and the number of deaths more than quadruple in a matter of days, there were no new measures put forward by the PM. Instead, there is talk about loosening the restrictions for people travelling to Jamaica from overseas. Many are now questioning the reasoning of the administration and coming on the heels of a just concluded general election where they garnered a massive majority in the House of Representatives, it was believed by many including myself, that more stringent measures would have been introduced. This however was not communicated in any form by the PM and many are asking why. It has since been brought to light that the legislation on which the Disaster Risk Management Act has be crafted is over sixty years old and does not provide adequately the tools needed for stricter sanctions. Members of the Bar Association have been encouraging the government to strengthen the laws which will give the police a better shot at prosecuting offenders. If we are to curtail this virus spread in any meaningful way this must be done without delay. The Act in its current form apparently does not sufficiently address the current pandemic and needs to be modified or amended to reflect today’s realities. To be totally frank, I listened to the Prime Minister’s press briefing on Tuesday and I was somewhat taken aback by his opening remarks. He started out by saying that Jamaica is a Liberal Democratic country and as such, certain measures taken in other jurisdictions may not apply to Jamaica. I recall that one of the countries being referenced in that pronouncement was Taiwan. Both the tone and tenure of that statement gave me cause to worry as it seems to be sending a message that as far as the enforcement of law and order goes, we are constrained because of our culture. If this is indeed what the Prime Minister was saying then I have to respectfully disagree with him and by the tone of the telephone calls to Nationwide on the midmorning program the following day, it was apparent that I had company. Many callers who expressed support for the administration lamented and expressed disappointment in the PM’s seemingly laid back attitude to the enforcement of the Disaster Risk Management Act. 

Later that same day, the director of communication for the Jamaica Constabulary Force explained to Cliff Hughes online that the law did not give them the authority to arrest of prosecute for the mere act of not wearing a mask or the gathering of people beyond the prescribed numbers circulated by the government. The offenders have to be first warned or instructed and only if there is a refusal to comply with a lawful police order they can be arrested or prosecuted. The problem with that is the fact that those who seem unwilling or in defiance of those protocols can be infecting others thus causing an even wider spread of the virus. It would seem reasonable to me to quickly have the law amended to allow for prosecution for the failure to wear a mask or the insistence of gathering in large numbers against the prescribed protocols. If we are to take control of the spread of this deadly virus, the government must move quickly to make the requisite amendments to the Act and call upon those charged with the security and safety of our people to enforce the law without fear or favour. Make the penalty for first time offenders painful and as for those repeat offenders, the pain should be excruciating...then and only then will they start to recognize that their right to be stupid or defiant is not more than the rights of the people who are trying hard to comply and are being constantly put at risk. Every infected person can, with or without knowing it, cause the infection and subsequent demise of several others. Over to you Mr. PM.

The Silly Season Again..? Say it ain't so....!!!

As a Jamaican with a keen interest in the affairs of the country, it's hard to keep quiet and watch the country further deteriorate...one can only hope that at least one new person will take something positive away from these posts...
I must however take some time to commend a fellow blogger who wrote an insightful and pointed piece which was posted on Facebook a few days ago. I refer to no other than Mr. Richard Blackford, a man who is unafraid to call a spade a spade irrespective of his political leaning or preference. His article "No Sacred Cows" is a recommended read which addresses the failure of successive governments in Jamaica to find sustainable solutions for the advancement of our beloved nation...much respect sir.

And now todays's topic...The Silly Season Again...?

 Hon. Portia Simpson Miller-Prime Minister

Jamaica, for what its worth, is fortunate to be a strong democracy...of course there are those who would prefer one party as government forever but I doubt this will happen any time soon. Say what you want about the misgivings of the country but the democracy is strong and with the emergence of social media, it is even more pronounced today. Just about every word spoken by our politicians are immediately picked up and republished on the various sites that cater to information and news. The now infamous gaffe"we are doing less with more" by the current Prime Minister, The Hon Portia Simpson Miller went viral on social media...and that was less than twenty four hours after the comment was made. Main stream media no longer controls the airwaves and in many case are actually picking up information after it is published on a social network or some other on-line site... This in itself is awesome...since there are no biased editors or committee to suppress the opinions and ideas of the writers, the information get out there raw...sometimes, too raw.

Jamaica today is a politically charged environment and there is nothing that fires up the sentiments like a political poll. Whether its done by Bill Johnson or Don Anderson the two premier pollsters on the island, the response is usually the same...the supporters of one side, usually the one coming out

Bill Johnson-Pollster

in a negative light, will immediately cry foul. The analysts will reawaken from the dead and for days following the publication of the poll results, all media will be inundated by comments and opinions about the poll results. Some critics, unaware of their obvious biases, will insist that the poll results are biased and therefore not worth the newsprint it is published on... 

Don Anderson-Pollster

Since the thrashing of the JLP by the PNP in December 2011, the pollsters went into hibernation. Usually, after an election and the change of government, there would be polls at various stages to give an indication of how the new government is doing.This time however, the pollsters have been doodling for the past two years and there was not a peep about the performance of the Portia Simpson led government. One had to settle for what was being published in the social media or the occasional article or statement by  a member of civil society but there was no indication of how the public was feeling in general. That was of course until a few days ago when out of nowhere, the latest Bill Johnson polls were published and what a whammy it was. Whatever is being said about polls,  they are taken seriously...and some people are petrified by the results no matter what they say in public. This is nowhere more evident than in some of the posts that are currently running on Facebook and other sites. All the analysts and pseudo-analysts are hollering from the steeples and hilltops and many are rubbishing the current results. Of course one is now also hearing from the governing party which came out at the negative end of the poll and they are actually saying that...well, we are not really surprised because our internal polls that were done a little while ago was indicating pretty much the same sentiments...Oh, really? You did an internal poll but kept it quiet because the results were unfavourable? Who exactly did that poll for you...could it be the well respected pollster One Don...aka Don Anderson? I am just asking...did you even plan on releasing that information...? I guess not. 

It is not unusual for public opinion to swing from one direction to the next but it is never an easy pill to swallow when your party leader or party on a whole is painted in a negative light. The JLP is no stranger to negative publicity and have also done an excellent job of inflicting additional negativity upon themselves. Not unlike the PNP, they have internal fights but unlike the PNP, they seem to like exposing their problems for the world to see and the recent leadership race in the party was a vexed and contentious one which continues to have a negative effect on the party. Matters were made even worse with the handling of the fallout by the party leader.

Hon Andrew Holness-Opposition Leader

One gets the sense that even now there is still quite a bit of bad blood within the party higher-ups. That of course is good news for the PNP who will not miss a chance to pour salt on that wound. The young and otherwise relatively clean Andrew Holness is coming off as a sort of tough guy who it seems would put his own ambition ahead of the future of the country and that is certainly not a good thing. That perception may be totally wrong but that's just the way it appears right now. How else can one explain the absence of people like Dr. Christopher Tufton and the silence of many others who have been in the party forever. 

That said, the polls are out and for the first time in almost four years, the Jamaica Labour Party has something to feel good about. OK, this is mostly about the party leader but it looks good on the party overall. When that large a percentage of people polled give the opposition leader such high ratings, it can only mean one thing, they are totally fed up with the PM and her approach to the governance of the country. The Opposition Leader may feel differently and may be thinking that this significant bump in popularity is his own doing but I would caution him. The good news would be even better news for the JLP if the country were in election mode. Unfortunately, elections are not constitutionally due for another two years and that may as well be a lifetime in politics. Maintaining a significant lead for that long a period is next to impossible in the Jamaican political landscape and very soon we may see another poll which shows the dead opposite of what is being reported now. So what should the JLP be doing at this crucial juncture? For starters, the opposition need to ensure that there is unity among the party leadership and the follower-ship will fall in. The respective Shadow Ministers must roll up their sleeves and get to work on the ground. They must be able to articulate the differences between themselves and the current government and speak with one voice on matters that are deemed "National Interest"...that is not happening now. 

Meanwhile, the PNP rabble-rousers are out in their numbers and they are taking no prisoners...they have poo-pood on the Bill Johnson polls and for the most part are reminding everyone of the 2011 elections when the Bill Johnson polls had the JLP ahead and the party went on to lose the election in a most humbling manner. Even after the fiasco with the current Minister of Health aka Minister Chick V and the obvious state of unpreparedness in the Health sector with the threat of the deadly Ebola Virus and no apparent plans in  place if it reaches our shores, supporters of the government are still adamant that things are just fine and all the saber rattling is just cheap politics. You know what, it may well be, however, this time the shoe is on the other foot...The Labour Party have always been the under dog in the Jamaican political landscape. The girls and boys from CARIMAC have seen to that for decades and the party is only just now waking up to that realization. In a way, I place the blame for where the party is squarely at their own feet...for the most part they have been intellectually and otherwise lazy. They have allowed the PNP to define them over and over...and instead of taking the fight to them, they have mostly fought among themselves. 

There is hardly any likelihood that there will be a General Election in Jamaica anytime soon and with this very damaging poll, the PNP would be crazy to call for one. However, the politicking is on in earnest and while the JLP basks in the findings of this most recent poll, the PNP are probably meeting behind closed doors and strategizing on how to make a quick comeback. Is it that simple...well, only time will tell...after all, when the JLP left office in December of 2011, the rate of exchange was somewhere in the region of 85:1 and today if the truth is to be told, it is somewhere in the region of 120:1 never mind what is published daily by the Central Bank...Unemployment remains a major crisis as borne out in that same poll and the incidents of Police killings and the poor handling of the now International disgrace surrounding the killing of the young Mario Deane while in Police custody should all be matters of grave concern for the government. But the tides can change rapidly and all that is needed is for a member of the Opposition to say or do something stupid and the boys and girls from CARIMAC will have a field day...Are we in the silly season again...? A more fitting question would be...Are we ever out of the silly season in Jamaica?

That Wretched Belief System

That Wretched Belief System

For years I have made it a point to explain to friends and associates that I am a spiritual being and I make no apologies for that. For some I have had to clarify that my spirituality is of a non-religious nature and while I am of the view that we all have a right to our beliefs, from time to time I get chided for not extolling the virtues of "Christianity". How can you not believe in God...? Well, actually I have never said that, what I have said however is that your concept of God may be quite different from mine...You may believe that God is an over weight old White Man with long white hair and an equally long beard, sitting on an over-sized throne somewhere up in the skies...and he sees and hears everything and is so powerful that he can create or destroy at will that which he likes or dislikes. OK...that is your right but I have no obligation to believe any of that. 

  I will admit that at first  I was somewhat timid and oft times kept silent instead of engaging in discussions which for the most part would force me to defend my right to my beliefs, a situation which almost always lead to expressions of shock and you get it...disbelief. Of course having developed friendships and relationships, those with whom you have these relationships will become an integral part of your life...be it social or otherwise, they become important fixtures in your daily life and instead of losing that, it may seem easier to just go along with the popular thinking and everybody will be happy...not...if you are truthful, you can never be happy living what you perceive to be a lie.

I once told a minister of religion that I would challenge him to look at the way we have both lived our lives and I would probably come out more"righteous" than he. Needless to say he was not amused but I believed then as I do now, that I would have beaten him hands down...but that is just my belief. I knew then as I do now, that doing the right thing and living right has nothing to do with being a Christian or Muslim or any other religion, it has to do with your conscience and appreciation of right and wrong. If all that was needed is for one to be religious and extol the virtues of Christianity,  then much of the misdeeds of Bishops, Ministers and Deacons would never occur, unless of course you are going to conclude that those who transgress are not really Christians or whatever religion. 

Over the years and by that I mean centuries, much has been said and done in the name of  Christianity as well as other religions. Has there been any good...absolutely. Has there been terrible things like murder, rape and other forms of criminality...absolutely. So again, if mankind who practice religion and likewise those who are not connected to any special faith are both capable of doing good and evil, then its safe to conclude that it is not religion or the lack of it that causes man to do bad things. So why the rush to judgment and condemnation of those of us who find it more comfortable to just do what's right without attaching to any religion? I suspect that the answer will be found when one allows him/herself to lift the veil of indoctrination and accompanying fear that has been hammered into the mind since childhood. Most if not all of us got involved with the church and by extension religion at a very young age when the mind was not sufficiently developed to analyze and decipher the constant barrage of doctrines that were being rammed down our unsuspecting throats. Like a sponge, we absorbed most if not all of that information without the ability to question or critically examine it.

With the coming of the age of information, more and more people from all cultures are being given a chance to re-examine this belief system and more so, the many beliefs that they have held for their entire lives. For some the notion of being misled all this time is frightening and they simply shut down and refuse to even look at another way of thinking.  As usual, the tactic of divide and rule applies here...this is a method that has been employed in just about every facet of life...and its always pitting one group against another...this is even more blatant in the arena of religion...its the Christians against The Muslims against The Jews, The Atheists and The Agnostics...and that is  just a part of the great divide. There is no such thing as a monolithic society so there is always going to be differences in the systems of beliefs...and therein lies the challenges. I am no greater or lesser than you because I happen to hold a particular belief system...it is my right and you have no greater right to your belief than I do to mine. 

Until we have sufficiently opened ourselves to new thinking and critical analysis of the information we are fed, we will continue to be prisoners of "that wretched belief system".

Dominican Republic...The Next Economic Epicenter in the Region

The Dominican Republic…the next economic epicenter in the Caribbean?

Located just north east of Jamaica and landlocked with Haiti, the Dominican Republic occupies two thirds of the island of Hispaniola or 18,815 sq. ml. (48,730 sq km) or about four and a half times the size of Jamaica.

High Rise Hotel & Office Complex in Santo Domingo

A nation that has had its fair share of turmoil, Dominic  When I asked out of curiosity about these soldiers who never seem to do much, I was told by a Government employee that it is part of the defense strategy to ensure that the history of turmoil will never recur. There is also the Local and a National Police as well as a Tourism Police unit. For the most part foot patrolling is the order of the day and in the capital Santo Domingo or Santiago the second city, groups of police can be seen on almost every major block. There’s no need to be concerned as they are usually easy going and never fail to greet you as you approach them. I remember trying to find an open Bureau de Change in Santiago one Saturday evening and asked a group of Policemen for help…one tried to give me directions and when I explained that I didn’t understand, he walked with me for nearly two blocks and pointed me to a Western Union that was still opened.

ana as it is referred to by many has had a colorful history including occupation by the French, the Spanish and even the Americans…In fact, the US occupied DR from 1916 to 1924 and again from 1965 to 1966. Democracy came only in 1966 and happily has lasted to the present time. In fact while driving around the country; it is not unusual to see pockets of heavily armed Military personnel stationed at strategic locations.

If you have never visited or spend time in DR, you could have many misconceptions about the country. My first visit here almost a year ago was a real eye opener. Language aside, with Spanish being the language, there are many similarities between DR and Jamaica. The people are for the most part easy going and friendly. Playing dominoes is a favorite past time and as for the drinking and carousing…well; they are right up there with Jamaica. The sound of music can be heard on almost every corner…in the capital the popular music is called Bachata…a rhythmic pulsation pseudo-Latin beat which invites you to break out in dance even in public spaces…the most popular drink is their favorite beer “Presidente” which is available in the standard 355ml, 650ml and one liter bottles…with prices ranging from 50 pesos or a little over U$1.00 to 110 pesos or U$ 2.50 for a one liter bottle… The rate of exchange though inching up is relatively steady at just over 42 pesos for U$1.00.

Weekends are the highlight for most of the working class. This is when the beaches are saturated with thousands of Dominicans

Boca Chica on Sunday

who seem to love the beach as much or even more than we do in Jamaica. It’s typically a family affair and this is where most of the activities take place on a Saturday or Sunday. They make no apologies for enjoying their recreational time and they eat, drink and just have a whale of a time on the beach where peddlers can be seen moving from table to table selling everything from snacks to paintings and anything between. The police are always on hand giving a watchful eye and every now and then you may see a hustler being taking in. I have never seen anyone being brutalized by the police and while this is not to say it doesn’t happen, I simply have never seen it.

The Tourism product though not half as well marketed as Jamaica, is alive and well and only recently a Dominican who lives in the US remarked that if only The Dominican Republic would learn from Jamaica how to market the country as a Jamaica is still one of the most exotic destinations in the region and many Dominicans that I have spoken with have a burning desire to visit Jamaica…when they find out that I am Jamaican, the response is usually the same…”Dios Mio” or oh my God…I wanna go there… I wanna go there!  Of course Bob Marley and many other Jamaican entertainers are just as iconic here. The music of Shakademus & Pliers “Murder She Wrote” for some reason is regularly played here on both radio stations and in the night clubs and so is Sean Paul, Kartel, Bob Marley, Pinchers and Shaggy to name a few. Some of the women, like those in Jamaica can be regularly seen “backing it up” to the sound of Jamaican rhythms.

A Mega Store

destination, they would have far more visitors than the now have…last year there were some four million visitors to the country. I was informed that they are now paying attention to Jamaica’s marketing style and plans are afoot to increase visitor arrivals to ten million over the next ten years…this could be either good or bad for Jamaica depending on how it is approached.

So why don’t we have a better exchange of visitors and business between the two countries even though we are actually neighbors? Well, for one thing, there is no direct connection between Jamaica and Santo Domingo. Travelers must spend more than six hours in travel

Santo Domingo

and airport time to get to a location that could be reached by direct flight in just over an hour. To get to DR one must either go via Panama or Miami, in both cases travelers are taken well out of their way…and at a much higher cost. On the other side also, while Jamaicans do not require a visa to enter DR, Dominicans must go through what they claim to be a long process to get a visa to visit Jamaica. I have no idea why this is so and only the Jamaican Government can address that issue…however, it seems rather strange that the open door policy accorded to our citizens by the Government of DR is not reciprocated. I think this is a matter in need of dialogue and change and should be addressed at the Diplomatic level. There are many wealthy Dominicans who travel frequently and from what I have learned, Europe is one of their favorite destinations, however, with the right marketing approach I have no doubt that we could see encouraging numbers stopping over in Jamaica.

There is no secret that there have been small rifts between the Dominican Republic and some members of the English speaking Caribbean. There was the issue of bananas and quotas between Jamaica and the United Kingdom and only recently the matter of a court ruling against the citizenship of Haitians born in the Dominican Republic. That matter is still under review and the US has now weighed in, bringing pressure on the government to have that matter resolved. Incidentally, the Dominican Republic enjoys excellent relations with the United States. It should also be pointed out that whilst I cannot speak to the treatment of all Haitians in this country, the ones that I have met are quite happy to be here. They work in many industries and happily send home money for their families in Haiti. I have met Haitians here who are business owners or attending college. In fact, it is said that three of every five students in the Public School System is either Haitian or of Haitian extract and a whopping fifteen thousand scholarships have been granted to Haitians who are attending one of the many Universities here. As far as the banana row is concerned, I think it’s now a non issue…and it should be noted that one of Jamaica’s largest producers of bananas is importing their banana and plantain chips from DR.  A few months ago I was taken on a visit to a shipping port on the western side of the country close to the Haitian border and as far as the eyes could see there were containers that were loaded and ready for shipping to mainly Europe…the product, bananas. They were shipping more than one thousand containers a week…now how do we match that? 

Juan Dolio located about forty minutes east of the Capital…a magnet for foreigners…

As a Jamaican, I have always looked to see brand Jamaica where ever I roam but sadly, with the exception of a few (made in China)tee shirts or caps with the Jamaican flag or an image of Bob Marley, I have not seen one Jamaican product displayed anywhere. I have scoured the shelves of the supermarkets and not one Jamaican item could be spotted although I was encouraged to hear that one major company is planning to launch a line of products here soon.  What is the significance of this market…? Well, let’s start the population which is estimated to be close to eleven million and that does not take into account the other eleven million across the border in Haiti. These are living breathing people who consume everything that we do in Jamaica and perhaps more. What is also significant is the distance between the two countries, Jamaica and Dominicana. My information is that a boat that leaves the port close to the Haitian border on Thursday gets to Jamaica the following day…wow! If that is not an incentive to do business between the two countries then I don’t know what is. The Dominican Republic is forging free trade agreements with Panama and the Chinese are coming in their numbers not to mention the free trade agreement with the United States…think of the possibilities for the savvy business person.

In March of 2013 I encouraged a colleague to journey with me to DR to look at the possibilities of doing business there. In less than three months I was able to secure a five thousand square foot space and convert it into what is now the first Jamaican Bakery in DR…this is of course a mere drop in the bucket since with a population of more than three million in the capital, the surface has barely been scratched.  There is so much to do that could enhance the fortunes of both nations but there seems to be an invisible hand preventing this from becoming a reality. There is one thing that I know as a fact and that is the Dominican Republic is open for business and many are coming…The Chinese, Germans, Italians, Russians, Canadians and of course Americans are already here and expanding almost daily. Of course it would be careless of me not to mention the Venezuelans, Brazilians and Spanish…of course the Spanish never really left.

The opportunities are many and now with the fast developing mining industry, there is much going on underneath the surface so to speak. There are at least four companies here operating gold mines in the mid-section mountain range of the country where large deposits of gold has been identified. There are also   One of the surprises I got as I toured the country early last year was the fact that the Dominican Republic can do without importing a pound of rice…yes, there are numerous rice farms scattered throughout the country and they actually produce rice of excellent quality including a specialized Japanese rice which is exported. The bee farming industry is also quite buoyant and a quart of honey can be purchased in the supermarket for as little as 120 pesos or about J$300.00. The last I was home I paid almost a thousand dollars for a quart of honey.

Food Court in an Indoor Mall

other precious stones that are being mined for the export market. In the agricultural sector the country can safely say they are doing well. The availability of fresh fruits and vegetables and other staples cannot be ignored and while large quantities are being exported to Europe and the US, a significant portion remains available on the local market. Crops such as cassava (yucca), onions, ginger and many varieties of peas and beans are grown here in abundance. A favorite dish of Dominicans is rice and beans, usually red or black kidney beans cooked separately with the beans as a side dish.

A large consumer of brewed coffee, they produce their own but again, whenever they hear about Jamaica’s Blue Mountain coffee they start to salivate…a check with the large supermarket chains did not turn up an ounce of Jamaican coffee. Our business people are constantly crying about market for their products and sometimes travel far distances to sell a bit of this and that but for some reason they fail  to look just across the fence at their neighbour…how ironic.  As it stands at this time there is much work needed and businesses in both nations will have to take the lead…forget about governments because their objectives are not always in sync with those of the people and their development. Moreover, the bureaucracy and waste of time that usually occur when government gets involved can hold back progress for years if not decades. A few Jamaican companies are already doing just that and one such company is JMMB who established offices in both Santo Domingo and Santiago a couple years ago.

Only late last year,  there was a flurry of activities and talks about storming DR by some sectors of the business world, so far I have not seen much activity although I am reliably informed that one of our popular brands should be making its  That would certainly be good news for Jamaica and more so the company.  I have personally contacted a few companies in Jamaica inviting them to look at this country and also Haiti. In fact, Haiti seems to be doing much better with companies like Digicel and Jamaica Broilers doing just fine in that country. There are major investments and developments in many sectors of both countries with common borders.  Entrepreneurs and businesses must dig deeper and not be led by the ramblings of politicians who usually have their own agendas. One must get out of their comfort zone and explore opportunities, after all, who sought advice from government when they made decisions to start their business? Nobody asked the government if their project would succeed or not, so why sit back and wait for these same people to give the cue for you to do what you rightly ought to be doing for yourselves?

Stunning Atlantic Coastline

way here shortly.

Looking wider than inside one’s borders to develop a business is anything but unpatriotic…companies and industries from all over the world do this as a matter of course. If a Jamaican company expands outside of Jamaica and does well, significant benefits can accrue to Jamaica and not just monetary benefits. Let us face facts, our population of less three million can consume so much and no more…the English speaking Caribbean has a population of just over five million and stretches for almost two thousand miles from the tip of South America and all the way up to the Bahamas. Hispaniola on the other hand is four hundred and sixty nine miles north East of Jamaica and is home to almost twenty two million. This should not be difficult to figure out…by all means continue to do business with your traditional trading partners but don’t ignore the opportunities just outside your back door.

A Restaurant in The Capital

The population of Dominicana is not that different from the rest of the region, it ranges from poor to very wealthy and there is a very strong middle class although some natives refer to them as being rich. The major road network is in the city is complex with many bridges, overpass and tunnels…the city is sprawling and continues to expand. Getting from city to major towns is facilitated by many highways, some which require a toll payment. There are highways running east to west and south to north and there are a number of new highways being constructed as I write.  The public transportation system is a mixed bag, from rickety old cars to luxury buses and if you prefer, motorcycles. I guess people have to get to where they need to be and they choose their mode of transportation based on cost, convenience and to some extent I suppose culture. In some smaller towns the main mode of transportation are motorcycles…for example, the town of Nagua is located about two hours north east of the Santo Domingo on the shores of the Atlantic. It is a quaint but very clean town where just about every one owns a motorcycle. It’s the main mode of transportation in that town and there are many more like that. The Chinese are actually assembling cheap motorcycles in the Dominican Republic.  

Could this country that was experiencing growth of up to six percent a few years ago see an uptick in economic growth again? The answer is a resounding yes… if you speak to the average man on the street they will probably say no but, like many of our citizens, they pay very little attention to the economics of the country, they are more concerned about bread and butter issues. Nevertheless, when you talk to some business people, they are more optimistic. This piece of the Caribbean is being touted as one of the next growth epicenters of the region and the signs are all around.  The price of real estate which goes from low to amazingly high in some regions is again inching upwards. That is a sign of things to come and the savvy investor will capitalize on this market. You can still find many bargains inside and outside of the city. With eight international airports and a slew of smaller ones, several shipping ports and numerous marinas for pleasure boating, nowhere is really difficult to reach. For the most part, rent is moderate to cheap. In an area close to the International airport and just off a major highway, with universities and all amenities within ten minutes walk, you can rent a three bedroom, three bathroom apartment,  in a gated community with twenty four hour security for less than two hundred US a month.  I am told that just prior to the economic meltdown that rocked the world a few years ago there was a major building boom and many of these properties are still under occupied…that is however changing fast as the economy picks up.

G. James Palmer

Sonegen International S.R.L.

I.T. and Business Consultancy

Santiago, R. D.

Tel: 829. 321.1079 / 876.614.4512

Discovering Self

As I continue on the path of discovery, I have found an opening to the discovery of self and the amazing thing is that this in itself is by far the most fascinating discovery I've made so far. As I continue the search for harmony and fulfillment it becomes clearer by the day that unless and until you look in the right places, all your efforts will be futile. As one writer puts it..."We sometimes travel for miles to find what was always right where you started from"....It's an enlightening thought and those who finally understand the true meaning of that statement will rise to a higher level of peace and understanding.

It is fascinating though not all together surprising to learn that who we often think we are is really not the true reflection of ourselves but a person created in our own shallow thinking. Complicated? maybe but certainly worth understanding. When we start to remove the blinders from our eyes and learn how to look inward then we'll see that it is really not that complicated. What is difficult is the acceptance of this state that we have created and wrapped ourselves in. Like an actor in a drama sketch, we act the part, we take on the persona of the character but alas, the play comes to an end and the lights come on and we have to step out of character and accept the applause or boos from the audience. And so we go through life, day after day pretending to be the character we have created but seldom finding peace or fulfillment because in fact, we are not who we pretend to be. We behave in different ways or hang on to one vice or another to help us get through the day. A few glasses of wine, a shot of this or that, excessive eating, gambling and of course the ever present lure of sex. We become slaves to these habits as we feel incomplete without them...but then the night is over and we have to go our separate ways and it is during that period when we examine our lives we realize that despite  all the liquor and carousing we are still empty and so tomorrow we slavishly repeat those very actions and the beat goes on.

I know of colleagues and friends who seem to have every earthly thing that one could desire and yet, when you listen to them you immediately realize that these are men with deep seated internal worries. Their days are spent desperately trying to get more of what they already have too much of...the discussions are almost always about women, sex or money. They all live in stately homes but they spend very little time in their homes...it is just a place where they go when there is no place else to go. Some are married and some are not but the behaviour is not really different...the married ones speak braggingly of their concubines and the unmarried ones speak of the many sweethearts. Others drop names and speak of a meeting with Mr. So and So which I suppose will gauge his level of importance...and on and on it goes. 

At first I would become annoyed at all the frivolous chatter about these things but as I learned more about myself, I have become more understanding of their folly. I must, since I was kind of like that once, not at that same level but the drinking and carousing was a big part of my daily routine until it dawned on me that I was slavishly chasing after this false sense of belonging and took remedial steps to curtail or halt my actions. I now know that they are being that way because of their spiritual blindness and if a man was born blind he will never truly know what it is like to have sight. If by chance however, he becomes sighted and for the first time his eyes are opened to the wondrous sights and scenes of God's creation, he is sure to stop and take notice. I have certainly done so...and its an amazing feeling not to be driven but instead to just float along almost effortlessly.

As I turn the spotlight inward and pause to take a good look at self, I have found that those things that troubled me so much are now greatly minimized and I no longer get jittery every time something goes contrary to what I first believed or hoped for. I still sit and have a drink with my friends occasionally but unlike times gone by, I feel no anxiety when I'm absent from the drinking and carousing...and I find a lot more time to meditate,  read and listen to music.

Here is a simple test...you have to be truthful but then you must because it is impossible to lie to yourself...Ask yourself if you are truly happy...assuming you are not mistaking excitement for happiness, you will soon see that your entire life is being spent chasing one dream after the other and if you are not careful, you will sprint through life chasing rainbows without ever stopping to admire the colours thereof...Ask yourself...Who Am I and What Is My Purpose In Life? Don't rush the answers but if you allow your true self to answer, the right answer will come...."Man is in a peculiar psychic sleep, which he fails to recognize...he therefore brushes it aside as if it has nothing to do with his life"  Many  great books including the Bible have numerous references to our living slumber...Awake from your slumber...but be ignore and continue through life bumping into one obstacle after another, living with misery and pain...Awakening starts when you recognize that you are sleeping...The Mystic Path To Cosmic Power by Vernon Howard.