Jamaican Till I Die!

Written: 2012 Import and Destroy Kingston-Wharves, Imports Only Wharves- Exports not Allowed!! Some time ago in 2009, the then Minister of Agriculture declared that fertilizer from Jamaican companies was too expensive and as such Jamaica would import/buy fertilizer from American sources.  This to me is a very anti-Jamaica and anti-Jamaican business position for our Government to take because it is not like fertilizer was in short supply and we must increase short term supply to the local market. I do understand the need to keep the agricultural cost of production down and inflation in check. What was missing from the Agriculture Minister was any sort of analysis as to why the local price of fertilizer was so high. We heard nothing about the Ministry trying to engage fertilizer producers, trying to find out why prices were high and how the Government can help to reduce cost and lower the prices to the consumers. There was no long term plan of action. The Government’s position...

:A state of uncertainty about what should be done. I came upon a debate taking place on the messaging board of a popular Jamaican online news site in which one set of Jamaicans was correcting the spelling of another set of Jamaicans. The first set declared that the correct spelling of the word in question was the American English way and the second set was defending the Jamaican/Queens English way of spelling the word. I understand that different people have different versions of software on their computers and that the region and language settings may be different, so normally I am not too concerned with spelling but I have a problem with Jamaicans who turn their backs on the Jamaican way of life and then try to push their adopted way of life on their homeland. On that same news site a Jamaican wrote to the site reporters declaring that he was correcting a particular news item, he stated that Labour Day was not on May 23rd but in September, even though Jamaica’s Labour Day have ...

I love my Jamaican Beef Patty and I do love the English Cornish Pasty. I am not sure which one came first or if they are even related but the concepts are the same. Take a delicious baked crust and fill it with tasty meaty goodness. In the case of a Cornish Pasty that tasty goodness is chunks of Genuine beef cooked with potatoes and swedes (turnips) and for an Authentic Jamaican Beef Patty,  the finest Genuine Jamaican beef. Maybe the English Cornish Pasty is related more to the Jamaican Meat Loaf than the Jamaican Beef Patty. What does a Cornish Pasty and a Jamaican Beef Patty Have in common? The British Government decided to impose a 20% VAT (Value Added Tax) on hot Cornish pasties. This resulted in a nation wide protest lead by the people of Cornwall against the proposed tax. Even people living in Calumet, Michigan, USA gathered a petition of 500 signatures to show their support. In the end the government was forced to reverse its plans to impose VAT on Cornish p...

As far as I am concern this “Austerity, Inflationary, No Growth, Bitter Medicine” Budget is a rubbish budget but whichever party was in power I feel would have to deliver this “Austerity, Inflationary, No Growth, Bitter Medicine” Budget which was written in Washington by the IMF and represents a clear sign of their frustration with our inability to live within our means. The world financial organizations are now doubtful that we will be able to repay our loans, plus interest. It is clear also that our political class lacks the ability, innovation and imagination to stimulate real economic and social development. They went to Washington thinking they were going to get a better deal from the IMF than the last set of equally clueless, political class members but came away with the same deal as our previous administration. I can just imagine them around the negotiation table thinking their smooth talk and good looks was enough to soothe the savage beast but instead realising that the wo...