America's Shadow: The Real Secret of Donald J. Trump

A wise and cautionary explanation of  'Trumpism'... Shared by Joan Grant Cummings and Mariama Williams

From  SF Gate,Politics - On June 6, 2016
By Deepak Chopra, MD

There's a powerful way to explain the rise of Donald Trump that most commentators have missed entirely or undervalued. The standard line describes Trump as a bizarre anomaly. Beginning as an improbable celebrity candidate, he has defied all the conventional rules of politics, which should have been fatal. Instead Trump has swept all before him on the Republican side. Possessing a "genius" for grabbing the limelight, he continues to dominate the scene in ways no previous politician ever has in modern times--so the conventional view goes.

But in reality Trump isn't bizarre or anomalous. He stands for something universal, something right before our eyes. It's an aspect of the human psyche that we feel embarrassed and ashamed of, which makes it our collective secret.  Going back a century in the field of depth psychology, the secret side of human nature acquired a special name: the shadow.

The shadow compounds all the dark impulses--hatred, aggression, sadism, selfishness, jealousy, resentment, sexual transgression--that are hidden out of sight. The name originated with Carl Jung, but its basic origin came from Freud's insight that our psyches are dualistic, sharply divided between the conscious and unconscious. The rise of civilization is a tribute to how well we obey our conscious mind and suppress our unconscious side. But what hides in the shadows will out.

When it does, societies that look well-ordered and rational, fair and just, cultured and refined, suddenly erupt in horrible displays of everything they are not about: violence, prejudice, chaos, and ungovernable irrationality. In fact, the tragic irony is that the worst eruptions of the shadow occur in societies that on the surface have the least to worry about. This explains why all of Europe, at the height of settled, civilized behavior, threw itself into the inferno of World War I.

If Trump is the latest expression of the shadow, he isn't a bizarre anomaly, which would be true if normal, rational values are your only standard of measure. Turn the coin over, making the unconscious your standard of measure, and he is absolutely typical. When the shadow breaks out, what's wrong is right. Being transgressive feels like a relief, because suddenly the collective psyche can gambol in forbidden fields. When Trump indulges in rampant bad behavior and at the same time says to his riotous audiences, "This is fun, isn't it?" he's expressing in public our ashamed impulse to stop obeying the rules.

But the fun of world War I, which almost gleefully sent young men off to fight, quickly turned to horror, and the shadow closed an insidious trap. Once released, it is very hard to force the shadow back into its underground bunker. The Republican party has kept the shadow on a slow simmer for decades, ever since Nixon discovered how to make hay form Southern racism, law-and-order aggression against minorities, and us-versus-them attitudes to the Vietnam anti-war movement. In order to make themselves feel unashamed, the good people on the right found figureheads after Nixon who exuded respectability. The irony is that as with civilized societies that seem the least likely to allow the shadow to run free, the more benign a Reagan or Bush acted, the stronger the shadow became behind the facade.

Trump has stripped away the facade, intoxicated by the "fun" of letting his demons run and discovering to his surprise (much as Nixon did) that millions of people roared with approval. Yet by comparison, Nixon retained relative control over the forces he unleashed, while Trump may be riding a tiger--that part of the story has yet to play itself out.

If the shadow refuses to go back underground, which is always the case, what outcomes can we anticipate over the next six months? The present situation finds us trapped between denial and disaster. Denial is when you ignore the shadow; disaster is when you totally surrender to it. Without being at either extreme, right now many Americans feel the unsettling symptom of being out of control. Trump glorifies being out of control, and until this outbreak runs its course--which no one can predict--he will remain immune to all the normal constraints.

What to do in the meantime? A few things come to mind.

1. See Trumpism for what it is, a confrontation with the shadow.

2. Instead of demonizing him, acknowledge that the shadow is in everyone and always has been.

3. At the same time, realize that the shadow never wins in the end.

4. Find every opening to reinforce the value of returning to right and reason in your own life.

5. Don't fight the shadow with the shadow, which means not stooping to play by Trump's nihilistic rules--he will always be willing to go lower than you are willing to go.

America has been fortunate in our ability to let off steam and recognize that we have demons. In the Great Depression bank robbers became folk heroes, but nobody suggested electing Bonnie and Clyde president. The rational constraints that allow for human evolution have been successful for millennia, as the higher brain became dominant over the lower brain. That dominance still holds good, no matter how close we flirt with the primitive areas of the mind. Trump represents something authentic in human nature, and in troubled times he's the bad boy who becomes a folk hero. No one can predict if his Wrong=Right stance will carry him to the White House. The contest with our own shadow isn't over yet.

Deepak Chopra MD, FACP, founder of The Chopra Foundation and co-founder of The Chopra Center for Wellbeing, is a world-renowned pioneer in integrative medicine and personal transformation, and is Board Certified in Internal Medicine, Endocrinology and Metabolism.  He is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians and a member of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists. Chopra is the author of more than 80 books translated into over 43 languages, including numerous New York Times bestsellers. His latest books are Super Genes co-authored with Rudolph Tanzi, PhD  and Quantum Healing (Revised and Updated): Exploring the Frontiers of Mind/Body Medicine.  www.deepakchopra.com

JACK RADICS RETURNS TO STUDIO TO RECORD NEW ALBUM

From my friend David Heron...

New York- July 25, 2016 – Platinum selling Jamaican artist Jack Radics has returned to the recording studio to work on his eagerly anticipated new album.
Sources close to Radics in Atlanta, Georgia, where is he is currently working on the project, have indicated that it may well emerge as his finest musical hour to date.

According to Michelle Knight Stanley, Radics' Manager and President of his Sound Faculty music label, Radics has been working on the album, behind closed doors and under great secrecy, since the early months of this year.

"Jack went into what I'd call semi seclusion here in Atlanta a few months ago," laughs Stanley, "And initially we thought he was just taking it easy and enjoying down time before his touring schedule picks up later this year. He was in fact going deep into writing and actually recording music on his i-pad- song after song emerging from him in a wave of creativity that I've never experienced before with any artist. What is now emerging is an album that will, I firmly believe, be one of his finest, and certainly the one with the greatest crossover appeal of anything he has done before. And when you look at his discography and track record, that's saying something."

Indeed,  Radics' career spans some three decades and includes over a dozen groundbreaking albums  including his debut Radical in 1991 and 1994s Open Rebuke , which Black Music Magazine nominated as Best Reggae Album of  The Year.

His self styled 'Rhythm 'n' Pop' genre  - a free style fusion in which he  combines Pop, Soul and Reggae- has solidified his reputation as King of  "The Imaginative Musical Terrain,"  a style that is most evident in the album  Love &  Laughter and his hit singles,  No Matter  and That's Life, which were  chart toppers  in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

He has sold over three million records worldwide and is in the Guinness Book of World records for recording the fastest selling reggae remake ever of a popular song- Twist and Shout- on which he collaborated with fellow Jamaican artists Chaka Demus and Pliers, in 1993.
His latest single, Make You Mine, from his 2015 album Way 2 Long, emerged as a solid Billboard Top Ten hit within weeks of its release last fall.

According to Stanley, the new album- which has already has a title and distribution interest from several major labels- will be ready for release in the fall.

Radics has also been collaborating with some of the finest instrumentalists of his generation on several tracks.

According to Stanley, "Some of the names are simply legendary, but we are keeping those details pretty close to our chest until later. Needless to say we are very, very excited. This is an album that longstanding Radics fans will relish and that will also bring millions of new admirers into the fold. So stay tuned."

SURE THING PRODUCTIONS
Contact-Rachel Damarr Williams
718-444-4656
radarr26@hotmail.com

Between Jamrock and other hard places

Jamaica Observer column for MON 25 JUL 2016

By Jean Lowrie-Chin

With reports of racist attacks in the US and terrorist attacks in the Middle East and Europe, we'd better batten down and secure Jamaica.  "Foreign" is certainly not looking as attractive as it used to, so why not make Jamaica safe and prosperous, so we stop yearning so much for distant shores?

We should heed the passionate address by National Security Minister Robert Montague at his Ministry's Conference on Citizen Security held last week in Montego Bay.  He gave a rallying cry to parents, church, police and civil society to stand up to the criminals who are damaging our country. 

We also welcome the offer of Political Ombudsman Donna Parchment-Brown to help bring garrison politics to an end.  Let us not forget that many of our gangs had their roots in garrison constituencies, linked to both our major political parties.  Those cynical politicians may have started out with a few "badmen", but what they have spawned is now beyond their control.

We look to the police force to 'serve, protect and reassure', as is their motto.  However, the level of trust is low, despite the fact that many good police officers volunteer to serve the Police Youth Club, the largest youth club in Jamaica.  Clearly, the Social Development Commission (SDC) should be taking the lead with these clubs, instead of leaving the guidance of our youth to our already overworked police officers. 

There are about 10,000 police officers and over 100,000 public servants.  The Ministry of Industry and Commerce should be partnering with them to identify the talented, ambitious young people who need financial and management support to take them forward. 

There is just too much profiling and too little productivity. I believe GovNet, the technology solution under endless discussion, which aims at harmonising our public sector has not happened, because it would unmask the mediocre and corrupt folks who are contributing to the frustration of committed Jamaicans. 

Clearly, there is a great imbalance in our expectations.  We look away from the many other well-financed, well-travelled ministries and look to the beleaguered Ministry of National Security to do it all.
Our churches are doing good work, but with more synergy, they could make it great.  They have the most captive of audiences and could lead the charge to form Neighbourhood Watch groups.  They should also form an ethics committee so the pretenders can be exposed – these overnight 'bishops' are giving the church a very bad name.

The follow-up therefore to Minister Montague's impassioned cry should be the onboarding of these various private and public sector, church and civil groups with concrete plans for their active participation in our quest for national security. The offer of our Political Ombudsman to put an end to garrison politics is a great one.  The Minister could engage Crime Stop to garner confidential information that could help  in this quest. 

Jamaica Observer photo

Road Carnage
Clearly, there are too many road users who do not respect their own lives.  How else would you explain the 19-year-old overtaking a line of traffic at 2am in the morning on the Dyke Road, only to take his own life, that of two passengers, and that of a policeman, returning from late duty.  We are hearing bizarre stories about the incident in which six people lost their lives when their vehicle went off the Flat Bridge into the Rio Cobre.

The behaviour on our roads is a symptom of our troubled society – in Minister Montague's words, "children not being brought up, but being dragged up."  I remember an unlicensed young man crashing into my car some years ago, and when he and his well-spoken mother arrived at my office to discuss the damage, she looked me in the eye and said, "I can say I was driving and it would be your word against mine."  At that point, I felt my stomach turn, so I stood up and told her to leave my premises as I did not want to breathe in what she was breathing out.  If you are ever in a situation like this, please turn on the recorder on your smartphone – unfortunately, I did not.

So what do I keep repeating like a stuck record to my adult children? 
- You like to be in full control of your vehicle, but you cannot have that level of control if you speed. 

- Reduce speed even more if there is anything unusual e.g. rain, poor vision, children on the road.

- Do not answer your cell phone when you're driving; if you must, pull over and stop. 

- Do not engage in conversation when you are in a situation that requires extra focus – e.g. emerging onto a busy street.
Please share any tips you have – let us make our roads safer.

Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine - from Twitter @HillaryClinton

US 'Veeps' announced
In this, the most fascinating of US electoral campaigns, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has named his running mate, Mike Pence and Democratic presumptive presidential nominee Hillary Clinton has named Tim Kaine.  We are inundated with so much information and game-playing that campaign directors need to be geniuses of strategy and ensure there is widespread voter education. 

WMW Jamaica and Carimac presented their Global Media Monitoring Report recently, showing that there was still less media coverage of and participation by women. With Hillary Clinton, Britain's new PM Theresa May and more women stepping up regionally and locally, times are a-changing.

Gearing for Rio Olympics
Nothing unites us like sports, and this was refreshingly evident at a farewell for athletes co-hosted by the Brazilian Embassy and Digicel Jamaica last week.  Prime Minister Andrew Holness, Leader of the Opposition Portia Simpson Miller and Sports Minister Olivia Grange gave heartening encouragement to the athletes.  Jamaica Olympic Association President Mike Fennell assured us of optimum arrangements, Digicel Senior Executive Patrick King of his company's support and we were impressed by the reply of Anneisha McLaughlin-Whilby.
Then came Usain Bolt's victory in London, and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce's assurance that she is on track.  Rio should be memorable, and I look forward to sharing my experiences at the Olympics with you all, dear readers.

lowriechin@aim.com

Jean Lowrie-Chin JP
www.procomm.com.jm
www.ccrponline.org
www.lowrie-chin.blogspot.com
   

St Catherine's Prep shines

It is graduation season, a time of hope and expectation.  I saw this in the eyes of the promising children of St. Catherine's Prep in Spanish Town, as they look forward to high school. Their Prinicipal Yolande Geddes-Hall showed her leadership qualities from her days as team captain of our Convent of Mercy 'Alpha' netball team. The children were happy and self-assured, bolstered by the unity of teachers, parents, non-academic staff and board members.

Young valedictorian Danielle Holdham, who had near-perfect marks, spoke confidently.  Affirmation was the order of the evening as there were multiple awards for academic excellence, sports and the arts and kudos for the dedicated teachers and parents.  The fathers were very much in evidence, and it was clear that this was a bright spot of excellence in the parish of St. Catherine.

In my charge to the graduates I told them of my wishes for them: to enjoy life with family and friends, not just with a smartphone or a computer; to read avidly as a love of reading will help them in every subject and to communicate and open them to great adventures; and to walk in Godliness, loving, sharing and praying. 

Lastly, I reflected on how blessed Jamaicans are, that our National Anthem is a prayer, every line filled with faith and the action it requires: "Teach us true respect for all, stir response to duty's call".  It is a serious duty, we adults have to ensure that our children have a peaceful and rich childhood, one that will give them the character and strength for a fulfilled life. 

5th Anniversary of Grenada Association of Retired Persons

Message from Carol Vazquez, President of GARP (Grenada Association of
Retired Persons).
We were delighted that our CCRP Member, Dr Annette Alexis represented us at
their 5th Anniversary celebrations

Dear Members and Friends of GARP,

These are just a few highlights of the beautiful afternoon at Wild Woods
Park when we celebrated GARP'S 5th Anniversary with an all inclusive beach
party. As you can see we also had the honor of the Prime Minister
celebrating with us and Grenada's top Calypsonian Ajamu. We had also
representations from Jamaica, Dr. Alexis, Carriacou, Mrs. Mary Simon and
Mrs. Gloria Smith, and from the USA Mr. Ed Clark. Our DJ was SWIFT and our
live band was CARESS.

A. silent auction was staged on the day with lots of wonderful and valuable
items which were donated to GARP and many enjoyed ticket prices of wines.
We had a coffee stall by Spice Isle Coffee who served ice and hot coffee
during the afternoon. Thank you for your kind support and donation.

I also want to take this opportunity to thank all the hard working
volunteers for their help in making this a successful and memorable event
and to our donors of air tickets with SVG, food, drinks, plates, glasses,
bowls and prizes thank you for your great reputation of giving back to the
local community and we greatly appreciated your support. To our divine
Savior, thank you for the weather that allowed us all to come and leave
safely, even those that came from abroad, for the delicious food and drinks
and the music and comradery that brought joy to our hearts.

Carol Vasquez



































Sent from my iPad

All-round brilliance by Russell takes Tallawahs to top of Hero CPL

2016 HERO CARIBBEAN PREMIER LEAGUE – MATCH REPORT 19:

Jamaica Tallawahs 158-7 (R Powell 44, A Russell 44, K Cooper 3 for 22) beat Trinbago Knight Riders 139-9 (H Amla 42, A Russell 4 for 23) by 19 runs

The Jamaica Tallawahs have moved to the top of the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) table with a fine win against the Trinbago Knight Riders at Sabina Park, their third successive home victory in three matches. A career best score by Rovman Powell and a brilliant display of hitting at the end of their innings from Andre Russell helped the Tallawahs to set a target of 159 to win.

Runs from Hashim Amla further cemented his place at the top of the Hero CPL run-scoring chart, but he played a lone hand with wickets falling around him as the Tallawahs won by 19 runs with Andre Russell backing up his batting display with four wickets with the ball.

Much of the speculation before the match was about whether Chris Gayle would be fit to play, and the Tallawahs would have been delighted when he was able to take the field. Unfortunately for the packed crowd at Sabina Park his innings did not last long. Gayle struggled to get off the mark and was dismissed for a nine ball duck when he edged behind off Kevon Cooper.

With both openers gone it fell to Sangakkara and Rovman Powell to rebuild. Powell has continued to impress in his first ever T20 tournament, he has been the find of the Hero CPL. Here he struck four Hero Maximums as he made a T20 high score of 44. Sangakkara and Powell departed within three balls of each, both falling to short balls from Cooper. Their partnership of 72 came from just 50 balls. 

Cooper was in fantastic form with the ball, getting extra bounce that troubled all of the Tallawahs batsmen. He finished with figures of 3-22, his best figures in Hero CPL, and those three wickets were Gayle before he got going and Sangakkara and Powell when well set.

It looked like the Tallawahs would set a sub-par total, but a brilliant counter-attacking 44 from Russell gave the home team a chance.  Russell smacked five fours and three sixes using a neon pink bat to give the Knight Riders a stiff chase.

Brendon McCullum came back into the Knight Riders team and opened the batting with Hashim Amla. With Colin Munro at three the Trinbago team have a very strong top order but two of those men were gone within the first four overs. McCullum was out stumped off the bowling of Imad and Munro spooned a catch into the covers off Dale Steyn.

That left Amla to hold it all together, and his innings of 42 did just that, but in the absence of a significant partnership the requited run rate climbed quickly. While Amla was at the crease with Denesh Ramdin the Knight Riders would have felt they were in this chase, but when Amla was out going for a big shot off Kesrick Williams there was still a lot of work to be done.

Dwayne Bravo struck back-to-back boundaries to bring the rate down but another cluster of wickets including two wickets in two balls from Russell ended TKR's chances of reaching the victory target.

Match 21, St Lucia Zouks v St Kitts & Nevis Patriots Preview

The next stop for the St Lucia Zouks is their home leg at the newly christened Darren Sammy National Cricket Stadium that also now features the Johnson Charles Stand. Tickets for the opening fixture have been reduced by 50% to celebrate the first match at the stadium since it has been renamed in honour of the West Indies' World T20 winning captain.

It will be a big four games for the Zouks who are currently bottom of the Hero CPL table but with three games in hand over the leaders they are still more than capable of making the knockout stages. Sammy is still confident that his team can make the playoffs, despite defeat to the Barbados Tridents in their last match.

"We have six games to go, we just have to keep winning. Last year five games, or four and a half games, would get you into the playoffs. We just we have made it a little bit more difficult for us to qualify. But we are going to keep our heads up and look forward to going home."

The Zouks' first opponents at Gros Islet will be St Kitts & Nevis Patriots who are virtually eliminated from the tournament, but Sammy is not taking them for granted. The one win that the Patriots have achieved this season came against the Zouks.

"They defeated us at their home ground, we just have to keep believing and believe that we are a good team. We have just not clicked together, it is not how you start but how you finish a tournament. 

This week we could go home and play back to back games and gather some momentum. The first game at home is very crucial and hopefully we win at home against St Kitts." 

UPCOMING FIXTURES: Wednesday, 20 July – Jamaica Tallawahs v Barbados Tridents, Sabina Park (8pm), Thursday, 21 July – St. Lucia Zouks v St. Kitts & Nevis Patriots, Darren Sammy National Cricket Stadium (6pm)

TICKETS: Tickets for all CPL fixtures in the Caribbean and Fort Lauderdale are on sale now from www.cplt20.com.

For further information please contact:

Peter Breen
Head of PR and Communications
Caribbean Premier League
Mobile: +1-(758)-7287500
Skype: pbreen67

Jamaica – worth the work

Excerpt from Jamaica Observer column published MON 11 July 2016

by Jean Lowrie-Chin

Our PROComm Team celebrating Jamaica Day 2014

If you had any doubt that our Jamaica is worth the healing and the nurturing, just check the news coming out of the US this week.  In this, the land of Marcus Garvey, of Nanny, Sam Sharpe, Paul Bogle, George William Gordon, Norman Manley and Alexander Bustamante, race is the least of our problems.  You may hear the odd racist remark, but with every new country I visit, I realise that Jamaica is the most racially harmonious that I know.

My late Mother of Indian heritage would relate many stories about her little district of Big Bridge in Westmoreland, where a healer woman named Granny Tuhtuh of African heritage would know exactly what herbs to combine to cure the residents in the area.  When her two brothers played “seh feh!” with a machete and four fingers were left dangling, it was Granny Tuhtuh who quickly pounded the herbs, put the fingers together and bound them. She did her version of physiotherapy because those fingers healed with hardly a scar and full mobility! 

Our family was a rainbow tribe – the Williams, Gopaulsinghs and Lowries. We attended St Mary’s Academy on Lewis Street, run by the Sisters of Mercy.  Principal Sister Veronica Doorly was a Jamaican of European heritage and Sister Magdalen Naudi was from Malta. We walked down to the Savanna-la-mar Fort to enjoy the sunsets, and watched the ‘Hosay’ marchers with their colourful crepe paper towers dancing and chanting on Great George’s Street. 

This is the Western Jamaica I grew up in.  But now, this Western Jamaica is recording multiple murders since the beginning of the year.  This has become the Westmoreland where one friend is afraid to visit her homestead because there are ‘too many strange faces’ with threatening looks. 

From whence have these infiltrators of the West’s peace come?  Someone who lives in a Kingston inner city community commented to us, “No state of emergency!  All the Kingston badman down in the West now woulda just come back and give us hell! You don’t see how downtown peaceful now?”

I can understand the anguish felt by Attorney General Marlene Malahoo Forte who hails from the West, and while I know she is a sincere and hardworking politician, I have to agree with the Jamaica Bar Association, who are not for tougher laws as they believe some on the books are already extreme, but for social change.  

"In JamBar's respectful opinion,” they noted in a statement last week, “aspects of these various laws unjustifiably abrogated the rights of Jamaicans, including accused persons, while failing to achieve the desired results …This is largely because the root causes of crime were not being properly addressed.”

We have to lay most of the blame at the feet of our dysfunctional leadership, but share in this blame because we, the citizens of Jamaica, the pious churchgoers allowed it.  We allowed them to establish garrisons and to empower ‘dons’ to terrorise our Jamaican brothers and sisters. 

As we criticize the police, we should know that some were threatened with demotion or worse if they did not fall in line with some of the dastardly deeds of these ‘dons’.  We allowed members of the police force to become brutalized and an embarrassment to those good officers who have steadfastly held on to high ethical standards.

Economist commentary

We can transform Jamaica’s trouble spots. The Economist magazine noted in a recent Schumpeter commentary: “Poor areas such as Trench Town used to be run by government bosses whose job was to bring benefits (notably public housing) in return for votes. Today social entrepreneurs offer a different model… Henley Morgan, a former consultant, has established a social company, the Agency for Inner-City Renewal (AIR)… Trench Town is no longer a war zone: Marley’s old neighbourhood is being dolled up; local recording studios churn out gangsta reggae; a few intrepid tourists venture into the area.”

“Turning round a country with a history of mismanagement and violence will be painful,” it stated. “The government needs to resist resorting to its bad old ways.” 

We the people must ensure that we promote positive leadership in both of our political parties – those who know better must do better.

GraceKennedy Household Workers lauded by PM Holness

“Service is powerful” – PM Andrew Holness

Jean Lowrie-Chin

(excerpt from Jamaica Observer column published 4 July 2016)

Champion GraceKennedy-Heather Little-White Household Workers Michael Lawson and Millicent Clunis with GraceKennedy CEO Senator Don Wehby and Phime Minister Andrew Holness

With fellow judges, we interviewed some of Jamaica’s finest citizens.  They were intelligent, sincere, and dignified.  They were the shortlisted household workers from the 106 nominated by their employers for the GraceKennedy Championships, now in its third year.  On Thursday the top nominees from the women’s as well as the new men’s category were announced, and from them emerged Champions Millicent Clunis and Michael Lawson and runners-up Elizabeth Watson Warren and Earnestar Smith.

Meet Millicent Clunis, who tackles her job in an organised, energetic manner.  She is a list-maker and thorough, and she and her husband are dedicated to outreach activities. Ms Clunis also serves on the executive of the Jamaica Household Workers Union (JHWU).  Michael Lawson started out as a watchman and when his employer lost her household worker, he offered to take on that role as well.  When his employer returned from work to find her house spotless, Michael was allowed to work both inside and outside the house. Michael Lawson explained that his mother became disabled soon after he was born and so his grandmother taught him how to take care of himself and his mother. 

“I would take my mother’s clothes down to the river and wash them,” said Michael, who has no issues with people calling him “helper guy Mikey”. 

As the finalists relate their duties in the various households, we realise that they are playing several roles: nurse, security detail, chef, tutor.  Thankfully, they are also very mindful of retirement planning, and have been ensuring that their NIS payments are up to date, and have bank accounts. 

Prime Minister Andrew Holness who was guest speaker at the event was delighted to meet the dynamic Shirley Pryce, founder of the Jamaica Household Workers Union which last week celebrated their 25^th Anniversary.  He described this as “another milestone in my journey”, as Shirley explained to him that Convention 189 of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), which protects the rights of domestic workers was still awaiting ratification in Jamaica, while she had successfully participated in lobbying for its adoption in 183 other countries.

Prime Minister Holness and said he would be contacting Labour and Social Security Minister Shahine Robinson so the adoption of the Convention can be expedited.  The Prime Minister lauded the outstanding household workers, noting that they were participants in the biggest part of Jamaica’s GDP: service. 

“Service is powerful,” noted the PM.  “We should never confuse service with servitude.”

GraceKennedy CEO Don Wehby spoke of the household worker who had a hand in raising him, and was now living in New York.  He said when he was a student, she would always enclose money in her letters to him, and when he visited her in New York, she expressed motherly pride that he was now a Senator. He noted that Jamaica’s household workers have played an invaluable role in supporting families, even while raising their own.

Last year’s winner Rosetta Steer said she used her generous cash prize to study practical nursing.  She introduced her grand-daughter Jewel to us, and said they studied together.  “I believe in commitment, honesty and integrity,” she said, and advised, “Get your employers to trust you.”

Jamaica Experiences – know before you go!

Excerpt from Jamaica Observer column published 4 July 2016
By Jean Lowrie-Chin

The scores who attended VIP Attractions launch of Jamaica Experiences last Friday, were treated to a taste of this multi-media programme to promote our beautiful country.  From the grater cake lady, to the acrobatic coconut man, Ity and Fancy Cat's humour, DJ Bambino's great selections and a surprise performance by a super-mellow Bennie Man, we agreed that David and Liz Hall's concept will be a big winner for Jamaica.

Tourism Minister Ed Bartlett seemed delighted with this boost and was thanked for his encouragement in the launch of VIP Attractions lounges in the Montego Bay and Kingston international airports, which have been winning a string of international awards.  We have to make special mention of Shelly-Ann Fung who misses no detail in making the Club MoBay and Club Kingston memorable.

With its vivid offerings, Jamaica Experiences can tweak the JTB slogan to say, "Know Jamaica … before you go".  Thank you David Hall, for putting your money behind your faith in Jamaica.