The Peoples National Party on the Issue of Touched Pork

Yekum purkan min sh maya May salvation descend from heaven! By Basil Fletcher The Peoples National Party on the Issue of Touched Pork Words of Introduction 3 In whose interests? 6 On Party Ideology 7 My Expulsion from the Peoples National Party 10 Group Chairman Ras Okonkwo and The Case of The Flying Dishes 11 Old Aunt May and the Tours of Demons 14 The State Of Confusion of Branch Secretary Miss Pitt 15 Comrade Quary Gaylight and the Case of the Super Lepers 17 Comrade Ras Reb Shmulik and the young Comrade Ras Cantor 19 The Peoples National Party on the Question of Political Victimization and Reveng e 21 The Young Deacon on the Question of Touched Pork and Beans 25 Dem Fi Run Dem! 26 On The Community Notice Board 27 Representation By Foreign Nationals 28 From Two Fi One To Beauty With A Purpose 32 Group Chairman Comrade Rakish Singh on the perplexing JLP problem 35 Comrades in Big Yard collect big stones and tree trunks 38 Group Chairman Singh Replies to Pastor Pitchforks Letter of Concern 40 Group Chairman Singh Recommends Treatment for Pastor Pitchforks Atlasitice (The J esus Syndrome) 42 On The Issue of Butch Stewart and Ian Flemings 43 To The Peoples National Party Youth Organization on the City of Kingston 47 Working with Owners and Real Estate Agents 50 Reject tribalism and the temptations of revenge and retribution 53

Doggie and the Peoples National Party Youth Organisation 55 The PNP YO and the Development of Kingston as A Competitive Space 56 The Question of Homosexuality and a Competitive and Creative Space 57 The Former Senator and the Giving of Contracts to Dons 63 The Creation of Tactical Employment 64 The Democratization of the Right To The Sea 65 The Peoples National Partys Commitment to the Jamaican People in a Period of Cris is 67

Words of Introduction The articles and commentaries presented in this compilation are directed to thos e ordinary Jamaicans, Group Chairmen and Secretaries, Divisional Chairmen and Se cretaries, Constituency Chairmen and Secretaries of the Peoples National Party, who are of the view that while the Peoples National Party as it exist today is n ot perfect, but with their participation in defining and directing the Mission o f the partys divisional and constituency organization, they will be able together with other ordinary persons and party members to better enable the Peoples Nati onal Party to better meet the needs and interests of their own families, commun ities and constituencies. Comrades and sympathizers are reminded that the Missio n of the Peoples National Party is to advance the best interests and concerns of all Jamaicans in the construction of a prosperous, democratic and cultured Jama ica, to advance the cause of peoplehood be that peoplehood be Christian, Muslim, H indu, Rasta, Black, Indian, Chinese, White or any other existing community and n ot to rule over the Jamaican people This compilation encourages comrades and sympathizers of the Peoples National Pa rty to remember that the party is not a private members club, rather an organiza tion, a movement, which came into being as a result of the support and contribut ion of ordinary Jamaican men and women, who have over and over placed the party in the position to govern this beloved country of ours on their behalf. It furth er calls on Group Leaders and Secretaries not only to inform the citizens in the ir divisions of the activities of the party but most importantly facilitate and encourage the citizenry to determine the content and form of the group activitie s in the division. It demands that Constituency Chairmen and Secretaries refrain and cease from trying to impose their personal agendas and program on the const ituency partys organization and instead seek to harvest the view and concerns of the citizens of the constituency, including cares and concerns of those citizens who for whatever reason are suspected or known to be supporters of other partie s such as the Jamaica Labour Party, the views and opinions of the Group Leaders and Secretaries. To the Members of Parliament of the Peoples National Party, while recognizing th eir personal ambitions and interests, this document demands that these Members o f Parliament remind themselves and recognize the fact that they were elected to

represent their constituents in the House of Parliament, that the interests and concerns of these constituents are of a far greater importance than any responsi bility and or position they may hold in the government. Too often, Members of Pa rliament take the view that their personal ambitions, ministerial positions and public/media profile are more important than interests and concerns of the citiz ens who elected them. Most importantly this compilation seeks to remind comrades and sympathizers of t he Peoples National Party; that the Peoples National Party in striving to advanc e the best interests and concerns of all Jamaicans in the construction of a pros perous, democratic and cultured Jamaica, to advance the cause of peoplehood, seeks to uplift the most downtrodden, to free the oppressed and discriminated and ope n the doors of opportunity to all. It is precisely because of this Mission, that the party groups in the constituencies are called upon to take to heart the con ditions of the old, the shut in, the physical and or mental challenged, children , the homeless, groups such as the Hindus, Muslims, Taoists and others which hav e become uncomfortable and or fearful owing to protracted discrimination and big otry in expressing themselves as a people and as equal Jamaicans. This document firmly founded on the belief that God made all men equal and spread his love equ ally among all men. Finally, this compilation is written as a form of encouragement to the more verb ally gifted Comrade Andrew Sawyers formerly of St. Andrew Community College, my personal friend and former student-the gifted orator and former Circle K member Chin See formerly of St. Andrew Community College and Comrade Gene Shaw who like myself studied in Czechoslovakia to put pen to paper and express their own very different and unique experiences of peoplehood and individuality. It is only by more comrades expressing their experiences, dreams and hopes that the party and people will come to appreciate and respect the richness of the Ja maican cultural experience and share in their dreams for a better and more prosp erous Jamaica. Are the dreams of Andrew Sawyers a fighter for human rights and a comrade operating on the fringes of the Peoples National Party any different fr om mine? Is his experience of peoplehood and individuality any different from mi ne? Do you feel that discrimination is practiced within and by the Peoples Natio nal Party? Perhaps he could tell us. Are the experiences, the hopes and aspirations of the young Chin-See, a half Chi nese any different from the average Jamaica young woman of her age? Being half C hinese, does it open or close doors? Does it open one to sexual targeting and be ing seen as a possible means of achieving sexual satisfaction and sexual experie nce at the expense of personhood? How do you feel about your father, a person o f Chinese descent? Do you feel accepted by the Chinese business community or do you feel like an outsider? Many comrades, members and sympathizers of the People s National Party are awaiting someone so gifted to tell their stories, their exp eriences and dreams. Comrade Gene Shaw, what does it mean to be a comrade of Indian descent? Do you f eel free to cook your dhal and roti? Would people think that you are mad if you were to unashamedly openly express your Indian identity? Do you think that the P eoples National Party truly represents and respect your own expression of being and dream of peoplehood? How do you feel when you enter an Indian owned jewel s hop? Do you feel any links of kinship, or do you feel life a person of a lower c aste? What could we as a people learn from Indian medicine or from the tradition al Indian family structure? One of my elder cousins did his best to hide his Ind ian background and origin; do you feel a need to do the same? What does your her itage means to you and how could it contribute to enriching the Peoples National Party? Perhaps Comrade Shaw you could share your views with us.

I firmly believe that one must be a person and have a sense of community and peo plehood before one can become a Jamaican. I firmly believe that the Mission of t he Peoples National Party seeks to enable, seeks to encourage and seeks to facil itate the individual and the various communities to formulate and express their own unique dreams and to strive for those goals and objectives which will enrich and develop their sense of being as individuals and as a people. Equally as Chr istians find room for self expression and self development within the Peoples Na tional Party, so should Rastas, Muslims, Taoists, Hindus and believers of other Gods. Equally as the White comrade, the Black comrade, the Jewish comrade or the mulatto comrade find room for self expression and self development within the P eoples National Party, so should our Indian and Chinese comrades. Let the halls of the Peoples National Party be filled with the smell of curry and dhal, the sm ell of roasted duck and pigeon soup! Let century eggs be served with fried dumpl ings and roasted breadfruit! Yes, let goat milk yogurt and sweet potato pudding be served for desert! Let the fasting of Ramadan and the observation of the Pas s Over be observed equally with Easter and God Friday. It is recognized that this compilation does contain a lot which the membership a nd segments of the sympathizer base of the Jamaica Labour Party will or might fi nd cause to oppose, however opposition in what ever form it is expressed or howe ver how protracted and intense it might be should not prevent us of the Peoples National Party from striving to do that which is right and just and of benefit t o all. This compilation calls on all members and supporters of the Peoples Natio nal Party to reject narrowness, sectarianism and partyism; allow those who labou r under the weight of such burdens to carry their cross alone. End

The Peoples National Party on the Issue of Touched Pork In asking myself, how a political party, in this case the Peoples National Party at both the constituency and divisional level could facilitate its members and o ther citizens in developing their sense of being, the issue of Old Aunt Mays touched pork cooking on a Saturday evening, came to my mind. However before exploring this question of touched pork, I want to stick a bit more on the question at hand, i.e. the individuals sense of being. If a person is to de velop a sense of being, that person needs firstly to recognize that he or she ex ists, secondly that he or she is an unique individual, different from all other persons. In short that given individual has to develop a sense of individuality

and at the same time seeing his or herself as a part of a wider community, a soc ial being. It is my view, that, the development of an individuals sense of being, is inconceiv able without the right and freedom to express ones individuality, and it is here that politics comes into the mix, namely freedom to express ones individuality, is contingent on ones access to the means and or channels of expression/communi cation and it must take into account the question of control over and of these m eans or channels of self-expression and communication. Are these means or channe ls of expression controlled in favour of the individual, the community or in fav our of some given type of elite (person, class or institution)? In whose interests? How and in whose interests are the conflicts between the individual expression of being and the interests of the community resolved and what is the role if any of the community party organization in the resolution of these conflicts? The case s listed below came to my mind:1. Old Aunt May who lives in a home, neighboring a Rasta man on one side an d a Seven Day Adventist on the other side, in addition to a next Seven Day Adven tist, living whose home is directly connected but at the rear of Old Aunt Mays ho use. Aunt May loves cooking her touched (stale) pork, which has an overpoweringly strong pungent odor, which is quite repulsive to all three of her neighbors. In whose interests should the conflict over the odor from the cooking of touched por k be resolved? Does the community party organization has a role in the resolution of this matter? 2. Mr. Paul Blondie operates a small factory in the community. Mr. Blondies factory employs some fifty workers, however Mr. Blondie has a strong preference for brownings who he employs to fill all the visible position and in administratio n. Mr. Blondies preference of brownings has led to a conflict with the community. Ones it can be proven that Mr. Blondie is not practicing discrimination, does Mr . Blondie has a right to employ who he wants to fill whichever position in his o rganization? Does the community party organization has a role to play in finding a resolution to this conflict? In whose interests should the conflict be resolv ed? 3. A Seven Day Adventist , living in the community of Filler, is surrounded in eight directions by ardent Sunday Worshipers who cook communal quantities of touched pork in a rotating shift like manner on the weekends. This Seven Day Adve ntist of forty five years standing in her Church, feels abused, victimized and v iolated, by the overpoweringly strong pungent smell of touched pork all weekends . She has reported the matter to the Citizen Association and to the Peoples Nati onal Party group chairman, who is also a long standing Adventist. Does the Peopl es National Party group chairman in the community have a role to play in the res olution of this issue? In whose interests should the conflict be resolved? 4. The residents of the middle income community of Reather in the constitue ncy of South-South East Kingston, are up in arms about two of their male neighbo rs who have a tendency to walk arms in arms and showing significant mutual affec tion. The residents of Reather feel that such open display of affection between two men is not only unsightly but is not good for the young boys living in the c ommunity? The Reathers Citizen Association has called an emergency meeting and th e Chairman of the Reathers Peoples National Party Group, who is also a Deacon at the Missionary Apostolic Church in Reather is invited to address the meeting. Does the Chairman of the Reathers Peoples National Party Group, has a role to play in seeking a resolution to this conflict? In whose interests should the conflict b e resolved? 5. I am also a resident of the community of Reather in the constituency of South South East Kingston, and a long standing Member of the Peoples National Par ty for the last thirty six years. When I am walking on the road in sight of any

of the two homosexuals, I in a loud and bellicose manner cross to the opposite s ide of the street, clear my throat in an even louder manner and spit in the most aggressive manner that I can muster. I am expressing myself. These actions of s elf expression has led me into conflict with the community, which feels that I m anifest the most primitive type of homophobia, and the Chairman of the Reathers arty group, who is also a Deacon at the Missionary Apostolic Church in Reather openly criticize my actions at the last monthly group meeting with the support of the other members of the group. Do I also not have a legitimate right to self expression and should the party group have any concern about how I decide to ex ercise my rights? In whose interests should the conflict be resolved especially since none of the two homosexuals have made a complaint? While it maybe possible for the Group chairman to invite any of these two to address the Mens Group of issionary Apostolic Church in Reather where he is a Deacon, does he as Party Cha irman has any right or authority to invite a homosexual to address the Reathers eoples National Party Group? In whose interest would be such an invitation? On Party Ideology

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The question in my mind is the issue of the development of a more inclusive unde rstanding of Human Rights and the bring to the fore of tolerance as a vehicle or t ool to aid in the resolution and or prevention of conflicts at the divisional an d constituency levels of the Peoples National Party. How does party ideology dea ls with the nuances and difference between the concept of acceptance and the con cept of tolerance, especially since tolerance does not necessarily mean or imply acceptance nor does acceptance necessarily mean or imply acceptance. I accept V aul Capecod as my nephew, however I am not tolerant to his weed smoking habits. What role do the concepts of tolerance and acceptance play in developing a more em bracing and richer party ideology especially in tweaking out that more inclusive u nderstanding of Human Rights? Is it possible for there to be areas and shades o f differences in the ideological positions and approaches between the national a nd or parliamentary party and the constituency party organization? If there are such differences, should they be existing in the realms of possibility or in rea lity, should these differences be repressed, tolerated or encouraged? What would be the possible implications of the encouragement or tolerance of con stituency originating and or originated positions and ideological approaches on the Peoples National Party as a national organization, how would these ground up approaches and outlooks influence the ideological position of the national part y itself. In my view, it maybe concluded that the concept of the right of the individual and the concept of tolerance may act in unity to promote a persons sense of being or act in conflict to undermine the persons sense of being. If such is a valid conclusion , then in my view it questions the degree of freedom the constituency and or divis ional party organization has to interpret both the implicitly and explicitly state d positions and policies of the Peoples National Party as a national organizatio n, in such a manner that seeks to enhance the individuals sense of being . If the r equired degree of freedom to interpret exists then the Chairman of the Reathers Peo ples National Party Group , who is also a Deacon in the Missionary Apostolic Chu rch in Reather, would not only have a most important role to play in the communi ty of Reather, both in developing the partys organization among the people and fa cilitating individuals to become the best they can be as individuals, but also w ith time he could become a most important source and expert of the ideology and practices of the Peoples National Party. It is here in such cases as with the co mmunities of Filler and Reather the question of ground up ideological approaches a nd positions become most real. Taken to its logical conclusion, such an argument once accepted must also lead o ne to ask oneself if a Peoples National Party with an ardent pro Touched Pork wing and an equally militant anti Touched Pork wing would be more or less representati

ve the ordinary Jamaican people. Could Father Ho Lung with his known anti-aborti on stance be a comrade in good standing in the same Peoples National Party as Co mrade Karl Mayflour who is known for his most vigorously promoted pro-choice sta nce? Would such a blend of opposites make the PNP more PNP or less PNP? There is a view that the recognition or none recognition of an individuals rights is conditional and that the rights of some individuals are of a superior qualit y than the rights of others, depending on the persons class background, race, gen der, status, institutional support etc. If such a view is left unchallenged, the n would it not be the same as saying that since there are superior and inferior individuals, there must be superior and inferior constituencies and Members of P arliament? In short not only are gays inferior individuals to lets say straight wankers, Old Aunt May with her touched pork cooking habits inferior to her Seventh Day Adventist neighbours, Comrade Father Ho Lung superior to Comrade Karl Mayfl our, but also that the Hannah Town Division is inferior to the Ligeanue Division , the South St. Andrew Constituency inferior to the South St. Catherine Constitu ency with a never ending list of superior and inferior individuals, communities, divisions and constituencies. Could the Peoples National Party remain the Peoples National Party while at the same time accepting the view that the rights of individuals are conditional, whi le accepting the view that some individuals have superior quality rights than ot hers, and that the being of one individual might be inferior or superior to the bei ng of another; without also accepting the Legitimacy of the Discrimination of Man By Man both as a doctrine and as a formal partys position? Would it be correct for our esteemed leader Comrade Portia Simpson Miller to see k to bar Comrade Dr. Gary Gaylight, the son of a domestic helper, from holding a ny given position in the party or in the government on the grounds that he is ga y, and loves wearing pinks socks and pink and yellow neck ties, and still remain the esteemed leader of the Peoples National Party? Should Comrade Dr. Gary Gaylight (a real butterfly) , the son of Aunty Mattis yo ur former domestic helper, be named the Minister of Information, would it mean t hat the Peoples National Party is on the borderline and is hanging out with Shabba dah the ruler of the kingdom of butterflies? Or would it not mean that by promot ing Comrade Gary Gaylight to the position of Minister of Information, the Party and Government of The Peoples National Party accepts Comrade Dr. Gary Gaylight , the son of Aunty Mattis, your former domestic helper, as an equal and duly qual ified and competent human being? Would it mean that Comrade Gary Gaylight rights are superior to mine, the person who spits and crosses to the other side of the street when he sees Gaylight or any of his bothers of the flesh? Is Comrade Gary Gaylights rights in any way infe rior or superior to the rights of Old Aunt May to cook the touched pork which is d riving her Seventh Day Adventist neighbors mad and plagued with nightmares of ho rned black pigs walking upright on their hind legs chasing at them? Should not t he Peoples National Party see us and accept us as three very different but equal human beings and comrades? Would such an approach retard or advance the proces s of developing party ideology both at the national and at the constituency leve l? My Expulsion from the Peoples National Party Should as a member of the Peoples National Party, I decided not only to light up nuff fire not only on Comrade Gary Gaylight, but on all the butterflies in and ou tside of the party, should I not immediately be expelled from the Peoples Nation al Party and all its affiliate bodies? The fact that I have a dog at home, does not mean that I think that all dogs are

the same or that all dogs are mine. To differentiate my dog from all other dogs , I gave my dog a name, note its habits, colour, ensure that it baths regularly and bestow on it (at least in my mind) a sense of personality and individuality. The individuals right to expression and to a sense of being is part and parcel o f what makes him a human being and as an individual unique and different from ev eryone else. By calling that individual (Dr. Gary Gaylight) a butterfly, am I not putting the person into a group or class of creatures, within which it is impossible or nea rly impossible to distinguish one from the other? For most persons it is impossi ble to distinguish a male butterfly from a female butterfly. Thus by calling Dr. Gary Gaylight a butterfly, am I not robbing him of his individuality and his se nse of being, denying him of his right to self expression (which would make him an individual)? Is there room within the Peoples National Party of Norman Manley for individuals who seek to rob others of their sense of being and their right to self expression? Could a divisional or even a constituency party organization support the lighting of fires on those deemed to be butterflies? Was it not there fore correct for the Chairman of the Reathers Peoples National Party Group, who i s also the Deacon of the Missionary Apostolic Church in Reader to race me up? This argument also holds true, in relationship to those who cook touched pork. The preparation of touched or fermented food, meat or fish is a cultural practice whi ch links those involved, with their African Roots and with the African continent itself. Fermented (touched) food is consumed in all countries of Africa, be it South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt or Sudan, Christians or Muslims. By trying to stop Old Aunt May of her right to cook her touched pork is one not also trying to rob her of her right to self expression as a person of African descent? Does a comra de who is a Rasta or Seventh Day Adventist have the right to restrict or redefin e Old Aunt Mays sense of identity? Is it possible for Aunt May to be a good comra de although she loves cooking touched pork? Should membership of the Peoples Natio nal Party be restricted to Italists and Vegetarians? The process of developing and or enriching party ideology is a complex on going process , which takes into account the daily experiences of the party as an orga nization and most importantly the experiences of its members and supporters. It is a very dynamic process in which there are but a few constants, a process guid ed and directed by the founding principles of the Peoples National Party. Basil Fletcher Group Chairman Ras Okonkwo and The Case of The Flying Dishes The village of Mongo Walk, has for decades if not centuries, has been for all pr actical sense and purpose, cut of from civilization. It only connection with the outside world is a dirt track which hugs the sloping mountain of John Crow Hill for ten miles, which then connects to another dirt path through the picket bush for another five miles, before reaching the narrow cratered road which leads to the town of Baka Hill. The residents of Mango Walk, retire to their verandas at the chorus of crowing rosters in the evenings and start their days when the sym phony of crowing rosters accompanied by the song birds in the mongo, guinep, ack ee, breadfruit and almond trees. Even the return of the Wanderlust, the young man who was deported from the Unite d States and found refuge in his great grandmothers termite ridden wattle and dab hut, did not disturb the deep and tranquil slumber of Mango Walk. However for some weeks now, there appeared to be an added vigor and new venom in the regular Sunday morning domestic arguments in several of the home in Mango W alk, along with stories of several upstanding men running from their homes with

companies of flying dishes racing to catch up with them. Whispers have it that a n increasing number of wives have thrown away the keys to their shops in the sin k hole at Bruk Neck Stone. The crickets and grass hoppers which hang out in the bushes near to the homes, have been reported as saying that, many of the men of Mango Walk, both young and old, the respected and the despised, have come down w ith a strange fear of peeing, as if demons have infested their instruments of ex ploration and examination with forks of fire. It was on a morning like this, that the villagers saw the strange sight of Group Leader Ras Okonkwo, Branch Leader Ras Mbaino and Pastor Alfrid Severview gather ed under the hugh cotton tree near the grave yard, in a most heated conversation , with their hands outdoing their tongues in the uttering of words and the makin g of points. It is well known that while Group Leader Ras Okonkwo, Branch Leader Ras Mbaino and Pastor Alfrid Severview are brothers, they since their days of youth avoided each other to the best of their abilities and should any of them cross paths it would always be accompanied by shouts of Demon!, Blood and Fire! and other words of healthy and vigorous greetings. Rumors have it that Branch Leader Ras Mbaino in his days of youth would pick all the green and turn mangoes to make pickles, an action which greatly perturbed R as Okonkwo who loved eating ripe yellow or orange mangoes. Pastor Alfrid Severvi ew, their elder brother tried to make peace, but in doing so invited them to din ner at his home to talk over it on the very day that his loving wife Tia by chan ce was cooking touched pork and broad beans. Hell broke loose and from that day, e ach brother went his separate way, meeting and started to greeting each other in the most vigorous manner:- Demon! , Blood and Fire! For Group Leader Ras Okonkwo, Branch Leader Ras Mbaino and Pastor Alfrid Severvi ew to be seeing together in one place without demonstrating who can greet the ot her with the loudest and most hearty:- Demon! , Blood and Fire!, is stranger than se eing a dog walking unaided on its hind legs, and yet stranger is to see them try ing to come to some form of understanding or agreement over anything. We have to get her out of the village, Branch Leader Ras Mbaino was saying. If we d o get her out, the women will not go and try to find the shop keys , he continued . A word of truth , interjected Pastor Alfrid Severview, Even I could not say it be tter, can you imagine, it is more than two months now that my Tia threw her shop key into the sink hole. I cannot deal with this thing any more. Group Leader Ras Okonkwo pulled at his long grayed bread, shaking his head,, then put in I have s een everywhere the same problem to, but I have to look at it another way. It wa s not Mad Mavis who came to us, it is we who go went Mad Mavis. Pastor Alfrid Severview, hit his thigh with his folded fist most angrily, You get ting mad or something. The woman is not only mad, but also wicked. She is from t he pits of hell. How do you feel when you try to pee. It is like touching a piec e of hot coal with your finger. The woman is wicked I am telling you. Branch Lead er Ras Mbaino, shock his head in firm agreement, I have been visiting Mad Mavis f rom we were children, and nothing like this ever happen before. That means that Mad Mavis must have done something, or we would not have this problem. It is the demons in her that cause her to do us this wickedness. It is because she is ang ry that we only visit her when we want that thing, and none of us want to live w ith her. But she must be getting double mad, could I ever leave my nice and beautiful Tia, and go and live with Mad Mavis? asked Pastor Alfrid Severview. It is true that wa s Mad Mavis who first carried me above the trees and beyond the hills, but she i s mad, how can anybody who have sense marry her?

But Alfrid, you are a pastor, you are married, should you not have given up flyin g over the top of the mango trees with Mad Mavis? Asked Group Leader Ras Okonkwo . Pastor Alfrid Severview, again hit his thigh with his folded fist even more an grily. I tell you that this man must be madder than Mad Mavis. First you know tha t a wild horse gives a sweeter ride than a tame horse, bush meat taste better th an any other kind of meat. Is let, Mad Mavis let out my secret. You know how lon g I have been eating that bush meat and nobody knew? You know how long I have be en riding that wild horse and nobody knew? Is shame the woman shame me. Stop the long talking; we have to get rid of this woman. She is of the devil hims elf, Babylon sent her to mash we up, stormed Branch Leader Ras Mbaino. I cannot dea l with this long talking thing, it is action time. Now all the women know our busi ness. But then again, if we should get rid of Mad Mavis, what will we do when th e women lock shop because they are vex about anything? Maybe you should carry he r to the doctor also, Alfrid! Whose business the women know about, mine or yours? Asked Group Leader Ras Okonkw o angrily. I stopped visiting Mad Mavis from the time I settle down with my Queen , it cannot be Mad Mavis fault, first, she did not visit anybody, it is we who v isited her, and secondly we have to ask ourselves which new person visited Mad M avis. Somebody must have visited her with something in order for her to be able to give it out again. And you Mbaino have a good woman at your house! How can you call yourself a Rasta Man and still be playing in dolly house? It is full time cut out this nastiness! I am to carry Mad Mavis to the doctor? asked Pastor Alfrid Severview. I have my wi fe and me to carry to the doctor Easy no need to fight, I will talk to Queenie about it and if she agrees, we will carry both Mad Mavis and Wanderlust to the doctor. I will pay for Mad Mavis but you Alfrid and Mbaino must pay for Wanderlust stated Group Leader Ras Okonkwo. Alright, I and Mbaino will give you the money to take Wanderlust to the doctor. B oth of you can stop by my house for dinner this Sunday evening, stated Pastor Alf rid Severview. Both Group Leader Ras Okonkwo and Branch Leader Ras Mbaino looked at each other and then at their elder brother and erupted in a loud belly hurti ng laughter. Steamed touched pork and broad beans? At this point even the birds st opped creeping, all voices and work in the village ceased, such a sight, such an occurrence, such an event, could not be real. The dogs rubbed their eyes with t heir paws and the cats were seen rubbing their ears, asking themselves if they w ere still of this world. Even the lizards walked up and touched the cats, just t o check if they were still here on earth. Old Grand Mother Dora, the former and founding secretary of the Mango Tree Villa ge Peoples National Party Group, who was bent by her husbands grave, in prayer, o verheard the entire conversation between the three brothers, and murmured to her self that both Mad Mavis and Wanderlust must be angels in disguise to bring thos e brothers together to talk about anything. And that Group Leader Ras Okonkwo wi th all his distance and wall about himself was not such a bad person after all. I will help the women to find the shop keys, and then just maybe I will be able t o get the women, to force the men to help Wanderlust to fix up the old house and to get some yam head and cassava slips to plant. Just maybe I can do that. I mi ght have to find a way to talk to Group Leader Ras Okonkwo and Branch Leader Ras Mbaino before they start quarrelling with each other again, Old Grand Mother Do ra said to herself with a toothless grin, with the fighting spirit of a true eve n though old comrade. End Basil Fletcher

Old Aunt May and the Tours of Demons Old Aunt May woke up that Sunday morning with a spirit of vexation, a vexation c aused by the news she received the Saturday evening before. She was told that yo ung Comrade Gary Gaylight would be leading a house to house tour with the People s National Partys Member of Parliament through the community, to be followed by a house to house tour of the Jamaica Labour Party candidate Mrs. Vest, next week Friday. That tour would be led by Miss. Pitt the young and uppity Seventh Day Ad ventist who lives next door. Apart for a little arguments with Miss Pitt from time to time about the cooking of touched pork, she did not have a problem with Miss Pitt. In fact Miss Pitt remi nds her of herself when she was a young woman. Old Aunt May smiled at the memory . As for Comrade Gary Gaylight, he was ok, a very helpful person, and bright lik e the Morning Star. Aunt May just wished, with all her soul that a young and bea utiful woman like Miss Pitt would catch his eyes, and lead him away from the typ e of life that he is living. She could imagine the lovely children, they would p roduce, and the sound of children playing next door. No, the problem was not with either Miss Pitt or Comrade Gary Gaylight, the prob lem was with the politicians they would be carrying into the community and into her house. It was the confusion and divisions that these politicians carried wit h then that upset her the most. Even the idea of getting ready to go to Church d id not sooth her mind. Those blasted politicians. Every five years they would co me and carry the demons of hell with them. She did not mind cooking a little extra steamed touched pork and broad beans, to s hare with the Member of Parliament or with the JLP candidate Mrs. Vest, they alw ays loved her cooking, only Miss Pitt behave as if she was born in England and d id not eat steamed touched pork and beans. What she did mind, was the choices they carried with them. They always have a little something to leave with her. If she does not accept the little something if would appear as if she is against them, if she accepted the little something, it is like she sold her vote. If she sells her vo te for the little something then she gives up her right to argue with them about th e fixing up the road, bushing the place or about anything because she would have already got something. The Devil has always worked it out, that these politicians come around when things are at their hardest, when people are in the greatest n eed. She could imagine the smell of curry chicken back taking over from the smell of ca llallo or cabbage, coming from her neighbors houses during the week. One could al ways tell when the little something pass through the community, from the smell of the pots. All those who use to complain about the pot holes in road, start to si ng Calypso songs and dance old time music. That little something really change the way people see things and clean off the memory plates. It makes the pot holes i n the road vanish in tin air. Yes, Old Aunt May, was glad that at last the boys on the street corner will get to get to taste some curry goat, some of them for the first time in five years. She was glad, that domino sets would be bought, tables would be made, and some b oxes beer, bottles of rum and soft drink would come out to quench the young peop le thirst. Mr. Chin wholesale shop must do good business; Mr. Surecut the carpen ter will not have hands to build domino tables and benches. If only they would n ot bother with the loud music, she just could not take the boom- boom sound at h er head during the nights. She did not mind that some people would get some gree n Tee shirts and others would get some orange or yellow Tee shirts. God knows th

at cloths are hard to buy and the people hardly have anything to wear. What upset her, is that when these politicians come, it is like wasps and bees s tart to war with each other. People who use to live loving with each other sudde nly discover that their neighbors have some type of leprosy and should not be li ving next to them, one brother suddenly discover that his brothers lip are too bi g and his nose too wide for them to be brothers, good friends suddenly discover that their best friends had been eating off all the touched pork and broad beans, while they had empty plates in their hands waiting for some of the food. Only De mons could cause such confusion and problems. Old Aunt May thought about her Church again. She would get ready and go. Maybe s he could talk to Comrade Pastor Glenroy East about the impending arrival of thes e demons to community. A week or two of chain fasting might bound those demons a nd put them back into hell. Yes, Comrade Pastor Glenroy East has his orange Tee shirt and goes as far as the arena to conference, but he does not deal with fool ishness and also hates when these demonic politicians set foot into the communit y. It is he who gets the extra work of putting back brothers together, healing w ounds and at times burying the dead. Pastor Glenroy East surely will help; maybe he will start five weeks of chain fasting instead of two. Old Aunt May sighs, s he is a bit old for long fasting, but she surely will try her best. Basil Fletcher

The State Of Confusion of Branch Secretary Miss Pitt Branch Secretary Miss Pitt heard the faint blaring horns of the slowly approachi ng garbage truck, several blocks away. At first she felt very happy that they were coming. The garbage bin at her gate has over flown its rims, and a mountain of garbage was formed next to it. Every morning Branch Secretary Miss Pitt had to get up very early, to sweep up the thi ngs the dogs had taken from the pile, and to ensure that she picked up the shred ded pieces of unmentionables, before any one came out. It was a most unpleasant ta sk. Yes she was glad that the garbage truck was coming. Today was a Sunday and Group Chairman Gary Gaylight had and Ras Yusuf Far I was not yet back from the country This means that the garbage men would not have anywhere r to quench their thirst, it was a very hot day and the n top of them. gown to visit his mother where had a small farm. else to stop to get wate sun was standing right o

The thought angered Branch Secretary Miss Pitt. She was glad that the truck was coming to take away the garbage, but the idea of giving the garbage men water in her good glasses really upset her. She did not even like to look at them. They always seem so dirty, smelly, sweaty and stink. A person could get an infection just by looking at them. Why that blasted Group Chairman Gary Gaylight had to go to his mothers house today? Is he not a big man? Is he sort of mamas boy? And that R as Yusuf Far I and his going to country every week. He must be haunted or somet hing. She thought to herself. She could not stay in her house and not come out. If she did that and Old Aunt M ay heard about it, for weeks she would have no peace of mind. Old Aunt May was v ery sharp with her tongue and was not afraid to speak her mind. Sometimes Branch

Secretary Miss Pitt, thought that it would be better for her to leave this comm unity and move somewhere else. After all she is twenty five years old, she has a degree and is in a good job, here she felt like a little girl in her mothers hou se and with two big brothers on her shoulders. If a young man comes to visit her and if he did not fill the eyes of Old Aunt May, it was a problem. Old Aunt May and Group Chairman Gary Gaylight would be at her throat, asking her what type o f Buttu that she has coming to her house and Group Chairman Gary Gaylight would be on her case about how she must uplift herslf and not pull down herself. The worse thing is that Group Chairman Gary Gaylight have no use, she could strip herself naked in front of him and he would not know. The truth though is that they took care of her. When Ras Yusuf Far I returns fr om the country, her little box with pumpkin, watermelon, onions, pepper, thyme, ya m, cabbage and other food kind, would always be there ready for her. Group Chai rman Gary Gaylight ensured that she did not have to fight to get on the bus in t he mornings, he had one of his friends pick her up in the mornings and if she want ed, pick her up after work. And if she did not feel well or felt sick in any way Old Aunt May would be over her bed like a setting hen. Sometimes she has to hid e her feelings when she was not feeling well. They took good care of her and thi s is another reason why she was angry about the garbage truck coming. Can you imagine me giving those garbage men water out of my good glasses? I would have to throw them away after they are finished drinking. look at their clothes, it looks like something John Crow took out warrant to get them back. And Lawd, th e hands them, those hands to touch my clean and new glasses? And who is going to pour them the water? Me? Jesus have mercy on me! She thought to herself. She was not going to let them touch her water bottle, and sure as hell she did n ot want to go anywhere near them to pour the water. A person could get a very se rious infection by being anywhere near those people. She did not mind the garbag e truck driver, he was clean, and he was a Seventh Day Adventist, who worshiped at her Church. But if she gave him water, she would have to give everybody water . And she cannot give ask him to get out of the truck and serve water. It just w ould not look right.But how does he work with those people and how does he drive such a truck. He and John Crow must have the same type of stomach. She thought to herself. You know what; I am going to Mr. Chin wholesale, by the time I get back the truck must pass by then. This way Aunt May will not be able to tell me about garbage men being people, and ask me about what I would do without garbage them. And Gro up Chairman Gary Gaylight is not here to see a thing and give me any lecturing. B ranch Secretary Miss Pitt took up her hand bag and raced to through her front do or, slaming it behind her. Basil Fletcher

Comrade Quary Gaylight and the Case of the Super Lepers In recent weeks, both the print and electronic media have been reporting that a section of the town was taken over by a set of super lepers who had very marked nocturnal traits. Unlike ordinary lepers, researchers had found that the particu lar strain of the bacteria which infected these individuals and resulted in thei r state was abnormal in its impact on the person. Infection could be transmitted by sight, by contact, by smell and by proximity. The super virulent nature of t his affliction caused panic among the public and had the city fathers wringing t heir hands and brushing their bald heads in despair. Last Sunday Comrade Quary Gaylight and Comrade Deacon Makehaste were sitting in a small caf after having a snack, right after Mass. To their surprise and deep sh ock, they saw one of these super lepers on the other side of the street, stoning cars and creating general mayhem. Comrade Quary Gaylight conscious of his own a ffliction with a milder form of leprosy, asked:- Comrade Deacon, why is it that t here is no one around to remove that person, his presence and actions must be a ca use of grave concern to all? Should you try to remove that leprous person, you could be accused of discriminat ion; responded Comrade Deacon Makehaste. Can you imagine the public outcry should I try to take that person away? Deacon discriminates lepers in town centre!, that would be the headlines. How could I face the congregation? How could I enter the constituency? Worse of all he is a super leper. Can you imagine a Deacon who is a leper, much less a super leper? continued Comrade Deacon Makehaste. But Comrade Deacon, he make all lepers look bad, even those who are only mildly a fflicted; state Comrade Quary Gaylight. Look at me, people has just started to acc ept me. Now super lepers like him could cause people to put me in the same boat as that super leper. Do you know how hard I have worked to ensure that my infect ion does not become viral? I spend my mornings lifting weights, my lunch time i n karate classes, my evening joggings, and I wear only the most macho clothes in public. Even my shoe is of the Murderer brand. The only problem I still have is w ith my addiction to my pink socks, my pink bikini briefs and my pink and yellow neck ties and I am working very hard to overcome those addictions; moaned Comrade Quary Gaylight. Comrade Deacon stated firmly:-Oh come on, Comrade Quary, how could anyone in a sa ne mind confuse you with a super leper. You are bright, you drive the latest Mer cedes Benz, you own a town house which you have rented out and you have just bou ght a house on the peak of Blue Mountains, in addition to the five hundred foot yacht you have in the harbour. You are not like that super leper. Pull yourself t ogether! But Comrade Deacon, why wont the police take him away? Asked Comrade Quary Gaylight . The super leper had removed all his clothing leaving only his pink socks on his now shoeless feet, his instrument of exploration and investigation dangling like a pendulum for all to see in a semi-erect manner. Comrade Deacon Makehaste ask ed angrily:- You are getting mad or what? Which policeman is going to touch a nak ed super leper? That police man could not report to the police station, he would not be welcomed without peals of laughter into any public place, and what will happen to his children in school? And I surely would not send a female police of ficer anywhere near that super leper, not with, his instrument of exploration an d investigation dangling like a pendulum for all to see in a semi-erect manner, maybe it could become really erect.

Comrade Quary Gaylight, being a sensitive and kind person at heart, was gravely hurt by the sight of the super leper. Thinking about it, he turn to Comrade Deac on Makehaste:- But Comrade Deacon, something must be done about the super lepers, a way must be found to get them into a place out of the view of the public and where they are safe. You understand them better than I do, think about it; responded Comrade Deacon Mak ehaste. A drunk, a member of the Rumtree Peoples National Party Group, seated two tables away, was trying to bum a nap when he overheard the conversation, asked himsel f:-What use it is going to Church? It just does not make sense! He fell immediately into a peaceful sleep. Basil Fletcher

Comrade Ras Reb Shmulik and the young Comrade Ras Cantor Comrade Ras Reb Shmulik sat quietly on an old log under the shade of the breadfr uit tree out of the stinging rays of the morning sun, mediating on the great wor ks of Jah, and the beauty of life in spite of all the tribulations Rasta had to endure in Babylon. It was only 8.00 a.m. and neither the crew or the truck had a rrived as yet. As he was wont to do before starting out with the garbage truck i n the mornings, he chanted a few Psalms, his favourites were the 23rd. Psalms an d Psalms 119. Looking up the road, he saw young Comrade Ras Cantor, walking with an extra boun ce in his steps and a big head spiff in his right hand. He had always warned you ng Ras Cantor not to give Babylon excuse to draw down on him, for all Babylon wa s looking for was an excuse to take set on Rasta. Well who cant hear, must feel. I man tried to talk to him. Comrade Ras Reb Shmulik said to himself. Izez Ras Shmulik! greeted young comrade Ras Contor. Izez I ! Ras Shmulik greeted in

return. When chicken happy, hawk de near!, The I cant hear nuh fi burn the herb whe Babylon can see? An how you so late this morning, normally the I come out before I; continued Comrade Ras Reb Shmulik. Ras, you never did a watch the an ina the competition, and him l big ina I self. You done know ng Comrade Ras Cantor. An the I t and post two letters before I X factor pon T.V. first night? I man see a garbage m just a mash it up, when I see the man, I jus fee that them have off garbage man fi idiot; said you know that this morning I have fi cook a small po man come out; he continued.

You see the T.V and Radio thing, dem de deh fi corrupt man mind; responded Comrade Ras Reb Shmulik, But I hear bout that garbage man, from the youth who live next door. I hear this youth a sing pure tripping, so I man had to ask him a weh him a t rip over, a that time im tell I bout that song and the white youth who a big up the whole a we. Jah Blessing and Glory shine pon him! Jah! shouted Comrade Ras Reb S hmulik. You know which part we a work today, doh? asked Comrade Ras Reb Shmulik. Yes I, tha t a why the I did have fi eat a food and post two letters, before I touch the ro ad. We a go in a deh head a Babylon. You see them up town place deh, I man doan like fi work. You know how hard I man pray fi the truck bruk down or puncture so that we dont have to go deh? ask young Comrade Ras Cantor. The I hav fi learn fi give Jah thanks fi all things; responded Comrade Ras Reb Shm ulik. How the I mean Ras? Asked Ras Cantor. You done know how them place deh stay. A only Doberman and if a nuh Doberman, a Alsatian deh deh fi greet man. I you ever wan t fi use a toilet, yuh shit up youself because them people weh live ina dem plac e deh, dont even want yuh pan dem lawn, in case the grass dem get sick; continued young Ras Cantor. I man she dat the I mus learn fi give thanks fi all things; responded Comrade Ras Reb Shmulik. Pigeon nwam food, John Crow mus nwam food, a same way we have fi do weh wi have fi duh fi nawm food. I man deh pan dis before deh I bawn and I send four pickney go school and two through university pan dis yah hustling. Continue d Ras Shmulik. The I nah pick up weh I a seh; responded young Ras Contor. First week when we deh u p deh, I man belly did a kill I. I man see a little old lady pan one har veranda , suh I man knock the gate. When she ask me weh I man want, I man tell har that mi belly a kill mi and me want fi borrow har toilet. Is like a bad word, I man t ell her. The woman get up and go in a deh house and lock the door. The next thin g I man hear is deh song On a Hill Far Away; continued angrily Ras Contor. Fire pon all pork eaters! Fire pan Babylon!. Brim Stone and Fire! Jah Rasta Far I! Jah!. Comrade Ras Reb Shmulik shook his head and looked sympathetically at young Comra de Ras Contor and replied in a still quite voice :- In all things give thanks. Th e I is learning the ways of Babylon, soon them cant fool deh I. The I a start fi see the wolf dem in sheeping clothing. In all things give thanks. Jah be praise d! If I man did tell deh I , deh I wound not overstand. Jah Rast Far I, Ever Living , Ever Sure! Jah!. Basil Fletcher

The Peoples National Party on the Question of Political Victimization and Reveng e Many individuals and communities as a result of the tribalistic political practi ces of both major parties, one more than the other, have been left with very dee p scars which in no small way negatively influence their general approach to lif e and to other individuals, who they believe for whatever reason or reasons, do not share their political outlook. Here I remember in particular, a senior poli tician, in terms of age ( and highly possible only in terms of age only) who had encounter political victimization earlier in life, gloating over the opportunit y that presented itself for him to partake in putting a political opponent through hell, as he himself had supposedly gone through. Yet this senior politician nev er seems to cease boasting about his Church affiliation and the fact that he att ended a Church operated and owned college (he a person who does not eat touched p ork and broad beans) Here, I ask myself the very same question, I heard Miss Kitty asked her listener s on her radio programme:- If a parent abandoned you as a child, do you have an o bligation to that parent? Some of the call in participants was of the view, that if they had to suffer through life because of the fact that their parent or pare nts abandoned them as children, then they had no obligation to that parent or th ose parents. Here I recall the story of a grown up and prosperous son who sets h is dogs on a father who came seeking his assistance. The father refused to ackno wledge him as his son when he was a child. The urge to seek revenge, in my view, is not a search for justice but rather an attempt to come to terms with a negative experience, to come to terms with an in justice perpetrated against the individual. It is an attempt to come to terms wi th an injustice, firstly because no amount of revenge can erase the memory of ha rm done or the hurt felt, secondly because it is a failure to see any positive t o be derived from the experience, and thirdly and possibly most importantly, bec ause it is a call to be wounded if not to be killed several times over; each ind ividual that lives whether by purpose or by accident is guilty of hurting others , be in by speech or by action. Here I ask myself the question, if I was abandoned as a child by my parents, cou ld I take revenge on those parents? The answer is no. Even if my parents were d ying from hunger and I refused them food, or if they were thirsty and I refused them water, nothing that I do can make them endure the experience that I had to endure as a child. Nothing that I do could remove the negative experience that I had to endure. In fact with each act of revenge, I would be putting myself throug h those very experiences again and again.\

Equally so, in my view, a comrade, who for what every reason, believes that he o r she was a victim of political victimization, will not be able to erase those e xperiences by himself or herself becoming a promoter and or perpetrator of venge ful political victimization. He or she will never be able to grow beyond the exp erience. Most critically, such an approach would not find place within the Peopl es National Party, for the simple reason that political victimization is another name for political discrimination, and neither the principles nor ideology of t he Peoples National party tolerates discrimination of any type or kind. The fact that a leading voice in the governing party can could be so cursed with immatur ity that he could have been advocating the political purging of the state of tho se who are sympathetic to the views of the Peoples National Party is in no form a justification for any such similar views within the ranks of the Peoples Natio nal Party. In my humble view, the critical question is to ask oneself for what positive pur poses can the experience of victimization be used. If the view is accepted that we are all strangers to God, and we are all equal travelers passing through this planet; then the task must be to do the best that one can do while being here. Should I be the victim of victimization of any type, then I should also believe that it would be my one of my tasks to discourage and prevent where possible the carrying out of victimization against any other person. If I as a Black person should experience racism, then I should also consider it my duty to discourage a nd prevent the carrying out of racist discrimination from any source Black or Wh ite. Should I become a Black racist, then I would be equally as bad as a White r acist. Equally as is racism, racism regardless of the source, equally so is vict imization, victimization regardless of the source. The major challenge, in my view, will be temptations facing the Members of Parli ament and Councilors, from Constituencies and Divisions that have suffered from political victimization. Not only could there be real pressures facing these ele cted officials to carry out reverse political victimization, but also the danger of rewarding others for the carrying out of political victimization. In my view , this challenge and temptation can be overcome if one should take an approach b ased on addressing the individuals and areas of greatest need. Human need defies , political labels, a hungry Labourite feels hunger in the same way as a hungry comrade; the child of a poor Labourite has educational needs equally as the chil d of a poor comrade. Here one recognizes that in a period of extremely scare resources, high unemploy ment and increasing levels of poverty that will not be an easy task. Firstly, th e approach of the people themselves is a source of problem. There is a belief th at if one helps one person, then one should help all persons. It is the case of the individual in Church, who identifies an individual who he or she can help. T he moments other discover that one individual from the ranks of the unfortunates i s getting help; all the unfortunates begin to present themselves also, without und erstanding or possibly caring that the more fortunate Church member is unable to c arry all their burdens and still take care of his or her own responsibilities. E qually so it is in the politics at the divisional level. The partys representativ e on the ground has to be steeled in principle and be prepared to take on the en emies called envy, greed and jealousy. These enemies if they are not taken on in a head on manner will defeat even the best intentions of the partys representati ve. This is no easy task, how does one explain to unemployed and impoverish supp orters, that Sister Madge who has seven fatherless children, who is unemployed, who is ill and who is known to be an ardent and vocal supporter of the Jamaica L abour Party, should receive help before, they the loyal comrades and unwavering supporters of the Peoples National Party? This is where leadership is required. It is my view, that the reason and purpose for the existence of the Peoples Nati onal Party is not and could not be to that of satisfying the interests of only t hose individuals who support the Peoples National Party, nor to promote the inte

rests of the members of the party, but rather that of advancing the well being o f all Jamaicans regardless of their political orientation, religion, creed, sexu al orientation, class or race. If this view is correct, then it should be reason able to expect that the party will be able overcome the very strong tendencies t owards political victimization which will come as a part and parcel of the growi ng appeal of the party. It should also be reasonable to expect the leaders of th e party in the constituencies and the divisions, to remember why they became mem bers of the Peoples National Party; surely it could not be primarily to advance personal ambitions and causes over and above the interest of the Jamaican people . If one should look at the history of Jamaica and the struggles fought by individ uals such as Sam Sharpe, Buchman, George William Gordon, Paul Bogle, Marcus Garv ey, Claude McKay, and others against slavery and racism, it becomes even clearer that policies based on victimization and revenge are untenable within the Peopl es National Party. If one should take a regional perspective, and look at the ro le played by the Haitian Revolution, the struggles of the Zapata-ists in Mexico, the great sacrifice paid by the Cubans in liberating Angola from the clutches o f South Africa, and the role the region as a whole, including Jamaica and Barbad os, played in bring apartheid in South Africa to an end, and in the liberation o f Zimbabwe , in addition to contributing in the formation of a multi-racial demo cratic regime in Namibia, then it becomes even clearer that any attempt at polit ical victimization by any member or supporter would be in essence anti-PNP. Basil Fletcher

The Young Deacon on the Question of Touched Pork and Beans A young deacon, of about 46 years of age, asked about the meaning of touched pork. At first I could not understand the question posed by this young deacon, becaus e in my mind touch pork is touched pork. However, when the young deacon explained hi s confusion, I was left momentarily in a state of shock and awe. The young deacon explained that the eating of touched pork is also used to refer t o the act of cunnilingus, which is the performing oral sex on a woman. I was lef t momentarily in a state of shock and awe, because I was total ignorant of the l evel of sexual liberation of the thoughts of those who lead the Church. I was led to believe, perhaps, mistakenly, that a womans vagina was the most uncl

ean part of the human body, and that even if I had 32 cavities and did not wash my mouth for a year, my mouth would still be cleaner that a womans vagina. Maybe I listen to the wrong Church people, equally as I had listen to one who thought that dinosaurs were figments of the imagination because nowhere in the Bible ref erred to them. After recovering from my shock, not only did I explain that by touched pork, I was referring literally to touched pork as is cooked on Saturdays and sometimes Sunda ys in some Jamaican households, but I also explained to him that I found his usa ge of the term to be very creative but I do hope that when he goes eating his tou ched pork he is careful not to bite the bean. Of course I assumed, as an extremely conservative person, the touched pork to whi ch he referred had only one bean, and not two beans. I was not prepared to deal with two mental revolutions in one conversation. May the young deacon savour the flavour of his touched pork and bean!; May his wife fly over and around the top of the mango trees ten times with loud screams of ecstasy and pure happiness !. As for myself, I still think of touched pork in terms of food, I have a one track mi nd. Oral sex is served in bed and not around or on my dining table. Basil Fletcher

Dem Fi Run Dem! Voice 1:- A whey dem a do ina front bench, Yu mean Pastor nuh see dem? Voice 2:- All de while dem race go a front bench like them a anybody. A nasty pe ople. Voice 1:- a nuh jus nasty dem nasty, dem wicked. Imagine dem go way a country go fi de people dem gal pickeny fi go spoil har up. An dem a nuh stranger. Deh man a deh pickey uncle. Voice 2:- An yuh know dat she was a bright likkle gal pickeny. A whole a seven C XC she get, but deh mother cant help har nuh more, so when har uncle an im wife s ey dem we teck har an send go further har education, the mumma glad bag bus. Voice 1:- A whey dem a do ina front bench, Yu mean Pastor nuh see dem? Voice 2:- An yuh know she when de uncle move pan deh likkle gal pickeny inna bro ad daylight, and she escape an go tell him wife, deh wife run har an ask if she tink she come fi live fi free, if she feel seh dem a fatten cockroach fi fowl! Voice 1:- A one hell deh pickney gal go through before Sister Barnett hear bout it an tek har out a deh house. The poor gal nearly get mad. Voice 2:- Pastor nah go duh nutten, im turn wan blind eye. Yuh nu know dat a dem paint up deh Church las year, an dis year dem a plan fi put in drive way? Voice 1:- A whe we a go duh, ina deh world bad an in yah suh a get worse dam deh world. Voice 2:- A whe we a go duh? Dem use dem money fi cover up dem nastiness all deh time. A deh same thing dem did du wid Sister Joyce daughter, a Pastor tell har fi keep police outa Church business. Voice 1:-Ah mi child, out a world hot in yah so hatta! Voice 2:-Dem fi run dem! Basil Fletcher

On The Community Notice Board The following notice appeared on the community notice board last week:Residents one and all, as you are all aware, two loaded firearms were discovered in the manhole at the back of the Church last week by two boys who were flying kite in the Church yard. When the incident was reported to an Elder of the Churc h, the boys were reprimanded for flying kite in the Church yard and told to mind their own business. In light of the above, the Citizen Association is asking all parents to prevent their children from venturing on the Church property, and to be careful about ke eping parcels for members of the Church. The situation is a dangerous one, and n ow that the information is out, attempts could be made to frame members of this community. May Jahs Blessings, Guidance and Protection be with you all. Signed:Comrade Ras Reb Shmulik President of the Citizens Association & Group Chairman

Representation By Foreign Nationals Comrades Paul Garvey of the Beautiful Beaches Division in the constituency of No rth North West Portland and Comrade Norman Sharp, chairman of the Heavenly Falls Division of East-North East St. Ann were sitting at the New Mango Tree Club and Restaurant in North West St. Mary, having a drink of rum and coke while enjoying a hearty and healthy breakfast of fried dumplings and touched pork and beans. T hey were awaiting the arrival of Ras Cutlass , Chairman of Ital Camp Division in North West St. Mary. Ras Cutlass knowing the dietary preferences of his comrades had delayed his arri val so that they could enjoy the rich bounty and culinary skills to be found in North West St. Mary, while he and his brethrens in Camp Ital first up some large dishes of ital stew, with green bananas, some slices of renta yam, slices of ro ast breadfruit, washed down with hot chocolate tea sweetened with coconut milk a nd honey. May Jah be Blessed at all Times, thought Ras Cutlass to himself. Let each man follow his own order, and let I not stand in the way of sinners to repentan ce; he added as he thought of his comrades at the New Mango Tree Club breakfastin g away fried dumplings and touched pork and beans. He nearly shouted Blood and Fi re on all Pork Eaters, but he then remembered he is in the world but not of the w orld, while his touched pork eating comrades were of the world and are in the wo rld. There were no radios, telephones, televisions nor news papers at Camp Ital as a result of a four years intensive content study of the mass media, which was carr ied out by the Council of Elders. There was strong evedence to support the posit ion that Babylon was deliberately using these media to control the mind , though ts and actions of the unsuspecting, and was using these very same media to plant harmful thoughts in the mind of youth, for example only some weeks ago the fift een year old son of Ras Bungo had to be disciplined for calling his neighbours f ourteen years old daughter dutty gal and for telling her that he wanted to rub up o n her bumper. These types of action and behaviour are not tolerated at Camp Ital. Yet the Council of Elders in it wisdom, had long felt that the youth must be giv en a road to go out into the world, to know the world and to make up their own m inds if they want to be of the world or if they want to turn away from the world . Jah did give unto the sons of Abraham both sheep and goats to tend, and a good shepherd has to provide for both the sheep and the goat, when times are good an d the grass is green there is wool, mutton and all things of the sheep, when thi ngs are bad, and the soil is parched, the things of the goat are in season. The goat will climb the highest of hills to find grass and green bush, and even stan d and its hind legs to reach up into the trees for leaves. If one does not stand firm, the goats will eat off everything off the clothes lines and then raid the kitchen to eat of what is in there. The Father did prepare food for man in both rainy season and in drought. To the Rasta man he gave the dasheen for the rainy season, and the cassava for the dry season, for protein he provided beans and peas which comes in all seasons, to sp ice it up all he gave the coconut and the bees honey. To the meat eaters he gave the goat, the sheep, the cow, the pig and the fowl. To all men he gave the fish . The Father prepares for all his children, to each he gave his own. It is in this light, the Council of Elders not only maintained open and warm rel ations with their touched pork eating comrades from other Divisions, but also en

sured that there is both a PNP Divisional group and a JLP Divisional branch in t he Ital Division. As fathers the Council of Elders ensure that the road remains open for any of their sons and daughters who want to go out into the world. In t he Ital Division, there is no political campaigning, who will vote for what is d ecided by the drawing of straws, the household which draws the short straws, vot es for the Jamaica Labour Party, the households which draws the long straws vote s for the Peoples National Party. The Council of Elders, which is made up of the thirteen eldest men in the community also pays very serious attention to educat ion, in fact among the Elders of the Council there is only one man who does not have a first degree, and that Ras in fact holds a Diploma in Electrical Engineer ing form the College of Arts Science and Technology. Indeed the Council of Elder s is made up of men who are as wise as serpents and as gentle as doves. May Jah b e Praised at All Times. The Council of Elders were particularly concerned that the Members of Parliament of the constituencies ranging of St. Anns in the East to the pork eating capita l of Jamaica in East Portland seems to be spokesmen or ministers of everything e xcept their own constituencies. The number of youth in Camp Ital is rapidly grow ing, and while the Division has invested even its last root of ginger in the edu cation of the young, there is no job waiting for those youth who want to go out into the world. Camp Ital supports and trains all of its youth, the only person that Camp Ital does not train are thieves. As such the Council of Elders were pa rticularly upset to discover that the Members of Parliament of the coast have no t met as a group even once in the last seven years in order to develop some type of development plan for the region. It angered the soul of even the meekest and most understanding of the Council to have discovered first hand, that their Members of Parliament spent more time in one week, eating touched pork and beans and chasing after teenage girls in King ston than they spent in trying to find solutions to the problems of their consti tuencies in the last four years. The Council of Elders does not deal with hearsay and rumors , the Council deals with research and evidence, two of its slowest students are hold senior research positions in two Ivy League universities in the United States, it brightest chi ldren are kept at home on Jamaican soil, should one go to the University of The West Indies, the University of Technology, The Mico University, the Northern Car ibbean University, CASE or Portmore Community College one will find the children of Camp Ital , children whose long flowing locks and unshaven faces enlighten t he hearts of their fathers and bring joy to their mothers. So brilliant and outs tanding are these children of Camp Ital in their studies, work, and comportment, that even the mothers and fathers of Babylon have started to buy plastic make b elieve locks from the Chinese shops or send their sons and daughters to get Siste r Locks in order to try to fool Jah people and to get some of the Rasta Blessing. The hand of Esau and the voice of Jacob. Blessed Be the House of Israel at All Ti mes. The Children of The Father Cannot Be Fooled! The Council of Elders was made angry and angry was the Council of Elders. Ras Cutlass following the instructions of the Council of Elders, had called a me eting of Divisional Chairmen and Secretaries, of those constituencies of the coa st, starting from East St. Ann in the East to the Pork Eating Capital of Jamaica in West Portland. Research had shown, that the mal-behavior of the respective M embers of Parliament had affected all of these communities. The opening of a new cruise ship facility in Trelawney had put more than a few business people in St . Ann in great problems and ruin, reports had it that some of the former promine nt Indian Business men are seen in early dawn walking with long sticks searching for green mangoes to make curry, and that the beans of the Woman Tongue tree ar e finding their way back into prominent position in the preparation of dhal aft er nearly one hundren and fifty years of absence. In the Bog Walk Gougre, those

who work in the service Pan and collect offering at the temples of Phallus, have closed the temples and have gone bird shooting in order to put food on their t ables. Even in the Pork Eating Capital of Jamaica, there are reports of rioting among vendors for the sale of small quantities of pork, the good thing with thei r situation is that unsold pork can be used eaten at home, and if one cannot fee d the pigs all one has to do is chase them into the hills and hunt them down in the next year, however in the mean time there is no money to buy even common sal t or flour to make two dumplings. The Chinese shops and wholesales were closing one after the other, some former shop owners were seen doing the most strenuous exercises in the hope of losing the weight which they did not have in the first place, in order to become jockeys at Caymanas Park, others have turned to very s trong drink which makes the face red and burns the throat with fire and still ot hers were seen trying to find locations to set up Pick- A- Pow shops, and to fin d some fat women to sell Drop Hand in the markets. The Council of Elders strongly advised Comrade Ras Cutlass to hold his anger in check, not to vent his feelings in a manner too obvious, and to encourage the Co mrades from the East of St. Ann and the Comrades from the Pork Eating Capital of Jamaica in the West of Portland, to take the lead. If the comrades of these two divisions can come to a common understanding then the interests of all the comm unities will be taken account. Additionally the Council of Elders gave Comrade R as Cutlass four bottles of aged honey wine, which are to be served at during the meeting. The owner of The New Mango Tree Club and Restaurant was given ten bottles of twenty year old aged honey wine. Ha ving consumed their bellies full of touched pork and bean, having watched all th e tender and most delicate over eighteen under twenty five year old young women passing by, with a drink or two of aged to mature honey wine, inhibitions will b e things of the pass, verbal shyness would have been buried, and words and plans will flow in rivers greater than the great River of Jordon. Comrade Ras Cutlass task then is to guide the flow and channel the discussion in such away that ben efits all. Indeed the Council of Elders is made up of men who are as wise as serpents and a s gentle as doves. May Jah be Praised at All Times. Ras Machete the Chairman of th e Ital Camp Division Branch of the Jamaica Labour Party under the instructions o f the Council of Elders has called for a similar meeting of Divisional Chairmen and Secretaries of the Jamaica Labour Party, from the Pork Eating Capital of Jam aica in the West of Portland to the East of St. Anns. At this meeting, in additi on to honey wine from Camp Ital, the Indian merchants of St. Ann have promised t o send a gift of their own in order to loosen the imagination, and the Chinese w holesalers not to be out done will be sending something to assist in focusing fr eed imaginations. Ras Machete will guide the discussions and plans to the suitab le ports of docking. Indeed the Council of Elders is made up of men who are as w ise as serpents and as gentle as doves. May Jah be Praised at All Times. The touch ed pork eating , teenage girl chasing Members of Parliament from those constitue ncies along that coast , will be forced to meet together and develop a plan for the economic and social development of the coast, and let their voices be heard representing their consistencies in the House of Parliament. When hey have finis hed all their work and have adequately represented the interests of the coast, a nd having delivered in keeping with the minimum expectations of the coast, they may go eating all the touched pork and beans in the world and all the teenage be auties they want to. It has been reported to the Council of Elders, that the Division of Mount Chalic e in South Central Manchester has heard of the initiative of Camp Ital, and will be carrying out a series of similar consultations, with the Comrades Divisional Chairmen and Secretaries ranging from the Deep Black River Division in St. Eli zabeth, to the Swamp Side Division in Clarendon. The Members of Parliament of th e constituencies involved have not met as a group for the last 80 years, and hav e developed an internationally renown reputation for their consumption of touche

d pork and beans, and the chasing after teenage brownings from St. Elizabeth and teenage Indians from May Pen. The Council of Elders of The Mount Chalice Division has asked technical assista nce from the Ital Camp Division, to research the reason why Members of Parliamen t who love eating touched pork and beans, and chasing after the very same teenag ers in the very same parishes have not been able for the last 80 to 85 years to meet together as a group to look at the common problems of the region and come u p with a common course of action. The Council of Elders also wants to get an understanding as to what could have l ed the Member of Parliaments to conclude that the people of that region would be nefit equally from the same set of tax measures as the residents of St. James, T relawney, Kingston or St. Thomas. Does not the Jamaican motto say Out of Many One People? How could those politicians forget about the Out of Many part of the mott o? Where are the big hotels of St. Elizabeth, Manchester, or Clarendon? Where ar e the cruise ship piers, the international airport or duty free shopping areas?

The Council of Elders was made angry and angry was the Council of Elders. They h ave discovered that they are represented by aliens who see Jamaica as a happy hu nting ground for teenage brownings and for the consumption of endless quantities of touched pork and beans. The Council of Elders was made angry and angry was the Council of Elders. Basil Fletcher

From Two Fi One To Beauty With A Purpose The Peoples National Party both within its regional structures and in the natura l socio-economic regions of the country, for example the St. Elizabeth to Claren don region on the south coast, the Portland to St. Ann economic region on the no rth eastern coast or the Trelawney to Westmoreland region on the north western c oast, has a duty and a moral commitment to recognize the contribution of the In dian community to the development of the Jamaican national identity and in the f orging of the unique Jamaica culture. The Jamaica Indian community has over the decades, from generation to generation has had to contend with various forms of discrimination and efforts to separate its members from their rich and vibrant culture. One only has to recall the ins ulting names these individuals have had to put up with over the years, names suc h as two fi one, where in it was alleged that one Black worker has the value of tw o Indian workers. In fact Indian children were not supposed to do well in school s, and Indian girls were expected to start families by age sixteen. In fact it w as seen to be drawing from the bottom of the well, if one should seek to marry a n Indian, this Miss Lou took on in a frontal attack in her song If she marry to a coolie man, it is nobody business but she own. The impact of such blatant racism and discrimination has had very negative impli cations for the Jamaican Indian community, one has seen the changing of Indian s urnames to English surnames, the attempt by some of the lighter complexion India ns to distance themselves from their community and attach themselves to the mulatt o and browning communities, the acceptance of the most severe forms of poverty and

deprivation of segments of the Indian community as normal and predestined, the acceptance of male under performance, high participation rates in prostitution, gambling and etc. While other ethnic communities have sought over the years to renew and strengthe n their communities, for example, one finds the revitalization and the strengthe ning of the Jamaican Chinese community, one finds the Jamaican German community renewing itself and strengthening its relationship with Germany, one finds the A fro-Jamaican community asserting its identity, re-establishing strong and viable links with the African continent and with Afro-American community, and etc; the Indian community except for a few individuals have sought to create distance be tween themselves and their community, between their history and their present ci rcumstances, and in the main fighting to achieve the status of browning or mulatto . The Peoples National Party recognizes the great contribution of the Indian commu nity to the development of this country, Jamaica, and to the Peoples National Pa rty itself at all levels, be it at the divisional level, constituency level, the regional level or at the national level. The recognition the valuable contribu tion of the Indian community from a PNP perspective means doing all that is poss ible to contribute to the preservation and promotion of this culture and way of life. This might mean in places such as May Pen or Old Harbour the encouraging a nd supporting of initiatives to form Indian basic schools and special activities in the public school system such as the formation of Indian clubs, after school Hindu language programs, in the coastal regions of St. Mary, St. Ann and Portla nd, it might mean the supporting the formation of Indian restaurants, tea shops, clothing stores and other cultural and economic activities. The Peoples National Party strongly believes that equally as is Italian, French or Chinese cuisine is taught , efforts must be made to ensure that Indian cuisin e is also represented in the curriculum of public funded institutions where the cuisine of other nationals are taught. Equally as are Euro-centric art forms are taught at institutions such as the Excelsior Community College, The Endna Manle y College for The Visual and Performing Arts, and other such institutions of hig her learning, focused and concentrated efforts must be made to ensure that instr uction in the Indian art forms are also offered. The Peoples National Party strongly oppose any attempt to further marginalize th e Indian community, it strongly reject any notion that seek to support the view that the Indian community came here to mix away, that the caste of Untouchables sh ould become a caste of Invisibles. The Peoples National Party holds firmly to the view, that modern Jamaican culture would be unthinkable without the valuable and critical contribution of the Indian community. The Peoples National Party holds firmly to the view, that the Jamaican people are not just beautiful, but here i n Jamaica beauty was and should always be accompanied with purpose, equally the Peoples National Party holds strongly to the view that the members of the Jamaic an Indian community are more that just objects of beauty and focus of lust. Firmly holding such a position, Groups and Divisional structures in those commun ities, such as the Wallen Avenue , Old Braeton, and Newlands in Portmore, Six Mi lles, Callollo Bed, Riverton City, and other such communities in Kingston, Group s and Divisional Structures communities in St. Thomas, St. Mary, St. Catherine, Westmoreland and other such parishes, must ensure that Indians are adequately re presented in their memberships, that their issues and concerns are timely and sa tisfactorily addressed. While the Peoples National Party is yet to establish Regional Economic Developmen t Committees, it is the duty of the Divisional bodies in the constituencies of P ortland , St. Mary and St. Ann, to ensure that regional developmental plans are established and targets for the reduction of unemployment, improvement of infras

tructure, the increasing of agricultural output, increasing tourism arrival and crime reduction are established and debated, with the Members of Parliament repo rting on these issues in Parliament, the development of these regional plans and the establishing of targets will ensure not only that Members of Parliament pla y a more active role representing the interests of his constituency and does not get caught in the various types diversions in Kingston, the development of thes e regional plans and the establishing of targets will ensure not only that Membe rs of Parliament no longer hold the view that their position in parliament is in some way or the other inferior the positions of Ministers of Government, the vi ew that the positions Minister of Transport and Road, or the Minister of Educati on , or Minister of Finance ,is somehow superior to their position as Members of Parliament but also ensure that these Members of Parliament advance the interes ts of all segments and groups within the constituency and region, and ensure tha t the voice Indian community as a minority and disadvantaged group is heard and responded to, but also ensure that these Members of Parliament use the Constitu ency Development Fund in such a way that is of benefit to the achieving of regio nal targets, and to ensure that the best interests of all segments of the popula tion is taken into account, be that segment be of Black People, White People, La bourites, PNP People or Indians. Many of the current serving Members of Parliament choose to forget that they are the Ministers of Education, Finance, Security, Transportation and etc for their constituencies, and come to the strange and weird conclusion that their constit uents elected them to serve in Kingston as either Ministers of Central Governmen t or supporters ( bench and batty) of Ministers of Central Government, or even wo rse, spend their time finding ways to satisfy their unquenchable hunger for touc hed pork and beans, or chasing after the various orders of brownings. I know of Members of Parliament, in whose constituencies there are several pocke ts of Indian population, yet these Members of Parliament does not know the name of one Indian person, think that the title Pasha refers of some youth on the block , and have never seen dal much less to have tasted it. In short one is forced to wonder who these Members of Parliament represents, on ly those who drink at the New Mango Tree Restaurant and Club and suffer from an addiction to touched pork and beans or to the entire population of their constitue ncies. It is from such a stand point that the leaders of the Peoples National P arty Group and Divisional structures must take a principled position in dealing with their Members of Parliament. If the leaders of the Peoples National Party Group and Divisional structures wo uld not put up with a non-functioning JLP Member of Parliament even less prepare d they should be to put up with non-functioning PNP Members of Parliament, even if it means putting up camp and pitching tents out side the office and home of t he President of the Party to correct the situation. In short those Members of P arliament who entered politics to enjoy the taste of touched pork and beans, and t o chase after brownings in Kingston need to find somewhere else to do so, and le ave Peoples National Party constituencies alone, form a We Love Touched Pork And Beans Party, Jamaica United For Touched Pork and Beans Party or do the PNP a strate gic favour and become a member of the Jamaica Labour Party. Yes if they should join the Jamaica Labour Party, we of the PNP and all citizens of the various constituencies will ensure that they have an endless supply of To uched Pork and Beans, we will even build them bedrooms attached to the New Mango Tree Restaurant and Club so that they do not have to leave for anything at any t ime, not even for elections. Basil Fletcher

Group Chairman Comrade Rakish Singh on the perplexing JLP problem Tony Nointerest is a source of fear and admiration in the eyes of JLP Branch Lea der Dr. Renaldo Goodboy. Branch Leader Goodboy admires Tony Nointerests interest in science, his love of experimentation, his constant search for and testing of new things to eat, he is known to have made and eaten duckweed and Soya empanada , only recently a box at the corner of his house with about twenty garden snails were found feeding on cornmeal. The children who discovered the fattening snail s carried out a mighty act of mercy and threw the box and snails in an overgrown open lot, before Tony got the chance of trying out his new escargot recipe. Ton y Nointerest is known be a lover of classical music, he is also a landscape pain ter, an addict to reading and lover of pure abstract mathematics. In fact he whe n he was a student represented his university, the University of Technology, Jam aica in a mathematics competition in Tokyo, where he defeated the defending cham pions from Japan and decimated both the US and Canadian top university teams. Nointerest however threatens Branch Leader Dr. Renaldo Goodboys sense of security and confidence in himself. Tony Nointerest , not only drives a 30 years old car , but stands out as a sore thumb where ever he goes. His sandals old and worn, h is hair and beard in need of cutting. Even worse is his now renown lack of socia l grace and his insistence on his right to self expression and freedom of speech . Maybe Tony Nointerest had swallowed a jinxed hippy book. Sonia, Nointerest girl friend is known to be very bright a graduate of a univers ity called Brandesh or something similar in the United States, the reigning quee n of all nerds, and is a renown painter whose work are frequently exhibited in t he best museums in Paris, Berlin, New York and Santiago de Chile. However her pr esence at Nointerest home is marked either by the sound of voices singing late i nto the night, with Tony Nointerest at the piano and she on the violin, accompan ied by the simmeringly strange sweet smell of whatever they call food floating t hrough the air engulfing the community or by Sonias loud moans and ecstatic groan ing going late into the night, with loud screams of Tony!, Tony! holding the attenti on of even the lizards and birds in the mango tree. At such times Dr. Goodboys wi fe Ingrid would ask him what is he good for and if he does not hear how a real m an work. Ingrid and Renaldo Goodboy enjoy their life style, their house replicated from t he pages of The Rich and Famous, their 60 foot yacht on anchors at Port Royal, the y changed cars every two years; however Ingrid felt that her husband Renaldo cou ld do much better if he only had more confidence in himself, if he was a bit mor e assertive, even in bed she complained that she was the one who had to make the first move, only to find herself riding on top like a jockey without a whip. No wonder she could not conceive! She bought books on love making, Play Boy magazines to no avail. She got the hel per to locate really Blue-Blue movies, but still it did not help. Renaldos instru ment of exploration and examination had a mind of its own, it either out right r efused to cooperate or feel asleep while on duty. Ingrid Goodboy was jealous that the queen of nerds, Sonia, who did not even seem to own a credit card, who did not even seem have a chequering account, was gett ing everything that she who had everything was not getting. It was in fact a pro found mystery to Dr. Renaldo Goodboy how his instrument of exploration and exami nation came to full attention some times for hours at a time, just at the though t of Sonia. It was as if he was plagued by a nightmare of a desire to have even one go with Sonia and Ingrid was possessed with a devil of a lust for Tony Noint erest. Did Ingrid want Tony Nointerest as a replacement for her husband? No! Perish the thought! Tony was as far as she was concerned, is as brilliant and bright as th

e Morning Star but having the ambition of an earth worm, added to that he was to tally uncontrollable and she does not deal with anything that she cannot control , except for her fantasies of herself and Tony. Dr. Renaldo Goodboy saw Sonia in much the same way. Ingrids mother, Mrs. Mahe Ganga heard of the problems plaguing her daughter and s on in law, nothing could be hidden from Ingrids family members, for although they lived at least some five miles away, not only would they be at her home daily, but she and her husband were expected to spend time at Pasha and Mahe Gangas hous e at least one day per week, regardless of the weather or time of year. Mahe Gangas concern for her daughters happiness led her to seek the advice of Gro up Chairman Singh her childhood friend. Group Chairman Singh a loyal comrade and member of long standing of the Peoples National Party, was not in the habit of going out of his way to help Labourites, however Pasha Ganga was a respected per son in the community, and he Rakish Singh as a boy used to climb the tallest of coconut trees with the then young Pasha Ganga. He smiled to himself as he rememb ered the hide and seek games he used to play with Mahe Ganga who was then also a young girl. In Rakish Singhs mind, politics was a strange thing, for Labourites such as the Gangas were to him better Comrades than were PNP members such as the Mahidhars. Then again, better comrades than the Mansinghs and the Maraghs could not be found, not to speak of comrades Mattrasingh and Maurasse. Life and politic s indeed presented many great mysteries, Group Chairman Singh though to himself, thinking about the comforting words of the Shastra, Lord Ram, and the three face s of God. Retirement had given Group Chairman Singh time to reflect on the mysteries of li fe, the life and lessons taught by Lord Ram, and indeed Chairman Singh had found himself becoming even more like his grandfather whose wisdom, humility and virt ues were known for miles around. Group Chairman Singh sat in the yard under the big Bombay mango tree on an upsid ed down salt pork barrel. He remembered for a moment the problem he and his wife had getting off the lid of salt pork barrel, at that moment he wished he had hi s grandfathers oxen, the problems that cursed lid gave to get off, it was as if S hiva was trying to tell him to do something. Chairman Singh brought back his min d to the present as he threw some corn on the ground for the fowls to pick up. H is grand uncle was very active in the growing of and the fighting of cocks. Ever y Friday night after he got his pay, he would come home with a rum cloud over hi s head, take up his prized cock and head straight to the rings. He gambled a lot, his liver however became stone and took him away before he got drunk and gambled away the hut his father left him. When he died they threw ash es on the ground in order to discern the form he would take in his next life. Th e ashes landed on the ground forming the foot prints of a cock. From that day, 6 0 years ago, not a singled bird was killed or eaten by any member of the Singhs f amily. Even today the great-great grand children do not eat chicken, fowl nor an ything that has feathers and walk on two feet. It was the task of every member o f the Singhs household to ensure that the fowls were fed. Focusing his mind on the problems of the Goodboys, he asked himself, Is it not tr ue that every time Dr. Goodboy visited his father in laws house, after a few word s of greeting he would head straight to the kitchen to sit down with Mahe? Did n ot Pasha complaint about having to buy a supermarket when his son in law was com ing? Does not Dr. Goodboy spend a lot of money taking care of both his father an d mother in law? Is he not the one who is paying for Pasha grandchildren at the University of Technology, Jamaica? Has not Ingrid herself become wider than the cotton tree trunk? Is her face not brighter than a hibiscus flower at dawn? Labo urites really do have some strange and perplexing problems, Group Charman, though t to himself. It is clear that the Goodboys care for each other, it is clear tha

t they love each other, it is clear that they have imprisoned each other. That N ointerest must be sent by Brahman himself, for without him and Sonia the Goodboy s would not know what they look like in the mirror. Group Chairman Singh told his old childhood friend Mahe, that her daughter and s on in law had a problem with mirrors. He recommended that they removed all mirro rs from their house, from their car, and cease looking at Tony Nointerest and hi s girl friend Sonia. Mirrors sometimes causes people to have problems with thems elves. Write the word Chairman Singh and hold in front of a mirror, then you will see the problems caused by mirrors, this is why comrades should not look at labo urites, it could cause deep problems. It has been reported that since the Goodboys built a ten foot high wall blocking out the sight of Tony Nointerest and his girl friend Sonia, Ingrid Goodboy can be heard moaning and groaning loudly enough to force the rat bats flying high ab ove the coconut trees to look down. The neighbouring Chinese wholesale has impor ted a set of micro helmets to prevent injury due to collisions between heavenly creatures. Her neighbours have all bought hear plugs to block out the screams o f Renaldo! Renaldo! Dont stop Renaldo! Group Chairman Singh like his grandfather before him is known for his wisdom, hu mility and virtues for miles around. It is said that he is able to solve the mos t perplexing and strange problems the Labourites suffer from. Long Live All Comrades Who Have Thrown Away their Mirrors and Are Now Enjoying L ife! Just as I am I come to thee! Down with Mirrors! Yes! Mirrors are Instruments of War sent to Jamaica by the United States and Great Brittan to cause anxiety, stress and madness among Black, Indian and Chinese People. Down with Mirrors! Just as I am I come to thee! Basil Fletcher Comrades in Big Yard collect big stones and tree trunks Comrade Singh raced towards the door of Tony Nointerest with such speed that one could reasonably assume that he had ingested two pints of Viagra and a gallon o f strong coffee tea. Hearing the dogs barking on the roadside, Nointerest opened the door to look outside just as Group Chairman Comrade Singh was about to beat on it. Morning Comrade Singh, what are you running from? Morning Nointerest! Responded Comrade Singh panting. The young comrades at the big yard are collecting big stones and tree trunks, cont inued Comrade Singh, the very same comrades who we had to pull out of the yard to go and vote, some of them did not even enumerate. What do you mean by that? asked Tony Nointerest The very youth them who do not want to do any thing, now are collecting big stone s and tree trunks and are planning problems, responded Group Chairman Singh. How do you mean that they done not want to do anything?; asked Tony Nointerest. They did want to canvas, they do not want to go to either Group or Branch meeting s, they do not want to vote, they dont even want to go to Church; responded Group Chairman Singh. But Comrade Singh, are these not the same youths who painted up the old peoples h ome last month? Are these not the same youth who organized the Clean Up Day? Are t hese not the same youths who organized the six-a-side foot ball competition and the netball competition?; asked Tony Nointerest. Yes! ; responded Comrade Singh, but we had to force them to enumerate, we had to fo rce them to vote, and now they have started to plan trouble, he continued in a qu ite, tired voice.

So tell me why they are collecting big stones and tree trunks? ; asked Tony Noint erest. They dont want any T.V. Member of Parliament. They say the only time they see thei r MP is on the television or hear him on the news replied Comrade Singh, they say that they want a real-real Member of Parliament. Now I understand you Comrade Singh, you want me to help them to pack up some more stones to block all of the roads. Yes, I get you now Comrade Singh!; said Tony Noi nterest. Group Chairman Rakish Singh sighed and looked at his shoes, and asked himself wh ich devil told him to come and talk to Nointerest, the problem seems to be growi ng bigger. Maybe he should speak to JLP Branch Chairman Dr. Goodboy. Just maybe. On seeing Group Chairman Singhs worried face and hearing his rapidly increasing b reathing, Tony Nointerest laughed loudly and said Comrade Singh you are taking th ings too seriously, sit down and let us reason. Group Chairman Singh knees shook as he sat gingerly on the wicker verandah chair . but I though you wanted to help them to collect stones to block the road; he mut tered. Comrade Singh when your grandmother wanted to catch fowl, did she not throw corn? Yes, but what does my dead grandmother and her fowls have to do with anything?; a sked Chairman Singh angrily, everybody knew that he nor anybody in his family at e anything that grows feathers and walk on two legs. But Comrade Singh, dont you know that politicians are like yard fowls? The Peoples National Party does not have any yard fowls! ;barked Comrade Singh, To ny Nointerest was really getting on his nerves. Take it easy Chairman Singh, you came to me, you have a problem I dont, sit down a nd listen, said Tony Nointerest with a smile. You do not have to block the roads to catch the Member of Parliament. Politicians love crowd, politicians love to have their pictures in the newspapers, they lov e to be seen on TV, and most of all politicians love touch pork and beans and posi ng with the brownings and Indian girls. Yes politicians think and behave like chi ldren, throw your corn and you will catch them If your PNP Member of Parliament h ears that the big yard organize a cook out competition and that Branch Leader Dr. Goodboy and his caretaker MP will be attending, what do you think he will do?; asked Tony Nointerest. He will attend immediately, replied Group Chairman Singh. You mean that he will take helicopter and come! responded Tony Nointerest. He might do that murmured Chairman Singh, in his young days he would walk up to fi fty miles to get some touch pork and beans and he really did love chasing after the brownings. People wont mind their own business and that is why Nointerest know s so much about politicians Chairman Singh said to himself. He now knew what he c ould do to get the Member of Parliament to visit the community without blocking the roads. The devil serves his purpose, if you want to know how to deal with dem ons you keep meetings with the devil, Chairman Singh though to himself. Group Chairman Singh like his grandfather before him is known for his wisdom, hu mility and virtues for miles around. It is said that he is able to solve the mos t perplexing and strange problems the Labourites suffer from. Basil Fletcher Group Chairman Singh Replies to Pastor Pitchforks Letter of Concern Dear Pastor Pitchfork; I received your letter expressing your concern that the recognition of the gay c ommunity could lead to an increase in the sexually abuse of the physically and o r mentally challenged boys. Your concern forced me into deep thought. As you are aware I am a simple person who generally avoid those issues which requires deep thought, thus I discussed your letter with my good friend Comrade Mercury of th

e Port Street Group who travels quite a lot and is renowned for his analytical m ind. In going over your letter we noted that you did not express any concern or care about the sexual abuse of females whether they are physically/ mentally challeng ed or unchallenged. We are of the view that abuse is abuse whether it is carried out against females or males. We firmly believe that rape and sexual abuse of females or males is perpetuate b y weak individuals who have a need to prove that they are strong , have power, w ith many in search for justice and or revenge. It has been demonstrated over and over again, that the majority of those individuals who rape or carry out acts o f sexual abuse, were themselves victims of abuse and victimization. We hold the view that the fact that many of these men are found in the Church serves to indi cate that there are men in the Church in need of help and many of them see the C hurch as an institution in which they might be able to receive the love and resp ect that they did not receive from others outside the Church. We reject the view held by some of your congregation that scars left by the abus e of female are not as deep or traumatic as that experienced by males who are se xually abused. Even more vehemently we oppose the view that the sexual abuse of females might encourage them to become heterosexuals and loving and caring wives . We hold the view that rather than encouraging heterosexuality, the sexual abus e of females more often than not results in the victims of such abuse loosing th e ability to cope with heterosexual relationships. Equally we reject the view that the sexual abuse of males will necessarily resul t in them becoming homosexuals. We sincerely believe that once the abuse is disc overed and the victim is allowed to express his feelings, facilitated in coming to terms with his feelings of humiliation and victimization and is helped to und erstand that what was done to him was wrong and not as a result of any fault or weakness on his side and his further helped to overcome his desire for revenge a nd where possible confront his abuser; that person will be able to live a happy heterosexual life, enjoying sexual relationships with females. We strongly reject the view that because God did not destroy any city because of incidents the rape and or sexual abuse of females, God condones rape and sexual abuse. We hold the view that Gods firm opposition of fornication and adultery te lls us what God thinks of sexual relationships outside of marriage and even more importantly for those who believe that it is right to rape or sexually abuse th eir wives, the Bible tells us that men should love their wives equally as God lo ves the Church. We do not believe that under any condition God would rape the Ch urch. Add to that God tells us to love our neighbours equally as we love ourselv es. We shudder to think that any person would have a desire to be raped or sexua lly abused; should such a person be identified one is dealing with a person who has very serious issues with self esteem and believes that he or she is a lesser being than are other human beings. Pastor Pitchfork, we do hope that we have adequately addressed your concerns. Pa stor Pitchfork, I would like to personally remind you that I am not of the Chris tian faith and thus would prefer not to be forced to read the Bible in order to answer your frequent questions. Be reminded Pastor Pitchfork that we Hindus are looked upon as role models in ou r loving and respectful treatment of our wives and daughters. Be it noted that e ven in the marriage of our daughters we ensure that they have what to contribute to her husbands households. We do not send out our daughters to start life with their husbands empty handed. An open invitation is extended to you and your con gregation to attend the next wedding at the big yard.

It is also true that we Hindus do not stone, beat or kill homosexuals. Certainly we love big families, all parents would like to see their grandchildren, to hav e them playing at our feet, to have them pull their grandmothers saree. Poor gran dmothers! Homosexuals are our sons and daughters, we love our sons and daughter s hence we do not stone, beat or kill them. Unlike others we also love our broth er and sisters even if they are homosexuals and will not give us the nieces and nephews our hearts so earnestly desire. Yours truly, Rakish Singh Group Chairman C.C. Comrade Mercury, member of the Port Street Group Group Chairman Singh like his grandfather before him is known for his wisdom, hu mility and virtues for miles around. It is said that he is able to solve the mos t perplexing and strange problems the Labourites suffer from.

Basil Fletcher Group Chairman Singh Recommends Treatment for Pastor Pitchforks Atlasitice (The J esus Syndrome) Dear Deacon Spitfire; I received your letter about Pastor Pitchforks strange and mysterious behaviour. You wrote that Pastor Spitfire is in a deep state of fouple depression, that he is not eating, that he is seen speaking with the dogs, cats, lizards and birds a round the Church. You also wrote that he comes to the Church yard in the night w ith his mop stick fighting the demons of corruption, fornication, tuggery, crime , squandering, wastefulness, adultery, buggery, touched pork eating, wars and ev ery other ill that he can conceive of. Additional you wrote that he walks with h is head down and is extremely ill-tempered and sits under a big mango tree so th at he can hear the voice of the tree nymph. I have also independently learned that bushes have taken over his yard (maybe he wants more tree nymphs to speak with), that he no longer bathes frequently, tha t garbage seems to be growing with the flowers in his yard among other things. Deacon Spitfire, I an not glad to be the bearer of bad news, however in my opini on, Pastor Pitchfork seems to be manifesting the classic symptoms of Atlasitice , otherwise known as the Jesus Syndrome. You see Deacon Spitfire, Pastor Pitchfo rk has taken on the ills of the world on his shoulders and has given himself the task of making the world pure and free of sin. The world is very heavy to carry and to add to that all the possible types of ills that one can conceive of and you get a really mighty and heavy burden to carry. In trying to decide on a treatment for Pastor Pitchforks Atlasitice (the Jesus Sy ndrome), I spoke with our Revered Guru Mansingh. Guru Mansingh asked me what I w ould do if I had a barrel of heavy salt pork on my head and was getting a headac he as a result. I told him that I would put down that barrel and sit on it. He t hen asked me what I would do if I felt that I was carrying a load of sadness. I told him that I would drink a large glass of the best red wine I could find and get myself a beautiful maiden to take my troubles away. He then told me to go my way and stop pestering him with my foolishness. Deacon Spitfire, Pastor Pitchfork needs to put down the cares of the world and b

ecome a part of the cares of the world. You see Deacon Spitfire, we Indians do n ot make curry without our garam masala. Pastor Pitchfork is cooking fufu without salt and making soup without pepper. That must be very bland and without taste. Yes Deacon Spitfire, the only way to save your beloved Pastor Pitchfork and sto p him from going to Gehenna (where you sacrifice, torment and do all manner of b ad things to your children) is to have him becoming a part of the cares of the w orld, he must add salt to his fufu and pepper to his soup. If not he could becom e a bedbug or crab louse in his next life, so that he may overcome his deficienc ies. Yours truly, Comrade Rakish Singh, Group Chairman Group Chairman Singh like his grandfather before him is known for his wisdom, hu mility and virtues for miles around. It is said that he is able to solve the mos t perplexing and strange problems the Labourites suffer from. Basil Fletcher

An open note to The Peoples National Party Youth Organization On The Issue of Butch Stewart and Ian Flemings Power can be defined as the ability to influence the behaviour of others, and po wer in its most absolute form is slavery, where in an individual or group of ind ividuals have total control over the lives and activities of others. For decades , by instituting and operating a system aimed at forcing ever greater numbers of the Jamaican people into conditions of economic and individual poverty the poli tical elite has been able to maintain its power over the people. At present the great tacticians frightened by the attempts of the Jamaican people to exert and freely exercise their freedom of thought and independence of action, have begun to draw from their hat of tricks some very old cards. If we are to believe the p olitical elite, then we will also believe that the JLP represents the Brown/Red M an and the PNP represents the Blackman. What these tacticians fail to recognize is t hat such a position also means that the political elite does not represent the J amaican people. On the question of the Sweet Heart Deal Butch Stewart has receiv ed, the PNP YO needs to ask itself the following questions:1. Does Butch Stewart eat ackee and salt fish, roast breadfruit and fried d umplings? 2. Does Butch Stewart eat stew peas and rice? 3. Can Butch Stewart tell duppy stories? 4. Can Butch Stewart tell anasie stories? 5. As a boy did Butch Stewart play marbles or fly kites? 6. Has Butch Stewart ever slept with a Black woman? 7. Does Butch Stewart love the Brownings? 8. Can Butch Stewart dance Ska or Reggae? 9. As a boy, did Butch Stewart climb guinep trees? 10. As a boy, did Butch Stewart make sling shots 11. As a boy, did Butch Stewart stone mango trees? 12. Does Butch Stewart drink white rum and water or Pepsi Cola? 13. Do any of Butch Stewarts friends have children or relatives who sell in t he market?

If the answers to all or most of the above questions are yes, then what the PNP YO, needs to do is not only to recognize that Butch Stewart a one a whi , a fi wh i pickney ,but also to demand that the country creates or bring into being 500 mo re Butch Stewarts. I personally would love to see even more White, Black, Chines e and Indian Butch Stewarts. One of the reasons for the level of poverty facing the Jamaican people is that it has yet to create enough Butch Stewarts. As a boy I knew a man who lived on near French Street in Denham Town who wore a white plastic ring on his nose to get it straight. This was a tall, stout and st rong Black man, who believed that he could get a white mans nose, perhaps a certa in popular dance hall singer who most aggressively attacks his skin to change it colour, suffers from the same type of illness. The PNP YO needs to ask itself, in which of Butch Stewarts companies, would Butch Stewart want employ a Black Man who wants to be White, a Chinese man who thinks that he is White or a Coolie Ma n who thinks that he is White or a Brown Man who thinks that he is white. I pers onally do not know of Mr. Butch Stewart operating an institution for the care of the insane nor do I know of him operating a circus. I would like to think that Butch Stewart would prefer to live in a country with twenty Marcus Garvey People s Parties, than a country with a third of its population insane. Mad people pose a danger to Butch Stewart, not Black people, not Brown people, not Chiny peopl e nor Coolie people, the truth be told, Butch Stewart possible has more problems dealing with White people than with Black people. If the mortgage financing Mr. Stewart received (which one can only but assume is above board) will enhance his firms ability to compete, if it creates a model of state participation which can be replicated elsewhere, if such a model would se rve to enhance the countrys ability to compete, then the decision of the governme nt is correct. If however the decision to give Mr. Stewart mortgage was aimed at firstly further dividing the Jamaican people into camps of colours, if it was a imed at dividing the business community into large and small, into JLP owned, PN P owned, Chiney owned, Coolie owned or Blackman owned businesses, then it should be condemned. If it is aimed at having Mr. Stewart believe that he is in a bigg er and better boat than the vendors at Coronation Market, or the small wholesale shop owner on Princess Street, then it must be loudly condemned and the mortgag e withdrawn. The YO needs to remember, that prior to the fall out with Mr. Stewa rt, it was the Peoples National Party which started the process of partnership w ith Mr. Stewart. Mr. Stewart has always proven that he is first and foremost a b usiness man with staff to pay and a family to take care of; there is no reason t o believe that Mr. Stewart has changed. What the Peoples National Party Youth Organization needs to understand, is that a Peoples National Party gaining power, would need to meet with organizations su ch as the Master Builders, The Private Sector Organization of Jamaica, The Jamai ca Chamber of Commerce, the Security Forces and the various interest groups in t he tourism industry, to identify how many more Sandals White House type of proje cts the state needs to embark on with co- financing partners and or lease agreei ng partners. These types of projects will be important in stimulating economic g rowth and in reducing unemployment, even if detractors would want to label such an approach as Development by Crash Programme, what would be most important is tha t both the construction industry and tourism industry have clear minds and growt h objectives. Rather than criminalizing and killing large numbers of the youth p opulation, use their energy and drive to create stable employment in other secto rs and to stimulate economic growth. If such an approach is taken, then there wo uld be no reason for anybody to bad mind Butch Stewart. The higglers and wholesale rs Down Town can tell how the bad mindedness of others has affected their wellbe ing. The Ian Flemings Airport falls into the same category as the attempts to exploit the image Butch Stewart. Here once again, our great political tacticians are do

ing their very best to change the JLP-PNP debate, into a debate about race, each pushing their own horses and stoking their own fires. If one should pick up the bait laid by these great political tacticians, one would be forced to say that Revolutionary Cuba was stupid to have done its utmost best to preserve the memor y of Earnest Hemmingway , the author of novels such as The Old Man And The Sea. Th e Cubans are very mad to try to preserve the house, in which Hemmingway lived, t he notes Hemmingway left behind, the pub in which Hemmingway drank. The simple truth, is that any given country, has numerous connections with the w ider world, some connections established through sports, some through trade, som e through Roger Mais, some through Claude McKay and the poem If We Must Die, other s through Bob Marleys Buffalo Soldier and other songs, some through Cappo, some thr ough Edna Manley and the wider arts community, for Iceland, Jamaica is the count ry of the pimento they use to spice up their canned fish ;some through the movem ent of people between countries, some through crime etc. Jamaica equally as Cuba symbolizes different things to different people, in a bar in Germany, Jamaica s ymbolizes rum, Bonnie M, and Bolt. , For the coffee conisours in Japan and the w ider world, Jamaica is the land of the Blue Mountain Coffee. In white America , Jamaica symbolizes reggae, the spirit of freedom, Bob Marley; in Panama and Cost a Rica, Jamaica for many symbolizes homeland, Marcus Garvey, the Baptist Church , good education etc. Jamaica is able to mean so many things to some many differ ent people in so many different places, thanks to many ways in which it connects with the world. Through Ian Flemings, Jamaica is able to maintain a particular set of symbols and meanings in Blue Blood England and the most WASP like of Nort h America. What is important to recognize, is that all these symbols come together to creat e that image of the place called Jamaica. The argument therefore should not be a bout the validity or content superiority or inferiority of a given symbol or set of symbols, but rather about the utility of the symbol, its meaning and its val ue. Here one recognizes the power of symbols such as Shabba Ranks , Yellow Man a nd Vibes Kartel, the three evoking a sense a freedom of being, the destruction of barriers and imposed limitations, symbols of rebellion against the norm; even as we might seek to question the meaning of the content identity of the symbols they create ,represent and promote. One also realizes that there is a very prof ound contradiction between the number, variety, intensity and density of the sym bols emitted from Jamaica on one hand and the state and size of the Jamaican eco nomy on the other hand. The symbols speak of a land in the heavens, the abode of the gods and not the country existing on earth. How can the symbol of Ian Flemings and other similar images be mobilized to con tribute to the development of the Jamaican dream, to enrich the Jamaican cultura l landscape, to lift the standard of living of the Jamaica people among other th ings? This is the real question. Jamaica is the home of Black people, White peop le, Indian people, Chinese people, Maroon people poor people, rich people, middle class people Jamaica is the home of a loving, hardworking , law abiding and crea tive people- our very great political tacticians must not be allowed to change i t into Jamaica is the home of warring, envious , bad minded and quarrelling peopl e. One can only pray strength of the Peoples National Party Youth Organization in t heir contributing to the making and development of a better, more caring and lov ing Jamaica for all Jamaicans, and hope that their contributions to the debates will be in keeping with the great traditions of the Peoples National Party and t hat they do not fall prey to the virus of tribalism and political narrow mindedn ess -which has ruined this country.

Basil Fletcher

To The Peoples National Party Youth Organization on the City of Kingston It the duty of the elders of any society to provide inspiration, guidance and c hallenge the youth of the society. There is nothing more painful and saddening t han to see young people playing the role of defenders of a way of life and a system of administration that have failed all with exception of a morbid minorit y which in vulture like manner preys on the dead and decaying. Jamaica now stands some two years away from celebrating its fiftieth year of ind ependence, and one of the best indicators of a societys progress or regression is the state of its capital city, in our case Kingston. If one should look from an y given vantage point at Kingston as a city, what one would have seen is decay, starting from Harbour Street and extending up to Manor Park in the north, from H arbour View in the east extending to Six Miles in the West. One of the many faces of the decay of Kingston. Scrapped building on Barry Stree t sits begging for a framework agreement between owners and potential users. Cou ld the YO in meeting with the owners develop a framework for its restoration and usage? A city fulfills several functions in a society. In the case of Kingston some of the functions which it should be fulfilling are:-

1. Facilitating trade and commerce, 2. Proving employment and stable livelihoods for its residents, 3. Creating safe, secure and decent areas for residency, 4. A place for the treating of the sick and caring for the weak. 5. Providing education and training, 6. Being a source of inspiration and dreams. 7. Being a place driving and stimulating creativity and innovation, 8. Providing avenues and places of rest and recreation for all segments of its population, 9. Cultivating and driving the hope that for its residents tomorrow will be better than today , 10. A platform for the projection of national values beyond the countrys shor es. If one should take the position of the defenders of things as they are, the posi tion of most of the senior politicians of both parties, one would end up saying that the fact that some new apartment buildings are being built here and there, the city is thriving and kicking, losing sight of the fact that residents of the se apartments are not safe at the gates of their apartment complexes after night fall, that these residents find greater inspiration and hope by looking at thei r cable television sets than they would have gotten from looking through their w indows and that many of these residents either boast the possession of multiple entrance visas , green cards or dual nationality as insurance coverage. If one should take the position of the defenders of things as they are, the posi tion of most of the senior politicians of both parties, one would end up agreein g with the Lebanonization of Kingston, with strongholds, fortresses and strategi c reserves of both parties all across the city, held in readiness for the next s et of elections be they General Elections or Local Government Elections. Here on e notes that these types of urban monsters did not exist before 1962. Should the PNP YO take the position of the defenders of things as they are, the position of most of the senior politicians of both parties, one would also be ta king the position that claims that a lot has been done, but there is still a lot to do. The plain and simple truth is that Kingston pays far more money locking aw ay and burying a segment of its youth population in any given year, than it spen ds trying to restore the city center in that same given period. Perhaps a very good exercise for the YO to carry out, is to calculate the cost of rearing a child from birth to the age of eighteen, factoring the cost of medi cal care, basic school education, primary school education, secondary school edu cation, the cost twelve years of books, pencils, pens, painting sets, school bag s, geometry sets, the amount of money spent of lunch money, bus fares, the cost of breakfast and dinner for eighteen years, clothes and toys etc, and multiplyi ng the final sum by the number of youths killed, maimed or imprisoned in one cal endar year. One would be forced to wonder if Kingston is either the richest or m ost wasteful city on planet earth. The police force and the other branches of armed forces have been given the task of replacing urban planners, social workers, city engineers , local government officers and in many cases parents; tasks which the police, nor prison system w ere designed , instituted or tooled to carry out. What would a wasp do if it was given the task of protecting plants, making honey and removing debris from the roots of the plants? Should it get mad begin sting everything, from the bees to the ants, who could blame the poor wasp? At the same time , there is also a need to examine the role played by many senio r officials, managers and directors of public bodies, Local and Central governme nt departments in order to ascertain the extent that their own lack of professio

nalism and licky lickiness have contributed to the sad state of affairs. Is it not true that not only have some of these so called professionals gone on long walk s to very dark places with not only politicians but also with individuals whose names should not even have entered into their minds? Is it not also true that so me of these so called professionals are themselves Deans and Senior Lecturers in their own rights in the Faculty of Corruption? If yes, what steps or set of me asurers can be put in place to reduce if not to eliminate incidents of state led corruption? Is there a role for the wider public and Civil Society in removing this Faculty of Corruption along with its lecturers, senior lecturers and deans from the administration of the city? Here, one recognizes that for the PNP YO as with any group composed of professi onals, be they engineers, social scientists or which ever other group, at times membership might also benefit or look forward to getting a piece of the Pop Off o r a Small Slice Of the Bread. It is the professionals who assist these individuals in writing project documents and proposals for phantom projects. It is professi onals who add their names to project documents to make this or that phantom proj ect pass. It is no easy task to fight against ones self, or to box bread out of ones own mouth, yet this is what is required for the real rebuilding of our beloved city. This is why this is a task for the membership of the YO, because they are not as yet players or major players in this system, with little to loose and lo t to gain from a more open and transparent administration of the city. The PNP YO needs to ask itself:- Why is it that some of the senior politicians o f both parties are so afraid of looking at Kingston as it is? Is it because it i s an admission of failure of a cycle fifty eight persons and two leaders who f eel that they were and are smarter than nearly three million persons? Is it beca use it is an admission of the failure of some sixty persons who thought and stil l think that they do not have to listen to anybody? Or is because sixty persons, a body of parish councillors along with some of our leading public servants dec ided to take the country in general and the citizens of Kingston in particular, on a very long walk around a ring road leading nowhere? It is important for the youth organization to be critical of the legacy of its f athers and grandfathers, because without such an approach, the youth organizatio n would be preventing itself from seeing the many opportunities which exist toda y. For example, if one should take the view that Kingston can contribute much mo re to the Jamaican economy both in terms of creating new revenue flows and in te rms of creating new job opportunities, one possible would begin to look at the b uilding stock that exists between North Street and Harbour Street, and ask onese lf what type of partnership would be needed in order to engage the owners of ex isting abandoned but repairable buildings , to create new affordable business sp ace for young professionals, designers, music studios among others. Working with Owners and Real Estate Agents Could a programme of user repair and deduct from lease be agreed on? Is it poss ible for NCU, UTECH, UWI and other tertiary institutions to come into agreement with the owners of existing abandoned but repairable buildings on Tower, Harbour and other such streets, for the repair and usage of their buildings? Abandoned building on Barry Street, an ideal site for a down town campus site of UTECH or NCU. This approach firstly recognizes that the renewal of Kingston means:1. Recognizing existing property rights, 2. The clear understanding that urban renewal in the case of Kingston also means the restoring of property rights of those who through no fault of their ow

n have been forced to abandon their property and 3. The bringing into being new property rights. 4. The above would firstly mean the finding of those who are owners of both existing and abandoned property, property lawyers and real estate agents in ord er to chart a path for redevelopment. The Musson Building on Laws Street Kingston Would such an approach of seeking for and widen the opportunities for partnershi ps not lead to the creation of new possibilities, the renewal of hope, the rekin dling of dreams as well as satisfying the interests of the various real estate a gents? Maybe it would be good if the PNP YO explored the social and economic me anings of word Hope. This is important because it would lead to a better and dee per understanding of what the Jamaican people of all classes, races and religion s are expecting of the new generation of politicians and. in particular from the PNP YO. A deeper and better socio-economic understanding of the construct Hope wo uld also allow the YO to better contribute to the formulation of the PNPs nationa l policies. A critical approach would maybe open the door to seeing the possibilities of ove rcoming the fear and deep dislike of the small businesses felt my many of the Sta lwarts , and coming to the understanding that it is the size and variety of small businesses that serves to define the character of a city, not the mega factorie s nor big banks, but rather the bistros, caf, pizza bar, the hagglers, the news p aper vendors, the local grill, the coffee shop, the tailor, the specialty baker, the corner shop among others who adds life and vibrancy to the city. Stripped building on Barry Street, near to the East Street corner a potential Candidate for a repair and deduct costs from rent/lease approach. Would the PNP YO oppose meeting with the owners to discuss such an approach to urban renewal? The older politician disliked and feared the small business owner, because the s mall business owners as a rule do not owe Mr. Politician anything, do not want a nything from Mr. Politician, works well with both Mr. Labourite and Mr. PNP, and are surely not afraid of telling those Stalwarts where and how their grandparents were built. This fear and legacy, a critical PNP YO has the opportunity of putt ing aside. The renewal of Kingston is the restoration of the citys historic legacy. Could this building on Barry Street with the agreement of the owners be restored and Used as a centre for the writers of computer programmes and games? God in His wisdom sends rain on the just and the unjust, He provides for the bir ds of the air, the fish of the sea and the beasts of the field. Yet many of our older politicians promoted and continue to promote a system of distribution bas ed on first to myself, secondly to myself and thirdly to my party. This system o f distribution of scarce resources has lead to the formation of garrisons, encla ves and fortresses all across the city and has caused great loss of life and des truction of property as can be seen in West Kingston, Rose Town, along Waltham P ark Road, Bay Farm , Olympic Gardens, Papine , August Town, Allman Town, Vinya rd Town, along and off Mountain View Avenue , Bull Bay, Rockfort and in countles s other places. The support of or failure to critically assess the legacy of the Stalwarts is the support of murder and mayhem. In doing that also the role of senior city admini strators, be they Section Heads, Managers of Departments or Divisions and Direct

ors must also be brought under the microscope. It is said and proven many times over, that one hand cannot clap. There where there are corrupt politicians, nine o ut of ten times there are also corrupt state officials; at times it is impossibl e to say who is leading who, the corrupt politician or the corrupt state officia l. Reject tribalism and the temptations of revenge and retribution In preparing itself to better contribute to the development of the Kingston in p articular and to Jamaica as a whole, the PNP YO needs to hold firmly to the posi tive traditions of the Peoples National Party and in doing so learn from the tea chers who were and are placed within that party. Here one has in mind Comrades s uch as Dr. Peter Phillips. In spite of my own criticisms of Comrade Phillips in the past for contributing far below his gifts, talents and capabilities (he is e normously Blessed with abilities), Dr. Phillips in his approach to the city of K ingston is worth learning from. In introducing the JUTC, Dr. Phillips did not se ek to divide the city into PNP or JLP zones, rather from the outset he sought to ensure that the bus services was of equal benefit to all, even if it meant the keeping of the terminal Down Town in the heart of a JLP community so that member s of that community even if they do not take public transportation could benefit from increased sales at their stalls in the neighbouring arcades and markets. W hile many were jumping up and down for the removal of the Kingston Public Hospit al and the Victoria Jubilee Hospital to locations which are more safe and saniti zed, Dr. Phillips in refurbishing and upgrading those hospitals not only keeping those hospitals in their existing locations where they could be of service and accessible to the average person, but sought and used skills, competencies and l abour from both JLP and PNP communities. This inclusive non-partisan approach wa s also reflected in his conceptualization of Highway 2000. It is on traditions s uch as these that the YO must seek to build upon and add to. Surely one also con tinues to agitate for, hopes and dreams of the day when Dr. Phillips and other c onstituencies on both sides of the political divide will be garrison free. Important at this moment is the creation of clear channels and the holding fast to the founding principles of the Peoples National Party in face of the growing interest in all things PNP. Here there is no greater teacher than the Most Hon. Michael Manley. There is perhaps no other Jamaican more demonized that the late Michael Manley, perhaps there is no other Jamaican more hurt than the late Comra de Michael Manley. Yet in spite of all, Comrade Manley did not bow to the tempta tion of revenge and retribution. The benefit sought after and won by the Late Co mrade were not for only PNP women, not only for PNP employees, not only PNP woul d be beneficiaries of institutions such as the National Housing Trust. Comrade M ichael Manley did not seek to strengthen only PNP small business operators or on ly PNP small farmers. When Comrade Manley acted, he acted he considered to be in the best interests of all, be they PNP, JLP or no P. Comrade Manley left us w ith the slogan: - The Word Is Love Here one also needs to realize that most Jamaicans were born supporting one or t he other political party, few are the members of the Peoples National Party who independently decided to support or become members of the Peoples National Party . It is equally so for members and supporters of the Jamaica Labour Party. One f ind that even when and where both members of a given family are supporters of th e Peoples National Party, a child or two owing to either the community in which they reside, their friends at school or other factors outside of their control d irect them to support the Jamaica Labour Party. Here I use myself as an example, I was born to a family of ardent supporters of the Jamaica Labour Party, yet sh ort of holding a gun to my head, I will not put an X beside the bell. At the sam e time no one can convince me, even with fifty (50) guns to my head, to discrimi nate against members of the JLP. Without God there would be no horse racing, and I will push my horse as hard as possible to win its races and indeed I will per haps taunt the competing jockey here and there, but I will not seek to harm neit her him nor his horse.

Basil Fletcher Dedicated to the memory of Felix Tawney,a loving and caring uncle, a cricket lov er, who in the 1960s and early 1970s could be seen early each Sunday morning wit h a little boy in tow, as he sought and fought to join in the game. I was that l ittle boy. Uncle Felix your tour of duty and giving is and was greatly valued. C atch up with you some time in some other place. Doggie and the Peoples National Party Youth Organisation It is the very truth that the late Doggie was not the best of citizens that our beloved island home could have produced and indeed a terrible example of what it means to be a Jamaican. Yet it was Doggies most cherished wish that none of his children walked in his foot steps or followed his path. This dream and desire h e was for many a reason unable to ensure. The questions at hands is:- Is it possible for the Peoples National Party Youth Organisation as an organization and through the efforts of its individual member s, reach across to the G2K and other organizations within the wider Jamaican soc iety to help the mothers of Doggies children to find a better path and a more pro mising future for his children? This is a long term type of commitment , which would be perhaps be better taken on by one of our many service clubs; yet in rea ching across to the G2K on this small but important issue, the YO would be doing Gods work on earth and showing itself to be worthy children of the Peoples Natio nal Party. The country should not punish Doggies children for the errors of their father, but rather seek to help his children become better and worthy Jamaican citizens. It is important to realize to we are all Doggies children; our fathers murdered either in deeds or in the mind, and created the society which facilitated and en couraged the Doggies of this society, hence none of us are in a position to thro w stones without ending up stoning ourselves, our fathers, grandfathers and grea t grandfathers. An important lesson for the young membership of the YO to learn from Doggie is t he fundamental difference between love and loyalty. Blind loyalty to anything le ads to hopelessness, despair and ultimately self-destruction. Doggies blind loyal ty to Dudus and the Cokes family prevented him from seeing their short comings an d hence he was of no real lasting value to them. On the other hand, his love for his children and his woman awoke in him a desire for change, the desire to be o f value to their lives, the desire to make a positive contribution to their welf are. Ones relationship with the Peoples National Party or the Peoples National P arty Youth Organization or even to the Church must be based on love and not loya lty. Blind loyalty as is egoism, it is a first class ticket to death, hell and t orment. Many of our senior stalwarts similarly to Doggie became morally and soci ally blind/dead as a result of a failure to recognize the real and substantial d ifferences that exist between love and loyalty. These are errors of which the me mbership of the YO must be on the look out for. Young Comrades stretch your best right hand across the fence to Doggies children and offer help, pull down the skirts of your PNP and JLP parents and grand pare nts least their nakedness be seen abroad. Dedicated to my childhood friend, the late Wayne Duncan who was brutally murdere d in the taxi he operated Down Town on the Spanish Town Road approach to West Pa rade, for refusing to pay extortion. His death, like the death of my brother, th e late Hugh Phillip Fletcher, will never be in vain. The hunters will be hunted; predators will become prey, their territories will be pulled like carpet from u nder their feet, all with Gods help.

The PNP YO and the Development of Kingston as A Competitive Space A major challenge facing the country today is the refusal of many to accept the fact that:1. Jamaica is not an underdeveloped country but rather a poor developed count ry, capable of holding its own against the Portugals, Spains and even the France s of this world and even against significant sections of the United States, 2. Anti-Americanism by Jamaica, is nothing more than a small tea pot cursing a big Dutch pot for many people of this world Jamaica is a place of virulent cul tural imperialism and for others it a place from which those who come to take ov er beaches and prime real estate property comes from, still for others Jamaica i s the place from which their bosses and supervisors originate. Indeed Jamaica is a demon of no mean order. Canada with all its wealth, pales in many ways to Jam aica, the world is yet to hear of Canadian cuisine, music, religion or any form of literary distinction. 3. The United States is not an enemy of Jamaica, but rather the dominant re gional power with a tendency to project its interests and its views across its b orders. The United States has no tactical or strategic benefits to be gained fro m a weak and poor Jamaica. A strong and stable Jamaica will give the United Stat es some problems and a few headaches, but is an asset and partner on which it ca n rely. Jamaica and United States shares many of the same strategic objectives, with difference being of a tactical nature. Neither Jamaica nor the United State s wanted Sadam Hussien to be in Kuwait, both Jamaica and the United States felt than Sadams dictatorship represented a treat to peace and stability, where Jamaic a differed from the United States was on the question of how best to deal with t hat problem. Equally Jamaica and the United States shared similar sentiments abo ut Yugoslavias treatment of the Kosovos Albanian population; once again difference was on questions of tactics not on strategy. An economical strong and politica lly independent Jamaica helps to moderate the more youthful tendencies in US for eign policy. 4. The sea is but a question of inconvenience at worse and is otherwise an asset; it is no longer a major barrier to trade and development. The cost of shi pping goods by rail or road from the eastern seaboard of the United States to sa y Texas or New Mexico is far more expensive in real costs than shipping goods by sea from New York to Jamaica, all costs considered. 5. Jamaica exists in a global community in which there are many centers of influence and power, Jamaica being one such center. The renewal of Kingston, if it is to be of any real meaning therefore should be, a renewal aimed primarily at the creation of a creative and competitive space. A creative space here means a space both spatial and cultural where ideas are enco uraged, new concepts tested and tried, new approaches explored and intellectuali sm promoted. It is not possible for Jamaica to compete with Mexico, Venezuela or Brazil in the production of goods for mass consumption; however it is possible for small Kingston to take on the giants in Beijing, Berlin, London or New York in the areas of product and service design and delivery. It is possible for a f ashion designer in Kingston to put his or her labels in the best of stores any w here in the world , once it is understood that one is not going after a mass mar ket. It is possible for a jeweler in Kingston to design and make jewels to be so ld in jewel shops anywhere in the world, once it is understood that one is not g oing for a mass market. A creative and competitive space also revolutionizes the concept of catering and t ourism. A British tourist vacationing in Spain can also become the beneficiary o f a Jamaican Night or Jamaica Night Out experience, without putting his or her feet on Jamaican soil. There are no objective reasons preventing a Jamaican catering company from sending chefs and other kitchen staff to work for a weekend at a re sort in Spain or Monaco. There are no objective reasons preventing the sale of J amaican designed beach wear in tourist resorts of Spain. What prevents the organ

ization of a Jamaican beach party on one or more of the English beaches? In many ways, the creation of a creative and competitive space is equally one of d ealing with the physical renewal of Kingston as it has to do with the removal of many things from the realms of darkness into the light, a process which pre-sup poses that the viruses of crime, corruption and political tribalism are brought under control. The Question of Homosexuality and a Competitive and Creative Space In addressing the question of homosexuality, one first needs to clearly understa nd that, the agreements which seek to claim that the non-recognition of homosexu ality retards economic development and that the recognition of homosexuality adv ances or facilitates economic growth, are false. Both Argentina and the Republic of South Africa, recognizes homosexuality, however none of these two countries could be touted as examples of countries enjoying a high rate of economic growth and social transformation. On the other hand, China, Indonesia, Malaysia and ma ny other countries do not recognize homosexuality, and have been enjoying long p eriods of economic growth and social transformation. Secondly the recognition of the rights of homosexuals do not necessarily lead to a deepen respect for human rights nor advance racial, religious or social tolerance, the recent developm ents in France, Holland, the United Kingdom and in Spain, shows growing respectab le racism, xenophobia and religious intolerance, in this regards Australia is ru nning in the forefront of what can be called New Racism. In short, in discussion with the Gay Community and its international supporters must start with an acceptance of the principles of reciprocity, a Jamaican recog nition of the rights of gay individuals over and above those rights that exists to protect the rights of all law abiding Jamaicans does not assume but rather de mands that the Gay Community locally and internationally begin to take concrete steps to stem the tide of racism, xenophobia and religious intolerance in the co untries of the North and in Brazil in the South. Here the local Gay Community needs to recognize that Gays of colour living in t he countries of the North are entering a new James Baldwin era, wherein the rights of coloured gays varies directly with the discretion of white protector gays, in short a new period of double or triple discrimination, firstly discrimination on the basis of race, secondly discrimination on the basis of nationality and thir dly discrimination on the basis of sexuality. The onus is on the international g ay community in the developed world to prove to all that they are not seeking to become net benefactors of the new wave of racism, xenophobia and religious into lerance, it is for the gay community in Australia to prove that they are not ben eficiaries of the racial and religious discrimination of gays from Indian origin . It is for the White French gays to prove that they are not beneficiaries of th e racial discrimination of gay gypsies and gays of North and East African origin . This question also faces those gays in Italy, Holland and Spain, where racism and xenophobia have swapped Arabian horses for Thoroughbreds, and is now riding at high speeds. The pretence, if it is a pretence, of the international gay comm unity to be the champions of the rights of gays living in countries such as Jama ica, while having members of that very same community, be they Skin Heads as in Austria and else where or respectable, decent law abiding right wing politicians i n Holland, France, Italy and Spain, seeking to impose triple discrimination on t he very same people they claim to be protecting elsewhere, must be brought out i n the public domain. All cards must be on the table face up before any form of honest discourse can take place. Between Sunday 10th. October and Monday 11th October 2010, the news papers and e lectronic media world wide were filled with news about sharp clashes in Serbia b

etween nationalists and the police, the largest and most violent clashes of this type in many years. What is not being said, is that the new right and the so ca lled nationalist forces of Serbia were given a platform for mobilization, what i s not been said is that with the new found energy and resurrected organizational capabilities of these so called nationalist forces ,democratic reforms will bec ome even more difficult to be put forward at both the national and local governm ent levels of that society. All because of the bull baiting activities of the gay movement in that country and its attempts to carry out what they call a Gay Pride parade/march. Serbia has found very new friends in Austria, France, Holland and elsewhere in Europe where the tide of racism and xenophobia is on the increase. One is forced to ask, whose interest was the gay movement in serving? It is clea r that it was not the interest of advancing the rights of the ordinary Serbians of what ever sexual orientation. International Womens Day is celebrated internationally, equally as is Black Histo ry Month, both are celebrated with lectures, debates, media presentations, movie s etc and done in such a way as to garner even more support for the advancing th e rights of both women and none white minorities, while reducing the mobilizatio nal capabilities of those who would seek firstly to undermine rights already won and secondly prevent or compound activities leading to the winning of new right s. Did making Serbia look bad in the international media advance the cause of the S erbian gay community by even an inch or has it turned back by miles the advances made by that community in recent years? Are the possibilities for violence agai nst gays at the community level in Serbia increased or decreased as a result of their bull baiting? If the international gay community which is led by forces in the major industrialized countries had an interest in advancing the rights of g ays living in the less developed countries, why encourage, facilitate and promot e bull baiting activities? Is it a new tactics of the industrialized West to use t he naivety of the gay communities in the less developed countries to beat back t hemselves and present their countries in a bad light internationally? Here it is important that JFLAG and those within the political directorate who lend them support identify the lessons to be learnt from the internationally supported bu ll baiting activities of the Serbian gay community and learn them well or they t oo will become tools ,to be used according to the will and desires of others, ag ainst themselves and their country. In early European and Native American history, homosexuality was seen as a tool by the military either to deepen bonds of fraternity or to impose control and p assivity over a captured enemy, has the Industrialized West in its approach to t he naive gay communities of the less developed countries , changed in any way in its approach to homosexuality ? Should the local gay communities of the less de veloped countries be seen as a new form of Fifth Columns to be deployed in the sam e manner as the German ethnic communities in Central and Eastern European countr ies were deployed by Nazi Germany or is it possible for the local gay communitie s of the less developed countries, including Jamaica, to develop their own sense of national identity and their own local agendas? Here in Jamaica, there are real challenges in celebrating the achievements of Ja maican homosexuals within and without the country, owing to both homophobia and the reluctance by some within that community even in the absence of any real thr eat to publicly identify with their community. Those within that community need to identify the spaces and forms most appropriate for the celebration of the ach ievements of the individual members of that community. No Jamaican of any given orientation would have negative feels about a gay Jamaican being the best plasti c surgeon in New York, or a gay Jamaican becoming a Rhodes Scholar and later inf luencing the world. We all feel good when Jamaicans make us look good in the eye s of the world, regardless of the sexual orientation, religious beliefs or race of that given Jamaican. Jamaica is now awaiting the voice of the Marcus Garvey o

f the gay movement, the Bob Marley of the Jamaican gay community, the Mary Seaco le of the Jamaican gay community, the Butch Stewarts of the Jamaican gay communi ty, the Curtis Watsons of the Jamaican gay community. If there is to be talk abo ut gay pride, then show us the Jamaican gays that we should feel proud to call g ood sons and daughters of the Jamaican soil. Why should the Jamaican gay communi ty be proud when it has only its two empty long hands to show? The question facing the PNP YO is if it is mature enough to enter dialogue with the representatives of JFLAG, members of the religious community, members of mus ic fraternity and others to address this question of racism, xenophobia and reli gious intolerance. Here one notes that New Racism, New Xenophobia and New Religi ous intolerance walks with the Bible and the Koran. The approach of the Christia n Democrats in Bavaria (Germany) is a case in point, equally as is the new right in Holland which is on a crusade to save Holland for the Christians from a Musl im invasion. One also notes that the anti-Semitic positions taken by sections of the Iranian leadership, segments of the religious community in Pakistan aids an d abets racism and xenophobia in Europe and North America , equally as those Su per Christians and Super Jews who would like to see the end of the Muslim world encourages and facilitates the same. Here the strategic alliances of the forces of darkness of racism and xenophobia must be identified and named so that all mi ght know them. A creative and competitive space, is a space within which ideas contend without fear of reprimand, in other words it could also mean a space within which Born Ag ain Christians can take on and challenge in composition, chorography and dance, o n stage the near monopoly the homosexuals enjoy in some areas of culture and dan ce. It is from this type of conflict on the stage that new forms of expression, new outlooks and ideas will emerge. While one might have great challenges in dea ling with homosexuality, it is only by removing it from the realms of darkness t hat it as a phenomena and a cultural form can be effectively challenged.

The fear of homosexuality not only holds back the intellectual development of ho mosexuals as individuals but even more the individuals who seek to contend with it. As long as demons remain invisible and undetectable, they cannot be defeated and multiply in strength. The legalization of homosexuality is the chaining of a demon. Whereas before it was felt that the best dancers, actors, fashion desig ners were homosexuals, the legalization of homosexuality means that these claims can be effectively challenged. Are Christians afraid that homosexuals will beat them on the stage, in song or in poetry? Is the claim that homosexuals make be tter chefs and fashion designers true? If a YO member wanted to study dance, doe s that make him a homosexual? In a creative space challenge is the norm. The rights of non-white persons living in North America, Colombia, Venezuela, B razil and in Europe (France in particular), be they Native People, Roma (gypsie s/travelers), Vietnamese, North Africans or Black People is an area of vital con cern to all Jamaicans. By recognizing the legal rights of the gays, one not only pulls them from the shadows of darkness but also create the possibilities for m obilizing even greater support for the struggle against xenophobia and racism. Here one points out loudly and firmly to the gay community that they cannot cham pion rights for themselves while by their silence give tacit support to racism a nd xenophobia. One also challenges the gay community to understand that an expr ession of opposition to a given life style is not the same as promoting hate. My saying in a public forum that I do not eat pork or land crabs does not mean tha t I hate people who eat land crabs or pork and indeed I have the God given right to eat or not to eat land crabs or pork. It would be a sad and very dangerous d ay if someone or some group to decide that everybody must eat pork or land crabs . That would be just cause for civil war.

A creative and competitive space also means the taking on of tug culture. Tug cult ure, be it in the form of music, dress or graffiti, has be allowed to dominate t he urban space without much of a challenge. It has been effectively taken on in the area of music; however in the area of fashion designing it is still to be ta ken on. A creative and competitive space means the deliberate recognition of the best tug designers, giving respect where respect is due and taking it on. Are o ur main stream fashion designers afraid to take on Vibes Kartel clothing designe rs? Are main stream fashion designers afraid to taken on a Benie Mans fashion des igner? In the area of dance, where is the challenge from main stream society to Bogles legacy? Is it possible for courses in fashion design be offered in our pe nal institutions or we afraid that we will be creating more Vibes Kartel and Ben ie Man fashion designers who will beat us street and lane? In the earlier years, Rasta as a movement created its own cultural expressions, invented vegetarianism even before vegetables were thought to be good to eat, re vived and renewed the art of drumming, impacted the musical landscape with its o wn authentic voices, created a new and distinct mode of dress. A creative and co mpetitive space is a space within which Rasta as a cultural expression can be re vived by shock treatment, by the searching for the few remnants that have not be en captured and indoctrinated with the cultural values of Babylon. Perhaps it is formation of a creative and competitive space that one will be able to determin e whether or not Rasta is extinct or not. The same is true of those who adhere to Zion way of worship and style of life. Was the death of Kapo, the death of all the artistic expression within the Zion movement? Apart from cream soda, what do the Zionists eat or drink? Is the Zion womans style of dress, one symbolizing stagnation or possible creative regression? Do Zionists write books, do they te ll stories, and do they have songs? Who are they? What are their beliefs? Are th ey Christians? Is there a Zion restaurant anywhere in Jamaica? How do they cook? A creative and competitive space is a space with a given physical, environmental and socio-political history. Where would the PNP YO send a person or even one o f its members to learn about the history of Kingston? Is there a museum dedicate d to the history of Kingston? Would it be of economic and cultural value to have such a museum dedicated to the countrys capital? Is there anything of cultural o r academic value to be learnt about or from the history of Kingston? Housing solution on Winward Road. Laws Street and adjoining cry out for affordable and suitable housing solutions. How does affordable and suitable hous ing fits into the concepts of a Creative and Competitive Space? The idea of having a museum dedicated to the history of Kingston, for many raise s significant challenges, firstly because to many the value of museum (apart fro m its chest beating attributes and possible contributing to the reinforcement of cultural narrowness) is unknown. Secondly given the growing number of persons w ithout means, the bringing into being of such a museum, if seen with the context of the Bustamante Norman Manley debate on education, would seem to be a wasteful venture. Is it possible for a museum dedicated to the history of Kingston to co ntribute to employment, manufacturing, service design and delivery? If yes, unde r what conditions? The creation of a creative and competitive space calls for an audit of the manuf acturing sector, firstly to know its composition and size and secondly in order to chart its near term future, without the creation of such a space and with the creation of such a space. A creative and competitive space may also call for the further development of th e concept of micro and small markets as against market segmentation. How are the

se concepts different and where do they converge and what does it mean in practi ce for the manufacturing sector? Is there only one micro or small market for a product or can several co-exist at the same time? Is the market for pre-processe d gully beans a micro market or is it a small market? Is the market for pre-proc essed gully beans too small to be segmented? Can a countrys manufacturing sector be geared towards satisfying the needs to micro and small markets? What would s uch a gearing mean for tax administration, import and or export duties, product standards etc? Would such a gearing be a viable course for the development of t he countrys manufacturing sector? Could the production of specialized programmes and games be classified as production for micro or for small markets? What is t he near term prospects for the export driven production of specialist programmes and games? How would the creation of a creative and competitive space enhance o r retard the development of export driven production of these programmes and gam es? In the area of translation, Jamaica has great untapped resources, be it in the t ranslation to Japanese, German or Russian of Claude McKays poems, the translation to French and Portuguese of the Collected Works of Marcus Garvey or the transla tion to Cantonese, Spanish, French, German and Russian of Selected Speeches and works of Michael Manley. Could a translation and republishing industry be encour aged and supported by the creation of and within the context of a creative and c ompetitive space? What sort of support would be needed by the potential players in this industry? Is there a role that could be played by existing publishers? The renewal of Kingston posses many real and sharp questions, however the sharpe st possible question is:- What is and will be the role of the Peoples National P arty Youth Organization in this process of renewal? Will it feel contented with the work and achievement of its elders? Will it blind itself to the many a shor t comings and ills of the city, or will it take a critical approach to the past and in doing so contribute in a qualitative way to the future development of the city? In regards to the G2K, it is and was always my view, that it is the duty of the JLP and in particular the Tufton segment of that party to prepare their youth, that is not the task of the Peoples National Party or its supporters. Wit hin and around each party, there are teachers; it is their duty to do their work . The Former Senator and the Giving of Contracts to Dons One should not seek to punish the views of those who are ignorant of the social history of the community within which one lives, but rather encourages such indi viduals to study that history. However where one is knowledgeable of the social history of the community within which one lives and either tries to ignore it or to distort it for personal tactical purposes, then such an approach must be tak en on and defeated. I too was once of the view that dons should be guided into legitimate areas of b usiness and encouraged to live a life within the boundaries of the law. Experien ce however shows that the Jamaica society has spent large quantities of money in the forms of various types and forms of government contracts seeking to appease the dons and to buy peace. The result has been even more intense and wide sprea d violence, since it is the control of turf which determines the direction of th e flow of these contracts. Secondly the society also witnessed even more intense and violent competition for the position of don, with entire communities being split into micro enclaves or fortresses, each with its own don. Society also learnt that the rate of returns on investment in legitimate busines ses is far below, what is earned from commercial or residential extortion, it is far below what is earned from converting stolen cars into taxis, far below what is earned from contract killing, far below what is earned from carrying out ill egal bailiff and collections operations. Society has learnt the very hard way th

at criminal enterprise is very profitable and the rate of return from the owners hip of two rifles can be far higher that the ownership of a small supermarket. The don who maybe appeased by government contracts to change his ways, is a don wh o is retiring from the business of crime for whatever given reasons, be it age, concern for safety of family or fear of the younger and possible more fierce and disrespectful competition, one cannot hold the title of don when he is on the r oad and take beaten or blow trumpets when in jail. It just cannot work. One therefore has to ask, if it is the states duty to provide a pension plan for aging or failing dons or should one allow the forces of competition to deal with the don? One also has to ask oneself if this argument of giving dons contracts to convert them to a law abiding life style does not have its origin in tactical political thinking aimed at force denial and exploiting the perceived weaknesses of a com petitor. If this is so, then this approach must be roundly condemned, one would hope that such an approach was isolated and defeated. The Creation of Tactical Employment A critically important task facing the Peoples National Party when it returns to power will be that of creating a large number of tactical employment possibilit ies within the shortest period of time. It is of vital importance for the People s National Party Youth Organization dedicate time and resource in exploring the various possible options of employing unskilled labour in a manner that contribu tes both to the expansion of aggregate demand and the sustainable development of economy. One possible area of mass short term employment in Kingston and St. Andrew and S t. Catherine, is the production of compost. A walk in that area bordering Kings Street in the North and Regent Street in the South reveals tons of daily dispose d vegetable matter littering the streets. Without great effort and using pallet s, a composting plant could be placed in some where near to the old railway stat ion. Immediate employment could be created for the collection of vegetable matte r and old paper and card board, for the shredding of card board boxes, and for t he daily turning of compost piles. Individuals could be paid for the quantity of material they supply. The same model could be replicated in the Papine area and also in the Spanish Town/Portmore area, with operators of whippers and lawn mow er operators, working in conjunction with the collectors of the garden / lawn cl ippings. compost bin at Silver Lake Park.

The Democratization of the Right To The Sea The right to use the beach front and sea in Kingston and in St. Catherine is hi ghly discriminatory, with very large entities such as the Caribbean Cement Compa ny, The Jamaica Flour Mills among others taking control of the sea front in the east and the JPS, The UDC, The Ports Authority control the sea front in the west , in addition the National Water Commission in its operations as taken the entir e harbour as its own private dumping site, yet by law, no small potential fish f armer or algae producer might set up business anywhere at sea, nor can a potenti al grower of almonds set up shop on any of beach fronts. While it is abundantly clear that provisions must be made for the commercial dev elopment of the beach front area and space must be found for entities carrying o ut large investments, it is also clear that the balanced and sustained developme nt of the entire stretch of the beach front and the foreshore, demands that inve stments potential small and medium size marine farms be encouraged and promoted. The experiences of countries such as Singapore have shown that it is possible fo r both mega entities and small marine farmers to co-exist and develop symbiotic relationships in the very same marine environment. Here the argument that the i ntroduction of small and medium scale marine farming will undermine the natural environment does not hold, for the simple reason that it is the large entities s uch as the NWC and the Port Authority which have destroyed that environment. Sma ll and medium scale algae production would serve to reduce the heavy nitrogen lo ad and contribute to the detoxification of the waters of the harbour. The democratization of the beach and foreshore of Kingston, St. Catherine and St . Thomas, should be seen as a major agenda item for the PNP YO, not only because of its employment or potential environmental impact, but also a rights issue, t he rights of the large entities viz-a-viz the rights of potential small and medi um scale marine farmers. The laws governing the usage and ownership of the beach front and the fore shore has been taken and ripped up a very long time ago by t hose who give permission to build, thus any attempts to raise legal arguments wo uld be hypocritical. Has the National Water Commission ever been charged for appropriating the Kingst on harbour and converting it into its own private dump? The beach front by the c ement company is blackened by layers upon layers of coal dust has the cement com pany at any point in its long history ever been charged for damage done to the b each front. Kingston wharves are major points of pollution and denial of public access to the beach, has anyone ever been charged? In short one is dealing with capitalism in its purest and simplest forms. If th at is so, why create legal obstacles to prevent the entry of potential small and medium sized investors? Is the system so much afraid of the small business pers on? The PNP YO has a lot of ground to cover in preparing itself to contribute in a p

ositive manner to the policy formulation processes of the Peoples National Party . End Basil Fletcher Dedicated to the memory of my younger brother, the late Hugh Phillip Fletcher wh o woul;d always go swimming in Kingston Harbour. May he enjoy his tour of the he avens. The Peoples National Partys Commitment to the Jamaican People in a Period of Cris is Given the high levels of unemployment and the growing levels of poverty facing m ost Jamaicans in this period, many would hope that a return of the Peoples Natio nal Party will signal an end of their tribulations and the beginning of a period of full employment, economic growth and hope. The truth however is that the Peoples National Party will be returning to power in a country saddled with a massive debt burden, low productivity, worsening ter ms of trade, high unemployment, increasing levels of both individual and social poverty, and a rapidly deteriorating physical infrastructure, in addition to he possibility of a next bout of economic decline in the global economy. The Peoples National Party in such a situation has but only one silver bullet an d that is a clear commitment to bring all parties and social groups around the t able to map a way forward. In other words, the Peoples National Party rejects th e view, which holds that a single visionary and extraordinary leader and a party of with elite members by themselves will be able to take Jamaica out of its cur rent crisis. Jamaica as a country, is very divided and in many ways polarized along lines of class, colour, religion etc, and each group has its own particular interests and given set of objectives. No single leader, regardless how gifted or talent that individual is, will be able to satisfy the minimum objectives of all social gro ups. This is why the Peoples National Party as government, in my view, would see k to take the Round Table approach to governance, an approach will brings the repr esentatives of Down Town around the same table as the representatives of Up Town , and approach which brings the owners of capital around the same table as those who earn their living by selling their labour. It is by taking such an approach to governance that will enable the government of the Peoples National Party to satisfy the basic interests and demands of all social groups. Equally at the constituency level, Members of Parliament and other elected repre sentatives of the peoples National Party would seek to promote a consultative ap proach to the management of the resources of the constituencies, and the various divisions. The Peoples National Party holds the view, that such an approach als o gives the ordinary man, be he a resident of Hannah Town or be he a resident of Norbrook a say in the governance of his community and control over the usage of scare resources. This approach also prevents the distribution of resources in a discriminatory manner and minimizes the possibility for political discriminatio n and the misdirection of resources. History has clearly demonstrated that, the countries which succeed and are able to move forward are those countries, in which the governments are mindful of the interests of all segments of their societies and are able to mobilize all class es, colours and creeds to achieve common goals.

Recently, the question was asked why the great pyramid was built. Was it built t o show what a great leader is able to achieve, or was it built to show what a pe ople united to achieve a common goal can accomplish? The Peoples National Part y holds the view that the construction of the great pyramid shows in no uncertai n way, what a people united can achieve. The problems facing the Jamaican people are daunting, however, the Peoples Natio nal Party is confident that by bringing the representatives of Jamaican people a round the Round Table to identify and define common objectives and to work togethe r as a people to attain those objectives, there can be no problem too great for the Jamaican people to overcome, be it the problem of unemployment, be it the pr oblem of reducing poverty, be it the problem of achieving economic growth or the the problem of reducing crime and violence. The Peoples National Party, holds firmly that the Jamaican people are no less en dowed than the people of ancient Egypt who built the pyramids, the Jamaican peop le are no less talented than were the people of ancient Egypt, hence equally as those ancient Egyptians were able to build pyramids which continue to exist and amaze modern man over a period stretching thousands of years, equally so a unite d Jamaican people will be able to create economic and social wonders and miracle s for all to see. This is the approach of the Peoples National Party to governan ce and the management of the countrys resources. Basil Fletcher

This paper is written as a form of respect to the memory of the late Sarah Morri s and Aggatta Morgan of the village of Bethany, Manchester. May their souls rest in peace! To my mother the late Ms. Millicent Thorney, the young early childhood teacher, who on becoming pregnant with me in 1959, had to find a new occupation. A mother who strongly believed in the rights of the individual, yet as a supporter of th e JLP could not ,out of fear for the life of her three children, her mother, her brother and herself, expressed her views nor voice her opinion in Jones Town af ter the 1976 General Elections. For yourself you have seen that your first son have taken some of your ideas an d approaches and expressed them from the benches of my party the Peoples Nationa l Party. The DenhamTown, Hannah Town, Jones Town and Allman Town that we knew an d walked are no longer with us, yet from their ashes will be raised a city far b etter and far greater. Continue to stand firm with your son, guide his sight, his thoughts, his intenti ons, his deeds and his words. Many a wars are yet to be fought!