**************************************************** **************************************************** *** *** *** THE PORTMORE WEBSITE NEWSLETTER *** *** *** **************************************************** **************************************************** Newsletter: Number 7 for 2004 - Edition 1 Publication Date: March 30, 2004 Editor: Kennedy Reid Subscribers: 114 Reply to: webmaster@portmore.org Reply to: rhouse@cybervale.com Subscribe: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/portmore_newsletter/ Web site: http://www.portmore.org Phone: 876-320-7343 or 876-935-3290 Note: Please read notices at end of newsletter CONTENTS ======== 1. Mek wi talk little! - Kennedy Reid ############################################################ 1. Mek wi talk little! - Kennedy Reid ############################################################ Hello everyone, Here is a question.... Do you know the difference between the Haitians and the Jamaicans? If you know the answer, then you will agree with me that those Jamaians suggesting that we should not be helping our misfortunate relatives in Haiti are shameless. Is this how we want to be treated when a hurricane devastates Jamaica? Why should our white friends to the north save us when themselves have hundreds of citizens dying of heat and frost in their streets! Let's cut the hog wash and help our neighbours! And we should do so in the traditionally royal Jamaican tradition! Then there are those fools who say "we were better off under the British rule!" Give me a break... can anyone with sense call 300 years of slavery and British rule fun? It may be that their mullato status got them favours, but for my black relatives it was no fun. Just ask Nanny of the Maroons (1700s), or Deacon Sharpe(1800s), or Rev. Bedward(1900s), or ask Ms. Lou and Normal Manley... for them the British were no good! In colonial days most of us were dry-head trigga-foot "negoes". Our status and intelligence was low, we needed low wages and an whip at our lazy backs. We ate scrap meat from North America. In the 1900s tourist took our pictures as our women loaded banana boats as our men helped dig the Panama canal... all for a better life. The love in our hearts and the smiles on our faces betraying the true nature of our harsh experience. This is what we have lost... the love, the smile and sense of community. These days people smile and say "howdi" if they intend to beg you something or sell insurance! I think that our country is in trouble because of our poor morals and values! We have people who invest millions in the Jamaica Stock Exchange and yet resentfully give a dollar to streetboys. We have "decent" people who illegally sell lincces, permits and divorces. By ignoring the lawful path they cuase accidents, cancer and anguish on the population. We have people who follow politicians simply for greed and politicians who make and break promises on a whim. These people undermine our systems and build scyticism. There are others who poison our society.... There are the fathers who abandon their young children to immature mothers. Or Church leaders who focus on building church pews and rather than becoming true servants of the flock. We have Talk Show Hosts who rehearse our problems daily. They apportion blame instead of offering solutions. If we are to survive on this island we need to stand against these negative forces. Becuase even when we disagree with each other, we need to pull togehter and not assunder. And let us treat our neighbours as ourselves... Let's help the Haitians! ------------------------------------------------------- Next time a Police officer asks for a bribe.. say... sorry I don't do that. Next time you think of lying to the police... speak the truth. I find that 80% of those who express disaffection with the police do so because they have been the a victim of Police bribery! Indeed, any policeman who makes a living by milking the public of its hard earned money is poisonning the public against the Police force. They are encouraging public resentment, disrespect for authority, and the murder of fellow officers. A distrusting public will never come forward with information leading to arrest, nor will they protest when a good officer dies!!! This is sad. These days I am HORRIFIED at the level of antipathy expressed when a police officer is killed! We need to honour or officers!!! I was at a forum the other day and Minister Peter Philips (Minister of Security) was there as a guest. He was asked about Human Rights and why the criminals had so "much" rights. He answered that we in Jamaica seem to be taking the side of the Slave Masters... They were Jamaicans who killed indiscrimiantely any "nigga" that offended them. He said that he was not prepared to have the police officers kill old women and children in the name of hunting criminals. He has been committed to this for a very long time. He acknowledged that the Police have a difficult Job. and that when hey do the coreect thing, they are to be commended for this... and they have done so on many occasions. He also stated that National Security is a very expensive venture for any nation; particularly in trying economic times. For example one chase boat used to protect our shores cost millions of Jamaican Dollars and strains the budget... not to mention true modernisation of the force. ***AdVT.******************************************** *** *** *** Lees Fifth Avenue *** *** *** *** 'Visit us online at' *** *** http://www.leesfifthavenue.com/ *** *** *** *** *** ********************************************ADVT.*** On another matter.... Erica wrote to me saying that a Married Men Club would encourage homosexual activities. (Some how I lost Erica's e-mail. Erica, Please send it to me again..sorry about that my friend!). Dear Erica, I do believe that people will get together to have sex whereever they and don't need a CHRISTIAN club to do so. In fact, they do so in every organisation I know of... even under the pastor's pose! The reason for a men's club is to bring men of like mind together to affect thier their family and encourage each other. Why men? Well, we men have peculiar needs that a wife alone can not meet. My wife is VERY comfortable with that! Also, I find that when women are a part of a club (Jaycees, Optimist, etc) the men full back. They don't behave the same. Why Christian? because their as no christian clubs that are not church bound. Other non-christians may visit... no problem Now, on the matter of homosexuality, I was shocked the other day when a Jamaican father allowed a gang to beat-up his son becuase he felt there was some gay issue with him! What a stupid father this is!... I know it is difficult to deal with, but the role of a father in life is to protect his children (even if he disagrees with them!) This is what our father in heaven does for us every day. He constantly encourages us follow the "straight" paths in life! Jamaicans must be ethical about their anti-gay stance. While I disagree with the Gay lifestyle, I do not know of any reason to hate gays or to beat them to death. I dissagree with gay marriage because that leads to social acceptance and encouragement, the adoption of children, and law suits when society does not "recognize" their status in public places. Sex should stay in the bedroom not in our faces! ############################################################ 2. Braeton Seven - three years on - Yvonne McCalla Sobers ############################################################ From: "Yvonne McCalla Sobers" To: Undisclosed-Recipient@, Subject: FAST Forward no 24: Braeton Seven - three years on Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2004 17:09:35 -0800 FAST Forward no 24 Braeton Seven - three years on March 14 2004 was three years since police killed seven young men in a house in Braeton St Catherine. Some changes have taken place in the official approach to human rights in Jamaica, but such changes have been cosmetic rather than integral. The police account of the Braeton Seven killings – that a shootout occurred in which six of seven men received headshots - raised sufficient questions for the Director of Public Prosecutions ruled that six policemen be charged with murder. But what else has changed? Or not changed? The pace of police killings continues. Police have killed close to 450 persons, mostly males 18-25 years old, since the Braeton Seven were killed. Between January 5 and March 7 2004, there were 28 police fatal shootings. The police stories of shootouts remain virtually unchanged from incident to incident. Only names, dates and locations are changed as the public is told after each fatal shooting: “Police were on operations when they saw three men acting suspiciously. The men opened fire when the police approached them, and the police returned the gunfire. When the shooting ended, one man was found injured and was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead. The two other men escaped. A gun with live/spent ammunition was found on the scene.” Multiple police killings have continued. [Section Deleted] Police who are involved in questionable killings remain in the police force, [Section Deleted] Evidence to support murder convictions continues to be in short supply even when the DPP rules that policemen are to be charged with murder. Eye-witnesses can refuse to come forward, evidence can disappear or never be uncovered, investigation can be inept, and documents can disappear or be falsified. [Section Deleted] The rate of conviction of policemen for fatal shootings is, since 1999, nil. Policemen who, for example, shot seven-year-old Renee Lyons (2003), and taxi-driver Kemar Bryan (2001) were able to leave Jamaica by the time the DPP ruled that the available evidence suggested murder charges. [Section Deleted] Jamaica is admittedly prone to crime and violence, with figures of civilian and police murders also ranking high globally. In the last three years about 30 policemen and about 3,000 civilians have died violently. [Section Deleted] Nonetheless, during the past three years, the official rhetoric around human rights has improved. Several police stations have replaced their guardrooms with more customer-friendly air-conditioned reception areas. Community policing projects have been launched (yet again). The Commissioner of Police and the Minister of National Security have public expressed regret at incidents where police shot dead two sixty-year-olds in Flanker (October 2003) and a teenager in St Thomas (January 2004). [Section Deleted] The culture of disrespect for life and law admittedly takes time to change. However, three years after the Braeton Seven incident, the changes have not been substantial enough. With a weekly average this year of 3 police fatal shootings and 20 civilian murders, and with increased expressions of anger and frustration at justice and security systems, we may not have time on our side. [1] See website: http://www.theppsc.org/Archives/DF_Articles/Files/ Michigan/Detroit/FreePress052000.htm Police Policy Studies Council ***AdVT.******************************************** *** *** *** RBTT BANK JAMAICA *** *** *** *** We are coming to Portmore *** *** http://www.rbtt.com/ *** *** *** *** *** ********************************************ADVT.*** -------------- [] RESPONSE [] -------------- The reason the police say they saw persons "acting suspiciously" is to give them legal "excuse" for their actions. Without "reasonable suspicion" they may not stop and search a citizens going on their own business. The reason the police say that the men open fire FIRST is to justify the use of deadly force. The reason the police say that some criminals "escaped" is to ensure that cases are kept open and and therefore never seen by prosecution. ############################################################ 3. Home Sick - Jhennell ############################################################ ***AdVT.******************************************** *** *** *** RBTT BANK JAMAICA *** *** *** *** We are coming to Portmore *** *** http://www.rbtt.com/ *** *** *** *** *** ********************************************ADVT.*** -------------- [] RESPONSE [] -------------- ############################################################ 4. Jamaica’s newest e-magazine ############################################################ ***AdVT.******************************************** *** *** *** Lees Fifth Avenue *** *** *** *** 'Visit us online at' *** *** http://www.leesfifthavenue.com/ *** *** *** *** *** ********************************************ADVT.*** -------------- [] RESPONSE [] -------------- ############################################################ 5. Education Roundtable Forum - Portmore ############################################################ -------------- [] RESPONSE [] -------------- ############################################################ From the Editor ############################################################ [-----------------------THE END OF ENTRIES------------------------] Legal Notices - Please read 1. This newsletter makes NO guarantees of accuracy nor authorship. 2. The contents of this newsletter do not necessarily represent the views of the publisher, and do NOT represent the views of any Political Party or Community Organisation. 3. Commercial publication of this newsletter needs the express consent of the webmaster in writing. 4. Copy Rights are owned by Kennedy Reid General Notes - Please read 1. Please copy this newsletter to as many persons as you may, However, please do not alter the contents. 2. To read our past newsletters go to http://www.portmore.org/newsletters/index.html 5. This newsletter is an open forum so please feel free to send us your contributions. We do NOT edit your letters, but may delete sections that can not be published. Deleted sections will be noted. Private e-mail addresses are deleted from letters and if you ask, we will delete your name! The Webmaster may comment on your contribution, but reserves the last word for you. Write to webmaster@portmore.org or rhouse@cybervale.com "Why be ordinary?" - KR [--------------------------THE END--------------------------------]