

Good sense prevailed over nonsense after outlandish Jamaican deejay Spice, born Grace Hamilton, cancelled her so-called ‘Oh No’ high school tour, which was intended to connect with 10 institutions across Jamaica.
She had ventured already into some of them when the natural outrage started to pick up speed and steam, thus drawing to a close, a project that would cause more harm than good to the future minds of Jamaica, some of them already converted to Spice-ism.
Spice’s disgusting lyrics which she spews many times on the stage or in her recordings, should never have qualified her for any form of mentoring or mentorship of young minds. We are at a stage already in this country, where the lyrics and actions of many dancehall deejays have contributed heavily to a breakdown of the morals that we originally expected to take Jamaica far.
Too many of our youth are fully invested and extolled in the kind of behaviour that Spice and others who do not care, place on the table.
So, Spice going into schools, even dressed up in the institution’s uniform at her alma mater, St Catherine High on one occasion, was only sending a message of confusion to the young minds. She was masquerading as a guidance counsellor when she was not qualified to do so. She would command greater attention from the students than any teacher or principal could. They would even listen to her than even the minister of education if you examine the matter carefully.

Many children are already guided by her lyrics, and those of like-minded deejays, so licensing it, as misguided education officials did initially, was not the way to go.
Spice, in the meantime, could go back into the studio, place a microphone on her head, stand in front of a mirror, and ask herself some pertinent questions … among them would be, how can I shed some of the ingredients of my earlier teachings to the youth of Jamaica, and come with clean, inspiring words that will allow those between nine and early twenties to reshape their lives?
I hope that she does not think of it as an impossibility.
Dr Waul must have a lot of gall

News emerging last week included complaints from a member of the St Catherine Municipal Corporation, Dr Kurt Waul, that he was not consulted by officials, which included brash Member of Parliament for St Catherine North Western, C. Everald Warmington, about roads selected for repair or renovation, under the Government’s highly-touted SPARK programme.
What’s new?
Waul is councillor for the Old Harbour South Division of the corporation and, therefore, represents a large space and many faces in that section of Jamaica. But what did he expect from a man whose presence this country could do without?
It seems natural, that all parish councillors would be asked for their input, after consulting with the people whom they represent, in respect of the roads that they deem important to be fixed.
Warmington, in his flimsy defence, said that there was a public meeting to accept suggestions from residents of the constituency and that was enough to lead to a final determination of which roads would go forward and be placed under consideration for improvement.
And yes, the people of the area have a say. They can attend such a meeting if they so desire, but at least they, through divisional makeup, have someone who represents them at the local level, who must carry out their wishes.
One of the dangers in having an open, public meeting in taking such a decision, is that many of the people may not come from the area or live there. So, political representatives can get people in, and manipulate the system as they see fit. It has happened before.
Dr Waul should have been invited to a meeting outside of the general one, even with fellow councillors within the constituency, and asked to make his road improvement suggestions, outside of what the general meeting determined. After that, comparisons could be made and conclusions drawn regarding the final way forward.
But can anyone believe that Warmington would lead such a process? Think again.

Dr Waul has also complained about the partisan way in which Warmington has determined which roads ought to be fixed, ignoring suggestions made prior by the councillor. Is this how we want our island in the sun to be run?
A new West Indies Test coach — Now what?
Well, the term of the coach of the West Indies Test cricket team has expired and the Caribbean and supporters elsewhere look forward to see what will happen next.
Andre Coley remarkably turned around what he had been criticised of not doing, and that is producing successful results, by seeing the West Indies defeat Pakistan in a Test match in that country for the first time in over three decades.
The fact that the two-match series ended 1-1 was a fillip for Coley, who has now been replaced by overrated Darren Sammy, who before that had been operating as coach of the T20 and One-Day squads.
So we await Sammy’s magic. The time has come for a pep in the step of the West Indies in Tests that can be fully unveiled to the world.
Coley did his job. All along the way, he carried a millstone called Kraigg Brathwaite around his neck. That burden has now been transferred to Sammy, who should realise by now that if he does not get rid of the biggest on-the-field burden to the Test team, as a start, his fate will, before long, mirror that of his predecessor.
Charles Sinclair and respect for national symbols (or figures)
I could not ignore a newspaper report last week which quoted Government Senator Charles Sinclair as urging respect for Jamaica’s national symbols, while he spoke at a Rotary Club event in Westmoreland.

Sinclair, who is also a councillor in the St James Municipal Corporation, said that national symbols ought to be treated with the dignity and respect that they deserve.
That is all good, and Senator Sinclair’s words ought to be respected and honoured.
Funny though, that Senator Sinclair did not urge Rotarians and others who were willing to listen, that Jamaicans, women in particular also deserve respect, no matter how they look.
I remember clearly last year when Senator Sinclair and his colleague in the Lower House of Representatives, former policeman Homer Davis, lashed out at Nekeisha Burchell over her physical makeup at a Jamaica Labour Party event in western Jamaica. Burchell is the candidate chosen by the People’s National Party to represent the organisation in St James Southern in the next general election. Davis is the sitting MP.
The disgraceful act of suggesting that Burchell, among other things, had a fake body makeup was not only a clear case of disrespect to the young political hopeful, but a major slap for women globally.
So, Senator Sinclair will be urged to continue his innings of not only batting for the national symbols, but national figures too, including some of those who want to inject much needed change in the psyche of the Jamaican people who have been fed a consistent diet of division for many decades.
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