Prince Harry started day two  of his visit to Jamaica with the military, begining with breakfast with soldiers at the Jamaica Defence Force’s  Up Park Camp in the capital Kingston.

After breakfast, a meeting with JDF officers before moving on to unveiling a plaque at the new rappelling training tower and onto the gun range. He left the camp and Kingston  from the JDF’s Air Wing  aboard a helicopter, bound for engagements in Falmouth and  Montego Bay on the North coast.

He leaves the island on Thursday March 8 2012, for Brazil.

Over recent years the concept of paying for VIP status at sporting and entertainment events has become an increasing feature.

 Not quite gone are the days when the faithful, get in early and stake a claim to a spot right in front of the stage, or near the finish line and steel their bladders not to need attention at the crucial moment. The reward a front row neck craning view of their idols, being in the right place when it is all over bar the shouting..

 Paying for the privilege and a more comfortable space, is nothing new there has always been the grandstand at a sporting event or the special box at the theatre and now the pricey VIP ticket that gets you close to the action without the stress, with special bars and other amenities.

My first  long overdue, sporting event at Jamaica’s National Stadium  in  the capital Kingston was for the World Junior Championships, It was my first time seeing now world leading and Olympic champion Usain Bolt  impressively win his races, an indication of the potential to be later realized on the World and Olympic stage.

I was in the “ bleachers” the cheap seats, not at all comfortable and open to the elements and with the Jamaican sun hardly the choice of anyone who is actually bleaching, but what  money couldn’t by was the atmosphere the deafening shouts and noise encouraging the Jamaican athletes on and the celebration of the winners and the  nearly wins.  Quite unforgettable value added.

(Jamaica)

Kingston’s rubbish( garbage) dump Riverton City burned  for days recently causing smoke problems in the surrounding areas and prompting renewed concerns about it’s affect on people and the enviroment.

The smoke could be seen and felt for miles around. It is not a new problem, here is an excerpt from the archives of a report on the city garbage dump from 1989.

Added to those concerns that are longstanding, news reports brought to general attention the fact that livestock is being raised on the site and the meat is being sold. The Observer Newspaper editorial at the begining of March 2012, gives voice to the concerns about public  health and food safety.

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/editorial/Shut-down-those-livestock-farms-at-Riverton-now_10938536

Presenting the facts, learning from the past, working to right wrongs and  insisting on accountability were some of the  other key concerns outlined by, Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller  in her address.

Portia Simpson Miller leader of the Peoples National Party, PNP   became Jamaican Prime Minister for a second time as she took the oath of office at the swearing in Thursday January 5 2012, at Kings House, Kingston.

The PNP leader was sworn in as Jamaica’s first woman Prime Minister in 2006 when she took over  from Prime Minister P.J. Patterson  when he stepped down and Simpson Miller won a leadership contest in the party.

This however is her first time as Prime Minister with a mandate from the people that came with the then opposition party’s convincing win in the December 29 2011 election.

She was not without words from the bible in this address, underlining her own religious faith. She thanked God and the Jamaican people and said that she was humbled that she had been chosen to lead the country at such a crossroads. She also thanked her family at home and abroad for their support.

In her address she gave clear signals of some priorities for the government, among these she spoke of keeping a tight check on the finances, whilst still working to improve the lives of people and the importance of making it easier to do business in the country.

She promised initiatives in job growth, improvements to the environment and pledged it would be done transparently and in a non-partisan manner.  Assessing the state of the country’s economy and looking at a basis for a new agreement with the International Monetary Fund were also identified as important tasks.

She also clearly stated that the government wants to move towards making the Caribbean Court of Justice the final appellate court for Jamaica. Following on comments made in the election debate she said that it is time to look at full independence and sovereignty and  at  a republic status and an indigenous head of state.

A present theme in the address was inclusion, togetherness in terms of the nation, the diaspora and political adversaries,

The Governor General  conducted the swearing in in front to of an audience of foreign dignitaries, politicians, academics and business people and party members and an even larger audience  listening  on radio watching on television,  cable and via the internet.

The event included prayers, cultural presentations and a performance of “Strength of a Woman” by recording artist Shaggy.

With the swearing in of ministers expected over the next few days, this event takes  the party out of election victory mode and into the work of government in earnest. What happens from here on in, will serve to mark the style and substance of Portia Simpson Millers leadership of the country and the team she brings with her into a period that  is likely to have its fair share of challenges and difficulties for the nation and people alike.

Jamaica starts the year off with a new government and a new Prime Minister and it all becomes official on Thursday January 5.

Portia Simpson Miller leader of the Peoples National party will be sworn in by the Governor General at a ceremony at Kings House, Kingston.

There is no definitive word on the new cabinet for except for the suggestion from   the party that some key ministers will likley be sworn in on January 6^th.

The PNP won the December 29 2011 General Election with 42 seats to the JLP’s 21 this tally is one up from election night as after the final count the JLP lost a seat. Turnout for the election was reportedly low on this island nation of over 2.7 million people.

The ceremony will be attended by, the diplomats, members of the ruling party and opposition, academics, business persons and other invited guests.

vuvuzelas not welcome

One thing that won’t be welcome is the vuvuzela,  the  noise maker that became a feature of the campaign trail and political meetings among the party faithful on both sides. Word from the organisers of the event is  that this South African horn that  resembles an overgrown party favour will be plastic non grata at the event on the lawns of the Governor General’s residence

The vuvuzela came to notice during the World Cup Football competition in South Africa and the sound maker made its presence heard   late last year, when the new leader of the Jamaica Labour Party, Andrew Holness was sworn in as Prime Minister after  JLP leader and Prime Minister Bruce Golding stepped down.

The ban  is probably based on the experience of the pomp punctuating chorus of the vuvuzelas at that event. According to press reports it’s a matter of discipline and not just decibels and the order comes from Prime Minister elect Portia Simpson Miller herself.

So vuvuzela joyful sound maker or irritating noise maker whatever the verdict, not for the swearing in, out of sight and out of earshot.

Perhaps the determined owners of an iphone can download a vuvuzela app instead.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/vuvuzela-2010/id326630627?mt=8

Read more from others:

http://anniepaulose.wordpress.com/2011/12/30/wheres-my-vuvuzela-announcing-the-second-coming-of-portia-simpson-miller/

http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/33659/get-rid-official-vuvuzela-tv

http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/04/jamaica%E2%80%99s-first-female-prime-minister-leads-landslide-victory/.

http://m.jamaicaobserver.com/latestnews/No-vuvulezas-or-horns-at-swearing-in-ceremony—Simpson-Miller

There were shades of other campaigns when the JLP drew the crowds to the public meetings and conferences but couldn’t translate that at the ballot box.

It’s like having a party and inviting 100  people who tell you they are absolutely, definitely coming and finding yourself picking at soggy sandwiches, with the ten people who did come, but can’t stay long.

The party with free education up to secondary level and which introduced free healthcare lost out to an opposition that campaigned as the caring people’s party.

It should have gone so different some say, if the JLP had spent more time talking up the positives rather than talking the negatives of the PNP. It is either they did not get that message across or for some reason the electorate didn’t care that much or the new JLP leader inherited too much political baggage to really make a fresh start.

Political ads by the youth arm of the JLP; G2k went for the PNP leader, Portia Simpson Miller’s jugular but didn’t hit a major artery.

Attacking PNP leader Portia Simpson – Miller is the political equivalent of taking a bat to a Panda.

In attacking Portia did G2k inadvertently push the ahh… button in people’s minds…?

What the ads definitely did was put Portia Simpson Miller and her party people front and  vaguely left of centre in people’s minds night after night.

Some  attack ads trumpeted (sic) that  the JLP leader, young and vibrant intelligent, Andrew Holness (and he is) did not need papers to read from when he spoke. Maybe he should have used them to remind him not to suggest that you don’t need intellectuals.

Many of us don’t really know what  intellectuals are talking about when they speak, even  with a dictionary or Google, we just know they serve  some mysterious purpose and bad things happen when countries turn against the intellectuals.

The JLP also complained about the media but perhaps it should have kept that private and grinned and not bared it for all to see in the photo op.  As Oscar Wilde is said to have said, the only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about, seems to have worked for Portia.

There is off course a lot more to the election, the results and the message the people sent the politicians on both sides,  some obvious some not so. The JLP will as it has said be reflecting on this as it moves into the opposition and rebuilding mode in the New Year.

The final tally a big victory for the PNP which won 42 of the 63 seats.

The ruling  Jamaica Labour party  took 22 seats.

In her victory speech Peoples National Party Leader Portia Simpson- Miller, thanked the people for giving her her mandate and the Prime Minister  for his concession telephone call which she  described  as very gracious.

The speech was heavy on love, togetherness, thanks for the victory and wishes for peace, there was little on what we are to expect  but these occasions are rarely about that, and given the  scale of the victory perhaps the party  can not be blamed for wanting to savour the moment before getting down to the hard work of governing  the country.

The Prime Minister elect,  told the country that they would hear from the party  soon, as it organised to take over the government.  She promised that as the PNP move to balance the books it will be moving to balance people’s lives too.

Speaking of his party’s defeat a sombre  Jamaica Labour Party leader Andrew Holness spoke about the need for the party to rebuild and start campaigning for the next election he added that it was a humbling experience and there will need to be a time of introspection and reflection.

It was a triumphant turn around  for Simpson – Miller from the defeat in 2007, when after becoming Prime Minister when PJ Patterson stepped down  after a leadership race within the party, she fought and lost her first election campaign   from that position.

As the results came in things began to look bleak for the JLP as some key  candidates lost to the PNP and the number of declared PNP seats began to rack up towards the 30 plus mark.

Some suggest that this was a vote to vote out the JLP rather than vote in the PNP, whilst others say it was an election  possibility squandered by the JLP because of off kilter strategy, bad timing and percieved arrogance.

Whatever the motivation of the electorate the results are in are in and winners and losers alike have to get on with what lies ahead now the nation has decided.

In Jamaica the Peoples National Party has won the general elections, the party took an early lead as the  results began to come in.

It will be Portia Simpson- Miller who will lead the country into the New Year.

But what started as an early  lead turned into more than that as the party  pushed past the 30 seat mark whilst the JLP was struggling to break the 20 mark.

Some 63 seats across the island were contested, up from 60 in the last election in 2007. The  competition was between the two major parties the Jamaica Labour Party JLP, led by Andrew Holness and the People’s national party the PNP, led by Portia Simpson – Miller. Independent candidates and representatives of the Marcus Garvey Political Party and the National Democratic Movement also contested the poll.

Unemployment, crime, education and the economy were among the major issues on people’s minds as they went into this vote that saw campaigning before and after the Christmas holiday.

Political parties campaigned to bolster their established support and to appeal, to the don’t know which party to vote for and the don’t know whether they will vote or not.

Both party leaders were hoping to get their first term as an elected prime minister both leaders had taken over from incumbent prime ministers. Portia Simpson – Miller failed in her first bid in 2007 and newly appointed Prime Minister Andrew Holness was taking part in his first election with the possible prize of a mandate from the electorate for him as prime minister. But it was not to be, instead Jamaica’s first woman Prime Minister Portia Simpson – Miller will return to that post this time with an election win behind her.

Commentators  are looking at the quality of the win and if voters voted the party in or the JLP out.

Now as Jamaica approaches its fiftieth year of independence, it is the  PNP that will take the country into the next era of independence and the JLP will return to opposition.

Just as the challenges the nation faced as it  approached independence in 1962 were great, so fifty years on   challenges remain some that relate to a new time and a new generation and others that are fundamental and despite the passage of the years still remain to be addressed.

The new government will have its work cut out for it and the electorate will likely watch to see if the promises of the party will pan out.

The polls closed at 5 pm and results from polling divisions began coming in after  6pm.

With a number of results declared for a range of constituencies accross  the island, the PNP has  so far won more seats than the incumbent Jamaica Labour Party.  In addition pundits point to the fact that a number of key seats have been gained by the PNP so far.

The  results will continue to come in through the evening and media houses generally find they are able to call a seat when the percentage of boxes counted reaches above the 90 percent mark.  It will be some time before we know whether the early lead will continue or whether there  is a chance that the JLP can catch up and overtake the PNP.

I recall that back in the 1989 election campaign and before and later that, it was one of Desmond McKenzie’s jobs to introduce the Jamaica Labour Party Leader on the political platforms during meeting and on the campaign trail or motorcades. He always did it to great applause with a rousing run through   the full name of the party leader,  Prime Minister and MP for the constituency of West Kingston. His ” Edward Phillip George Seaga” would be the signal that the party leader was about to take the stage.

West Kingston somewhat infamous in Jamaican politics at times, is where Seaga forged his political career.  Seaga would hold the seat for decades.

After  Seaga  the constituency went to Bruce Golding former JLP prime minister, current party Leader Andrew Holness has his own constituency and perhaps the natural choice was for the party to give the job to McKenzie.

McKenzie served as a councillor for the area for many years and has served as  senator.

McKenzie is Mayor of Kingston and St Andrew and in this expected  election win he comes close to full circle as he seeks to represent  the constituency of his mentor Edward Seaga.

read more

http://go-jamaica.com/news/read_article.php?id=34213