Lotsa thoughts……
Nice Saturday it is at the moment…blue skies and nice tolerable temperature…about 82 degrees F with a nice breeze. Haven’t yet mustered up the energy to get out on the road and attend to the usual pressing matters, but rather feel like vegging here in front of the screen and scribble some thoughts for you all to ponder on (or should that be over?)
Just returned from Mel’s site where she wrote a little entry dedicated to our Jamaican lady of culture, Louise Bennett, or ‘Miss Lou’ for short. I had to comment on the fact that I found it unfortunate that she no longer resides in the land of her birth. Then, that is so commonplace. When I start to think about the number of the good people that this country has produced, that I know personally who have migrated, it makes me sad. Countless numbers that I can remember since I was of school age. Family, friends….
In fact, just a few days ago at work, we were having a little discussion….myself and the women in my unit….(I’m the only male in a Full Time post on Dermatology.) At least one of them is preparing to go to the UK later this year to take on a course of study similar to what I did back in 97-98. I was giving her some of my personal experiences with England. Let’s say it wasn’t a place that I loved, but perhaps I would need to do another blog entry at another time to fully explain why.
Anyway, one of the Docs working with us is from St. Lucia. With the recent murder of our colleage from St. Vincent and other matters, she is not too thrilled with the state of Jamaica. She asked me why it is that I came back here after going to the UK? She wanted to know if another one of our colleagues plans to return home after her studies are over also. My reply to her is that this is the land of my birth…Jamaica is a place that has given me my identity. This is my country. Jamaica has also provided me with my education. Ultimately, it provided me with a medical education for very little. I feel a sense of wanting to give back to and serve MY people…not folks in some other place that I do not feel a belonging to. I went further to say that despite the fact that this country has a struggling economy, and that the wages paid here for professional work are grossly anaemic compared to those offered in the ‘First World’, and despite the fact that the Dons, Druggists and criminal elements seem to be taking over Jamaica, we all cannot leave. If all the decent citizens that this country has managed to produce flee our shores and leave the scorpions and cockroaches to wantonly breed and reproduce, then eventually there will be no place to call home. Our island will be come a den of iniquity charactersied by crime, poor manners, bad-manism, and poorly educated people. My colleague agreed with me.
Having said all of this, I am not throwing words for any of my people who have migrated. I am sure that those of you who made that decision, thought it out carefully, and for many of you, were things here different, you might still be living at yard. Anyway, I have said what I wanted to. Yes, I am a proud citizen and product of this country. I am definitely not happy with all that is going on here in Jamaica, but I still have to hope that in time some good can come out of much of what seems wrong, confused and amiss here at home. Let’s all say a little prayer for Jamaica….NOW…as you read this little blog. Not tonight when you are going to bed or tomorrow when you go to church. Thank you.
What plans do you have for the weekend? Right now, I’m adopting a ‘wait and see’ approach. No definite plans. In local news, I suppose you may have heard that we have been having bush (brush as the Yanks say) fires in St. Elizabeth where lots of our produce is grown. That is a bit sad. Agricluture in St. Bess and other parts of the island did suffer quite a bit after hurricane Ivan. It sent the price of produce soaring….apparently there was even some price gouging taking place. In the last month or so, the crops recovered with a bounty of tomatoes, escallion etc. The prices for veggies now are at rock bottom….tomatoes in particular are large and dog cheap. I’m sure that these fires are going to causes prices to rocket again. If the authorites can’t put out the fires perhaps the Almighty can provide some good rains.
Last but not least, in case you didn’t hear, the Reggae Boyz big striker, Onandi Lowe was yesterday found to be not guilty of the drug charges against him, and is now a free man. Good news.
Enough of me. Enjoy your weekend and walk good.
P.S. Join me in wishing Mad Bull and Natty Happy Anniversary. YESTERDAY was their tenth….(is only ’cause I had a chat with Natty on IM yesterday why I know this)….rude bwoy did not even bother to mention it at his site yesterday. Hope you both had a nice evening/night.
February 19th, 2005 at 12:41 pm Ok Doc, you can stay, I will leave. This is my life and I don’t want to spend every month of the year reading and hearing about terrible things done to good people and bad people. I don’t want to see the little money I have frittered away with two visits to a supermarket. And I don’t want to feel that I have to drive when I’d rather take a walk down the road to the pharmacy. After 2 or 3 months, I am always itching to leave to find freedom and peace. I get that in any of the other Caribbean islands that I visit (except Trinidad)
February 19th, 2005 at 3:28 pm Ah said de prayer for JA, Doc, ’cause I’d really luv God to save mi country from de forces ov evil. Ah still savin’ like de Dickens to come back home, an’ ah woulda luv fe have mi beautiful JA to come home to. Miss Lou’s husband was in need ov a lot ov special medical services, it seemed, up until he died–so she’s had a rough time. Nuff respect to you for your determination to care for JA–that tek a whole lotta guts, especially these days. Happy 10th to Natty & MB!
February 19th, 2005 at 5:29 pm
February 19th, 2005 at 6:21 pm I feel what ya saying doc. Always felt like you do though that I should contribute to my homeland. For me would love to be back home in my homeland living in the sunshine and near the beach and my family but it neva work out so for me. I Remember when I was here in undergrad people used to ask me why I would want to go back home, but I love the place of my birth and wanted to go back and contribute and I did go back but it didnt work out. a so it go sometimes doah. cant say i aint bitter bout it sometimes though.
February 19th, 2005 at 11:50 pm Thanks for the kind wishes, my yute. Through economics (and due to the violence a bit) I left. I may yet return one day, we shall see. Certainly if things was better, is dehso me’d a deh, you done know!
February 20th, 2005 at 7:39 pm You make my internal conflict all the more real with this post, Dr. D. For years I have struggled with myself… my home is a nest of cockroaches and leeches. Every single day I ask myself WHY should I stay here… I pray for a reason to stay… but more and more, Jamaica is beginning to make me feel like an alien in my own home. That is NOT a good feeling. And the conflict begins when I realize that I just don’t know what to do.
February 21st, 2005 at 7:59 am Hi Dr. D.-Well I have found that as bad as Jamaica is these days, Jamaicans as well as visitors either fall into two categories. Either they love Jamaica with a passion or dislike Jamaica with a passion. There isn’t any mediocrity. But one needs money to live in Jamaica to enjoy the lifestyle we live abroad. Have a great day.
February 21st, 2005 at 8:06 am Yesterday, my family and I were almost knocked off the face of the planet by a JLP motorcade that was driving head on into incoming traffic. Every day, more and more, I come to realise the truth.. A certain sector of the lower class, often termed as the “old neggas” present a Clear & Present Danger™ to the well-being of Jamaica. The situation will not improve until they are terminated.
February 21st, 2005 at 12:05 pm We must terminate them??