Jamaica’s Right to Its Destiny
October 29, 2018
By: Adami (aka. A frustrated Jamaican boy who talks to himself more that other people probably)
Jamaica’s Right to Its Destiny
“If it rains you will get the float, but only if they’re still building boats.”
- Lupe Fiasco
I’ve heard multiple times in song, in jest and even from those who are close to me in relationship and in age that they do not feel like Jamaica is really independent; that there are other powers and forces working behind the scenes who ultimately make decisions on what occurs within the country. While I don’t completely doubt that a lot of the happenings going on in Jamaica are influenced by foreign powers, as far as us being independent goes, I think that what we have in an independent status, we lack in an independent mind. I remember in Vybz Kartel’s last interview at OnStage, he said that, “the power ultimately always rest with the people [….] yeah, I wish the people would figure that out where politics is concerned but that is a debate for a next interview.” Well then, since the Worl’ Boss himself is currently incarcerated, let’s use this text as a way to simulate that debate, why don’t the people realize that they are the ones in power? One of the most frustrating arguments I hear people make in regards to Jamaican people not having a handle on the country is, “OH, tah unnu nuh ha nuh chat a fargin eeda, but unnu run gan wid visa an’ greencaad deh deh a dead fi citizenship, meanwhile Uncle Sam a murda unnu bauxside wid tax.” As if the U.S or U.K. was supposed to be the shining example of what political, social and economic fairness looks like; by the way, they never were, at any point in time, especially for black people. The fact that Trump still won the election even though Hillary literally had more American people vote for her is a prime example of how flawed the U.S. is politically. However, I do not believe that Jamaica has to be subjugated under these same principles and practices, mainly because of how we are and where we come from. I see Jamaica as a microcosm of a social and political state; we are very small, and because of that I feel like we ironically have more space and room to experiment and shift the way our social structure works. With how abhorrent, irresponsible and abusive the Jamaican government has been to our country, how can we still sit quietly and not demand change. As Winford Williams told Vybz Kartel in that interview, it is the people that will decided when to dismiss you; Jamaican people, when are we going to decide to dismiss some of these politicians that are ruining our country?
We are the ones that elect these leaders to be in power, it is our money that is running the country, not theirs, we are their employers; if we don’t play taxes they don’t have a job to do, so why is it that we don’t get to have a say in how the country is ran? Every day you turn on the radio and you hear people complaining about the same thing: the roads aren’t fixed, the beaches aren’t free, and nobody likes JPS; we have all these wants and needs that we’ve been begging for years for and still, our tax dollars haven’t gone into it. You mean to tell me that we can vote on who gets to be in power but we can’t vote on where our money goes? I know that Edward Seaga and the CIA has created this negative image of socialist ideas through propaganda, political and social manipulation and destabilization but let me try to put things into perspective. Think about the needs that exist in your community, and what you want to see change or improve, then imagine if just like how you’d vote between two representatives for you parish sector to be elected, you could be able to vote on a budgeting plan in your community and prioritize what projects need to be handled, with provided information on what these projects are and how much it will cost. You’d be looking at the money that you as a citizen paid in taxes on a sheet of paper next to actually projects and improvement initiatives that could be made in your community. Not only would this make people more married to the idea of conscious political and social involvement, but it would finally give the people the voice and the power they need to actualize the wants and needs they’ve had for a long. Whether its education, healthcare or housing, the people should be able to funnel their tax dollars into whatever social initiative they feel would bring more quality to their living and equality to their opportunities. As it stands now, I feel as if though there is a terrible disconnect between the wants of the people and the actions of the government of Jamaica.
And now for the main thing that led me to write the long block of text that I pessimistically assume that no one will actually read or try to understand, the National Identification System (NIDS). Let me start of by saying this; I am a fairly young individual and I will eventually reach to a stage in adulthood where I will soon be making my own money, taking on more social responsibilities and be in a position where I am able to vote after registration. While my allegiance is not with any particular party or politician, I will say that after initially hearing about the NIDS and what the system’s purpose and attributes are, I can honestly say that there will never be a moment in my life where I will ever vote, trust or even respect the JLP, at all. As a matter of fact, I think it is a disgrace that they are still even going to be considered a viable party in the next election, because the fact that this system exists and they are really trying to administer this to Jamaican people is disguising.
The fact that our politicians and legislators have written down law in ink, that says that we won’t be able to access goods and services without this card is almost so fictionally wrong, vile and subjugate, that I honestly can’t believe that this is what could actually be Jamaica’s reality. The amount of biometric information that they require from you as a human being is so immense and unnecessary, you’d think that the Jamaican government was trying to start a cloning factory instead of an identification system. Instead what they’re trying to do is quantify your human existence into a set of numbers to put into their system and turn you into an entity whose natural human rights are now bound to the existence and validation of an ID card. Not only that but when you look at the fines and possible prison time that people will receive just for not being able to return the card, it makes you really question what the motives of the government actually are. They say that it’s to help stop crime but if anything, this system is going to increase the crime rate tenfold, because with how corrupt the entities that exist within the government are now, and how rampant scamming is in Jamaica, if people’s biometric information are in the hands of these malicious people or leak to other people outside of the system, people’s lives could be forever ruined and there would be nothing you as an individual or anyone else could do to stop it, because there’s absolutely no way you could not say it’s you.
I am honestly tired at this point but this is the last point I want to make. I don’t like when people call up God’s name so vainly because I think it diminishes and undermines the weight a deity’s message is supposed to have but I would just like to say that if there’s any group that I am more disappointed in more than the government and opposition itself, it would be the Christian church. When you put Revelations 13:17 next to the Facilitation of Delivery Goods and Services section of the NIDS act, as a Christian, you CANNOT tell me that this ID system by definition is not the same exact thing as the mark of the beast. The only difference between the two is that the number for the mark is supposed to be on your right hand or forehead, and the NIDS number is obviously on the card, plus, it isn’t being administered to you by a literal multi-headed dragon, however, at this point, I think that would be a good representation of the powers that be. And yet, I have not heard a murmur, a whisper, not even the slightest indication of sound from any Christian ministry in Jamaica. No Seven Day, No Pentecostal, no Baptist, no Catholic, nothing. Jamaica has more churches per square mile than any other country and yet these pastors have sat on their pulpits and not said anything about this law. This is not some prophecy from the Old Testament that was said before Jesus came to earth, this is revelation. REVELATION. THIS IS A SIGN OF THE END. As a so called Christian, if you can’t speak up against this, then you might as well not speak at all. However, I guess that those tax dollars that these bishops owe to the government are keeping them nice and quiet so I guess I shouldn’t expect much.
Final thoughts: it was said that the implementation of this act was going to take place starting 2019 and we are about two months away from that time as of me writing this. The PNP is currently challenging the NIDS act within the Supreme Court as I write this as well; I commend them for the effort, but I expect the worst. However, even if this act ends up being eliminated within the Supreme Court, I hope that whatever patient, attentive, actually-cared-enough-to-read-thing-long-ever-thing soul sees this understands that all I want for us as Jamaican people to have, is a choice. Not just a choice to vote for a politician that’s going to sit and ignore the wants of the people while they use our tax dollars to pay their phone bill. Not just the choice to deny registering for an identification system that’s going to basically put me in quasi-neo-slavery, but the choice to decide how it is you want to shape the society you live in and the country you love. Every man, and woman, has a right to decide their own destiny, and if that idea is too radical, false or childish to be put into practice according to these politicians, then they need to go, because I refuse to let them be the ones that decide my destiny.
………will you?
…and now for a lil’ poem
*ahem*
DON’T FREEZE!
KEEP MOVING!
PUT YOUR HANDS TO GOOD USE!
You have the right to your destiny
You have to write for therapy
For clarity from the vague
Medicine for the plague of the mind
Anything you say will be put against you in time
So speak life
Lest Death becomes your attorney in the court of heaven
Don’t show up wearing the devil’s sixes either, God clearly rolls with 7
That’s a one up on Lucifer, a winning score for the Lord
He told you all those wages lead to death, and now you can’t afford?
That’s ironic…
But enough with the demonic
Do you understand what I just read to you?
Did the mention of death seem a bit too dark like Miranda blue?
A brief word to those of the vile and violent
I refuse the right to be silent
x x
