by Cato Rand
With acknowledgements to political columnist and commentator Thomas Sowell, here are some random thoughts for June 2014.
Former Prime Minister and now supposed elder statesman the Most Hon. PJ Patterson noted in a recent speech he gave to Spanish Town Rotarians, that Jamaica is at the edge of a moral precipice. Obviously this has occurred since Mr. Patterson, our longest serving Prime Minister (1992 – 2006), left office.
Mr. Patterson also remarked that in Jamaica:
“differences in terms of sexual preference may have to be addressed in conformity with the prevailing global environment in which we live”.
So repealing the buggery law is not to be based on the principle of individual rights? With intellectuals like Patterson at the helm no wonder our nation has been in such a social and economic quagmire for so long. Can you imagine the problems that would be plaguing Jamaica if present Prime Minister Mrs. Portia Simpson-Miller were not “working, working, working”
It seems as if winter book favourite – Princess Popstar – will not be in the field for the June 14 Jamaica Derby. Lets hope she is ready to go in the St. Leger and racing fans will get to see her competing against her peers.
Interesting that soon to be former Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling has been pushed out of the National Basketball Association for comments made in private; and not for racist housing policies which resulted in him being sued by the United States Department of Justice in November 2009, that resulted in Sterling paying a fine of $2.725 million – the largest settlement ever in a case involving discrimination in apartment rentals.
For all those who wanted a black person to win the Presidency in the United States, do they look forward to a white man/woman once again becoming leader of a post-apartheid South Africa?
We should not be surprised at the “dutty Labourite” comment made by Peopleʼs National Party (PNP) Member of Parliament and “Shell Dung Minister”, Damion Crawford . So many of our politicians by words and actions have repeatedly demonstrated that their true nature is one of utter contempt for the Jamaican people.
Think there is a lot of drama surrounding the political scene in Jamaica? Well what says you about politics in Trinidad and Tobago. There is a video making the rounds allegedly of Sports Minister Anil Roberts in a hotel room with two women and about to smoke a joint.
I wonder how our self admitted ʻKeynesianʼ Finance Minister, Dr. Peter Phillips explains the latest growth (anaemic as it is) in the Jamaican economy. India recorded economic growth at annual rate of 4.6% between January and March and this was considered by commentators to be “disappointing” and played a significant role in the drubbing that the ruling Congress Party suffered at the recent polls. Can you imagine if Jamaica were to have recorded that level of economic expansion? With the accolades now being extended to the Finance Minister by the PNP sycophants, I guess we would have to be talking about “St Peter” Phillips!
Given that that half of Elliot Rodgers’ murder victims were stabbed to death, will persons in the anti-gun lobby also similarly want to control knives? Their thinking must be that knives don’t kill people in these instances, but the gun did.
Defenders of Professor Brendan Bain – who was recently fired by the University of the West Indies for comments he made in delivering expert testimony to the Supreme Court of Belize – should not be arguing that his right to freedom of speech has been violated. Freedom of speech is meant to protect individuals against government action. It does not guarantee that you will not be punished by market forces, or your employer.
Barring injuries or unforeseen circumstances leading to premature retirement will the consensus opinion in the next 5 years be that Rafael Nadal not Roger Federer is the best tennis player post Rod Laver?
Following the merger of the Jamaica Constabulary Force and the Island Special Constabulary Force, can we now move posthaste to merge the army and the police and thus eliminate the Jamaica Defence Force.
I think Economics should be a core subject taught in our secondary schools a la Mathematics and English. And please lets expose students not only to the theories of Marx and Keynes but equally to fervent proponents of the free market such as Milton Friedman, Ludwig von Mises and Friedrich von Hayek.
More anon.
Right From Yaad 