Jamaican Researcher

Jamaican Videos

TAXING OUR WAY OUT OF THE ‘GREAT RECESSION’: HOW BRUCE STOLE CHRISTMAS?

2010 marks the beginning of a heavy burden of taxes on the Jamaican people–to plug a gaping hole in our economy and increase our prospects for consideration for the IMF loan package.

Whatever the reasons, Jamaicans of all walks of life at this point, cannot foresee how they will make it over this year. The Economist recently projected that there will be increases in riots in Jamaica, and already we are seeing the signs from independent communities, as well as organised groups. The following six (6) videos highlight the issues and tensions surrounding the Christmas tax package in Jamaica.

PNP organised national protests against the ‘taxmus’ package

The PM announced a revision of the original ‘taxmus’ package…

One week before Christmas 2009 the PM announced a heavy tax package for the new year…

DEATH PENALTY DEBATE: SOLVING THE CRIME PROBLEM, JAMAICA

Where do you stand on the issue of reinstating the death penalty in Jamaica?

As a human rights advocate I dismiss its consideration entirely. I question the Government’s decision to vote in its favor because of the widespread denial of rights amongst the poor in our country, poor investigative system for crimes, and most importantly the denial of peoples’ right to life regardless of who they are.

Our justice system should seek to rehabilitate and give justice to All. When our state sets a precedence of ‘an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth,’ who will be left to set the example for the so-called wrong doers? From my experience with inmates, including those on death row, they can be rehabilitated and contribute meaningfully to the development of our society.

Where have our society’s Christian values gone? Are we now Gods that we might now cast judgment?

NEWS REPORT: DISREGARD FOR ENVIRONMENTAL RIGHTS, JAMAICA

From my experience educating Jamaicans and conducting research about economic and social rights and justice, I have come to realize that issues of the environment and environmental health are not central priorities.

The environmental issues vary from one community to the other and includes the following concerns: flooding, mining pollution, and solid waste pollution. In most of these instances residents carry the burden of environmental problems.

Albion as well as the coast of St. Thomas has lost more than a mile of land to the sea over a period of about 30 years. Houses that were once on dry land in Albion are now being flooded by sea surges. The problem in Albion, a returning residents community with well-to-do homes, is that it was erected on low lying lands facing Cow Bay, which joins the Kingston Harbor (third largest natural harbor in the world). The residents are now scared as they have witnessed the reclamation of sections of their community by the sea over the past 30 years. They must face the strong possibility of relocation sometime in the future.

Check out this video on the disregard for environmental rights in the Bauxite/ Alumina Industry in Jamaica.

INNER-CITY LIFE AND VIOLENCE

This video of Bennett Land is real. I was there in 2006 and 2007 doing social justice work, and I was unable to complete my work because of violence.

Though violence is an ever present danger in this and other inner-city communities in Jamaica, the absence of economic and social rights and justice stands out as most obvious to me. Some residents will claim life in this community and others used to be good before the violence, but was there ever adequate access to education, food, potable water, safe environmental conditions, proper toilets, work, adequate shelter, clothing, etc. Can we really look to solve violence and crime without changing this entrenched lack of access to economic and social rights and services to the Jamaican poor?

This video has been moved, check it out at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Feff1PfVf0

You can also see another video of Life in Bennett Land

Take a look at this video for Amnesty International’s view on Violence and Violence Prevention in Jamaica

CHILDREN AND VIOLENCE

You can review the following video for children’s experiences of violence in the inner-city of Kingston Jamaica

View the following video to see the intent and work of UNICEF’s Bashy Bus Programme on Violence Prevention for Jamaican Youth