As Prime Minister, P.J. Patterson prepares to step down as leader of the People's National Party (PNP). The race is on for his successor! The four contenders are Dr. Peter Phillips, Dr. Omar Davies, Dr. Karl Blythe and the lone female Portia Simpson-Miller.

The recent Don Anderson Polls published in the Gleaner November 20, 2005 showed Portia Simpson-Miller way ahead of her comrades with 57.8%. Dr. Peter Phillips was next in line with 19.8%, Omar Davies had 7.2% and Karl Blythe brought up the rear with 6.2%.

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Sunday November 27, 2005
 On Saturday a section of the main road in white Hall St. Mary leading to Islington collapsed cutting off vehicular traffic. Landslides triggered by the recent heavy rains caused the road surface to break in several sections up to 20 feet deep in some areas. Residents of the area are very concerned as the effect of the land slippage also affected nearby homes.

 A final agreement has been reached between the European agriculture ministers to cut the price of sugar by 36 percent over four years beginning in 2006/2007. Under the agreement the present price of sugar will remain until 2007/2008 but will fall by 17.1 percent in 2008/2009. In 2009/2010 it will fall again to bring about the overall reduction of 36 percent.

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Today is the first day in December and as the song writer says “it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas”. Most business places have been or are begin decorated, the lights are going up fast and furious in private homes and Christmas carols are being heard constantly on the air. People are even changing their cell phone ring to Christmas carols. Believe it or not there is only 24 days left for Christmas.
So how far did you get with those preparations? Are those fruits soaking, that ham organized, do you have that gift list ready and do you know what additional items you need this Christmas for decorating. I hope so, and if not you had better get cracking. Time waits for no man or woman.

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December 01 is World AIDS Day. Since 1988 World AIDS Day has been an annual event organized by UNAIDS. This year however UNAIDS has handed over the responsibility to an independent organization known as the World AIDS Campaign (WAC).
This year’s theme, “Stop AIDS: Keep the Promise” chosen by WAC is to remain their focus until 2010. In previous years UNAIDS had decided on different themes each year after consultation with other HIV and AIDS organizations. As a result of the confusion caused by the changes some organizations have chosen their own themes for the event. In Jamaica the theme is “Stop AIDS: make the promise, get tested,”

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The Government today officially linked the pensions of former Prime Ministers to the salaries of the current Prime Minister. Cabinet had taken the decision to do so since 1992 and has been making payments according however the matter was never brought to Parliament for official approval. Former Governor Generals presently enjoy this arrangement. The Finance Minister, Omar Davis today brought the matter before parliament. He said that the office of Prime Minister deserves no less respect and recognition than that of the Governor General.

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Yesterday, Sunday November 27, 2005 Donovan ‘Bulbie’ Bennett was buried in Goshen, Clarendon without incident. Since Saturday the police in Spanish Town and the surrounding areas were on high alert for the activities planned for the former gang leader’s final farewell.
Reports are that threats were issued to business operators in the Spanish Town area to close their doors. Bus and taxi operators were told to discontinue their services. Residents were also threatened to be in attendance or face the consequences.

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Sunday November 20, 2005
 In an effort to deal with the present crime rate in Jamaica the Government and the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) are examining ways to speed up the training process of new recruits. Usually the number of recruits in training is 300 over an eight month period. Over the next 18 months the JCF hopes to recruit 1000 persons. Already 350 civilians have been identified to fill administrative positions which will release those officers to do patrol duties.

 The Portland Parish has launched a redevelopment strategy to upgrade Port Antonio so as to present the resort town as a tourist destination. The Portland Parish Council (PPC), the Portland Chamber of Commerce, the Tourist Product Development Company (TPDCo) in collaboration with the Port Authority are all working together to completely renovate the craft market and several streets in and around Port Antonia. Fifty percent of all cost will be covered by the Port Authority, twenty five percent by business operators and the remaining twenty five percent by Chamber of Commerce. So far fourteen cruise ships are scheduled to make regular stops in Port Antonio from December 14 to April 2006.

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Boston Jerk Centre

It’s the weekend and what better way to relax than a leisurely drive in the country. Today’s destination was Boston Jerk Centre in Portland. We decided to go via St. Thomas and return via St. Mary.
After leaving the house at about 11:00am our first stop was a refreshing drink of coconut water in Yallahs by the seaside. As we continued on our way we couldn’t help but marvel at the natural waterfalls along the roadside which were all gushing from the recent heavy rains.You can't be in that part of the island and not stop at the Paul Bogle statue in Morant Bay. Just before Manchioneal we stopped again, this time for fruits from the dread. The jackfruit was juicy, the ‘beeny’ bananas were sweet and we got juneplums, breadfruit and a nice big pawpaw to go. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a big pawpaw. You only see the small ones in the supermarket these days.
Our next stop was Portland. “Hot and ready, taste and buy” was the cry of the vendors at the Boston Jerk Centre in Boston Bay, Portland. Although renowned for the best pork in Jamaica you can also get chicken, sausages, fish or lobster jerked to perfection. To accompany the meats you can have festival, breadfruit, hard dough bread or rice and peas. To wash it all down there is fresh natural juices made from juneplum, guava, and pineapple along with the regular sodas, beers and of course coconut water.
It was certainly worth the drive. We had the most delicious hot roasted yellow heart breadfruit ever, along with succulent lean jerk pork and pork sausages. The fresh juneplum juice with ginger and no sugar added was simple divine. We finished off with a stroll over to Boston Beach and watched some youngsters surfing in the high tide.
A leisurely drive via the Portland coastline got us back to Kingston by 8:00pm. Tired but contented. What was also very refreshing about the day was the humility of all the people we met. From the lady who sold us the coconut jelly in Yallahs to the guys selling at the jerk centre in Portland. Jamaica still has so much to offer.
Nuff Love

Coconut Anynone?

Waterfalls along Yallahs roadside

Paul Bogle Statue in Morant Bay

Dread's Fruit Stall

Yesterday, November 23, 2005, Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (Petrojam) officially opened the Petrojam Ethanol Dehydration Plant at Marcus Garvey Drive, Kingston. Coinex, a Brazilian firm is a partner in the plant. Initially the plant will supply the United States with 150 million litres of ethanol per year. Over a period of time this figure is expected to increase by 70 million bringing the total capacity to 220 million litres per year.

Ethanol can be produced chemically from ethylene or biologically from the fermentation of various sugars from carbohydrates found in agricultural crops. The majority of the ethanol in the U.S. is made from corn, but it can also be produced from other feedstocks such as grain sorghum, wheat, barley, or potatoes. Brazil, the world's largest ethanol producer, makes the fuel from sugarcane.

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While cost of living continues to escalating daily, members of the public sectors are being held to ransom by the Public Sector Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The MOU came into effect February 17, 2004 and was signed by the Government of Jamaica and The Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions. The agreement was to apply to Central and Local Government and all other Government entities, commissions, companies, corporations, institutions and statutory bodies.
Basically, a wage restraint was placed on the public sector for the period April 1, 2004 to March 31, 2006. The Government would manage its economic policies in order to ensure that the inflation rate remained within the Government’s targeted band of 8% to 9% in 2004 to 2005 and 6% to 7% in 2005 to 2006. The MOU would be considered breached if either party violated any of the provisions. Any breach would be reported to the Monitoring Committee, which would decide on an appropriate course of action.

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