Moontown

DENIS KELLMAN’S COLUMN- THE DEBATE

MARCH 14, 2007

World Cup Cricket has started and the West Indies team has demonstrated that the unit is ready for the World. Based on the end result, one can conclude that the team performed well in all departments. If this team continues to perform at this high standard, it is going to be difficult for us to be defeated.

I have previously said that the West Indies team is fortunate in having two good all rounders in the names of Dwayne Smith and Dwayne Bravo. I have observed that some persons believed that once Dwayne Bravo is playing that they should be no room for Dwayne Smith.

Those persons who do not know me have been making some uncharitable comments about my loyalty. This can now be matched by my loyalty for Dwayne Smith in the dark days. I have stuck with him while others were prepared to bash him. Clearly, it must be observed that I do not give up my support easily. Dwayne Smith has done nothing to stop me from supporting him and my support will continue until he does something not to merit it.

I have said that Dwayne has the capacity to lift the spirit of the team with his batting, fielding, catching and bowling. But it seems to me that he is expected to be perfect at all times. Clearly, he is not expected to fail in any of the functions in which he is talented.

I am happy that Dwayne has been able to demonstrate to the fans in the Caribbean who are willing to be fair that he is deserving of his place. It is clear to me that his positivity has worked for him against the odds.

The person responsible for the batting order must reconsider the order in which the team is being sent. Dwayne Smith a team player will always find himself playing for his team. Surely, somebody should realize that he has to play for himself also and should be allowed to bat earlier to control his temperament. His desire to see his team ahead at all times is not in his best interest.

Some people believe that you should not strive for perfection, I beg to differ. I honestly believe that one should strive to have a hundred percent rating. It is interesting that we strive for perfection, but in some professions this is not expected.

Dwayne, you have demonstrated your importance in the team and it is now up to the others to appreciate your ability because the public has been sweetened by your performance against Pakistan. It is for you to set your standards and maintain them. I have said before that you should have been chosen to the Captain of the Barbados Cricket Team to add additional responsibilities to you.  It is clear that you are energetic and is always looking to do more. I know what you are going through.

You must always remember that West Indians have a very high expectation of great players. This means that you must not believe that what you did before will be counted. I have always said that it is the past and that it is what you have to do that is important.

I have always said that cricket and politics are similar and Dwayne Smith would be wrong in believing that they are not persons who are jealous of the praise heaped on him. Some persons would argue that it should have been Samuels or Bravo who should have been the Man of the Match. He only has to monitor the press reporting and he would get a better appreciation of what I am saying. It seems that some persons cannot stand to hear praise given to certain persons and would do everything in their power to negate the praise.

Lara and the boys must see this as the foundation and build on it. He must demonstrate to the senior players that the junior ones have delivered and they too must do likewise. Every player must be accepted for their ability and should not be ignored. These days it seems that the players who have not added to the team so far are the experts. I have always said that it is one thing to talk about something, but it is another to do it.

Dwayne, what is for you, you will get. Your performance has not ended and those who did it before cannot do it again because they have long gone.

Dwayne just reflect on the criticism I received when I spoke about St. Lucy and its contribution to the development of Barbados. When we discussing the Special Development Act in Parliament, I said that from Gibbs in St. Peter to Bromefield in St. Lucy should be designated as a Special Development Area. In an article in this paper I said that because of the development of North Stars, that Crab Hill going to Nesfield leading to Colleton via Benthams Road and following on to Speightstown should also be included. Dwayne, this is now called Kellmanitis and not Kellmanomics.

The dictionary has now been increased by the I-man. This new syndrome is now becoming a virus that everybody wants to be part of. I want to thank the moderator for acknowledging this point and I am glad that I have been able to deal with the problems of Barbados. Examples of this can be seen in Moon Town at North Stars and in the Economic and Financial Policies of the Government of Barbados, even if not copied right.

Hansard will reflect that for over 10 years, I have been asking government to purchase large parcels of land and using the Ministry of Public Works to construct roads and install the other amenities as has been done in tenantries and other developments of Government without charging for the amenities.

This Government must be careful how we implement law as normal law, when it should have been a constitutional change. This must be watched when we are discussing land allocation for the masses. This must be tied to a concession and not a fundamental right.

Peace, love, unity, humility, commonsense, wisdom and understanding.

RICE AND PEAS; LAMB PELAU;

MACARONI PIE; COU COU;

CONCH SOUP; BBQ SPARERIBS;

BBQ PIG TAIL; STIR FRIED SEA CAT;

BAKED CHICKEN; BAKED PORK;

FRIED SNAPPER; FRIED STEAK FISH;

GRILLED STEAK FISH; LAMB STEW;

FISH GRAVY; STEAMED VEGETABLES;

TOSSED SALAD; COLE SLAW

Dozens of UN employees remain unaccounted for

The United Nations has held a memorial service in Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, to remember dozens of its workers killed in the earthquake.

People hugged each other as the list of 85 confirmed UN fatalities, including mission head Hedi Annabi, was read out.

Former UN mission chief Edmond Mulet told UN staff that their continuing work for Haiti was the best memorial to colleagues who died.

As many as 200,000 people died in the 12 January earthquake.

An estimated 1.5 million people have also been left homeless.

‘Eloquent memorial’

Several hundred UN employees, local staff, peacekeepers and representatives of the diplomatic community and Haitian government on Thursday attended the memorial service within the UN compound in the Haitian capital.

BBC HAITIAN CREOLE SERVICE Broadcasting on FM radio daily in Haitian Creole at 0910 local time (1410 GMT), for 20 minutes Giving up-to-date information about where to get basic services and aid Also available on satellite and online, and via social media BBC Caribbean Seaside slum where gun rules EU to send police to Haiti Haiti quake: Survivors’ stories ‘An extraordinary operation’

Eighty-five UN employees died in the 12 January earthquake, but dozens more remain unaccounted for.

At the memorial, a visibly emotional Mr Mulet read a message from UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

“To you I say: we are with you in spirit. To those no longer with us I say: we will never forget you.”

Mr Mulet told UN workers that “your efforts are the most sincere and eloquent memorial to those who gave their lives for this mission”.

Mr Mulet was Hedi Annabi’s predecessor and is now the acting head of mission.

He later said the reconstruction effort would take several decades.

He described the logistics of the relief work as a nightmare, with the two ports in the capital destroyed by the earthquake and long delays in the arrival of aid from neighbouring Dominican Republic due to a lack of UN vehicles.

Mr Mulet told the BBC reconstruction was not starting at zero but below zero.

Haitian President Rene Preval earlier this week called for the urgent airlift of 200,000 more tents and 26 million ready-to-eat meals before the rainy season begins in May.

Tomorrow at the Barbuda basketball court, calypsonians on the sister island will use their talents to raise money for Haiti.

The brainchild of one of the island’s residents, Brilhart James, is scheduled to take place early in the evening.

An added feature to the event will be a game of bingo which will be conducted by the Office of Disaster for the Barbuda Council.  All proceeds raised from the event, including the sale of bingo tickets, will be donated to the relief efforts in Haiti by way of one of the non-profit organisations on the twin-island state.

All members of the Barbudan community are encouraged to attend Saturday night’s concert in support of a worthy cause.  Snacks and drinks will also be on sale at the event.

The people of Barbuda have recently donated funds to the Friends of Haiti group through the country’s disaster office and the Barbuda Ministerial Association (BMA).  The full sum of the contribution made by the two organisations was $4,946.

The Office of Disaster held a raffle last week as their fund-raising initiative and according to Tessa Webber, the island’s disaster  co-ordinator, the office is planning other similar initiatives in support of the people of Haiti. (Antigua Sun)

Olympian and world record holder Usain Bolt. - File BANKING ON his international star power to sell hotel rooms and attractions, Jamaica has in-vested US$420,000 to develop and produce the ‘Usain Bolt Jamaica Advertising Campaign’ to market its tourism product overseas.

It would have cost more, but Bolt did the ads for free, saving the country US$1 million, said Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett.

The ads will hit cable on February 8 in traditional markets in the United States and will be rolled out over time in new markets, such as China, Brazil, Slovenia and Russia.

“This ad campaign will go a long way because it will bring us into areas that previously Jamaica was only thought of, but now will make Jamaica alive and visible,” he said.

“We believe that this television ad is going to be very positive, very strong out there in the marketplace and as Bolt continues to confound the world, so will the power of this ad be driving more feet to the streets of Jamaica,” he said.

Bartlett also said Bolt’s contribution sets a new benchmark for patriotism.

“When we tried to quantify what this would really cost, it ran close to US$1.5 million, so,8 in effect, there is a saving for Jamaica in all of this of a little over US$1 million,” the minister said.

The television ads consist of three spots: the first, titled ‘Stop’, follows Bolt through a day of training, as he runs through the countryside but stops repeatedly to view the scenery; in ‘Pose’, portraits of Jamaicans are seen giving Bolt’s signature victory pose in front of a collection of beautiful loca-tions and landscapes; and ‘Speed’, where Bolt is seen sprinting from location to location.

The ads will also be uploaded on social-media networks YouTube, Facebook and Twitter.

dionne.rose@gleanerjm.com

Howard Campbell, Gleaner Writer

Vice-Chancellor Emeritus of the University of the West Indies (UWI), Professor Rex Nettleford, has been admitted to hospital in Washington, DC, after collapsing at a hotel in the United States capital Wednesday evening.

Jamaica’s Ambassador to Washington, DC, Anthony Johnson, told The Gleaner that Nettleford was unconscious when he visited the hospital yesterday.

“The latest I heard is that he remains unconscious and that is a major concern for his doctors,” Johnson said.

A statement from the UWI yesterday said Nettleford was in Washington, DC, to attend a fund-raising gala for the institution.

The Government and the Opposition People’s National Party issued statements, wishing Nettleford a speedy recovery.

Currently, Nettleford is professor of extra mural studies at the UWI and also heads its Trade Union Education Institution.

For his work in academia and the arts, he has received several awards, including the Order of Merit, Jamaica’s third-highest civic award.

Nettleford is one of the Caribbean’s most respected intellects with over 50 years’ involvement in academia and the arts.

Born in Falmouth, Trelawny, he is a graduate of Cornwall College and Oxford University and served as UWI vice-chancellor from 1996 to 2004.

Although Nettleford has written several books and papers on social issues, including race relations and the trade-union movement in the Caribbean, his greatest achievement, arguably, is the National Dance Theatre Company (NDTC), which he co-founded in 1962 with Bert Rose.

In a 2007 interview with The Gleaner marking the NDTC’s 45th season, Nettleford said with Jamaica gaining Independence from Britain in 1962, he felt it was critical for the nation to make a cultural statement.

“You have to remember we were coming at the end of the self-government movement, and we had to find self-expression on our own terms,” he said.

He remains a pivotal part of the creative dance group as dancer, artistic director and choreographer.

Nettleford was a prolific writer, especially during the 1960s and 1970s.

Among his books are Manley and The New Jamaica, Mirror Mirror and Caribbean Cultural Identity: The Case of Jamaica. (Jamaica Gleaner)

Carl Gilchrist, Gleaner Writer
Walking has become part of the life of residents from Killick in Port-au-Prince after a magnitude 7.0 earthquake ravaged the city earlier this month.

Five Haitians came ashore at Stewart Town in St Mary yesterday.

Superintendent in charge of the parish, Dudley Scott, could not initially confirm the story and had said shortly after 3:30 p.m. yesterday a man was picked up in the parish after reports began circulating that Haitians had come ashore.

Scott said the man had not been communicating with the police and appeared to be mute.

He said efforts were being made to have a major from the army communicate with him.

But rumours were already swirling in the parish that a boat with Haitians had come ashore at Stewart Town, near Oracabessa, around 2 p.m. and that the group was taken to the Port Maria Hospital. A police source later confirmed this, but said the police did not, at the time, know where the men would be taken after leaving hospital.

Up to late evening Scott was still contending the police could not confirm the arrival of Haitians. In fact, according to Scott, the mute man had been identified by a caller as a Portland resident.

Jamaica has been making preparations to accept Haitians to the island following a magnitude 7.0 earthquake in that country on January 12.

Digicel had donated US$500,000 (J$45 million) to help refurbish buildings to house Haitians who came to Jamaica’s shores but there was still some uncertainty about where exactly they would stay.

Amid the devastation, Haitians are slowly trying to pick up the pieces as life goes on in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. (Jamaica Gleaner)