My name is Carlis Rowe born in Jamaica June 29, 1985.

Our country right now is going through hard times. Crime is high and the people are jobless. I believe in free education, because education is the key to success. With education being free I know that we will have more educated people to lead the country to a brighter tomorrow. Jamaica did not wake up one morning with a high rate of crime. Crime is something that grew. We should ask our selves why a man would decide to kill another man. It could be because of anger, jealousy, poverty and we can go on and on.

What I am trying to show you is that a country with free education is a country that has a majority of educated people, people with good jobs and people that can afford the daily expenses. People that can afford daily expenses wake up in the morning with less to worry about. A person that has less to worry about starts a morning that has 80% possibility to finish the day with a smile.

I believe that with educated youths of tomorrow the country will change completely. That is why the only hope that Jamaica has right now is the future, and the future is the Youths. My personal opinion towards the politicians is that I think that they took money from the pot to benefit them selves and not the country. Jamaica has what it takes to be successful and to shine this is why year 2015 I Carlis Rowe will start my own party to run the beautiful country of Jamaica. And the first thing on my list is making education free 2nd clean up the ghettos and the streets and a lot more ideas that can bring our country back on it’s feet and get reed of all debts.

!!!I BELIEVE IN AN OPEN ECONOMIE!!!

Hi from a wet and windy uk. I am working on some research and have been told that Kent Village is also known as "Jacks Fruit". Is that accurate? If so, why? Is the "Cherry Oh Baby" bar still running? A really interesting site - great jokes too! - Thanks, Daddy T.

There is a great need for the black man to take a stand and not give in to the staggered structure of the government.I find more times than not that when one man comes up he is not too swift to help his brother to come up.If we would stick together than there is nothing that the government can do to break the bonds of unity."One mind and one heart", this is the way that we have to operate in order to flow in power.

I am writing in response to comments made by Radio Jamaica representative, Mr Bernard Burrell, on the BBC Dateline Programme dated 25 June.

Some of the areas under discussion by the panel (on which Mr Burrell was sitting) on Sunday were the proportionality of sentencing to crimes committed, the enforcement of custodial and non-custodial sentences, and possible reforms to address apparent defects of the current criminal justice system in England. Mr Burrell's take on the issue was that the problems of the criminal justice system is reflected in the way "immigrants", and in particular, "immigrants from his own country (Jamaica)" show complete disregard for the criminal laws and believe "they" can behave the same way they do in "their own countries".

I must say that I was left somewhat baffled and extremely disappointed by Mr Burrell's comments. Firstly, it was unclear why he felt such a discussion required the mentioning of “Jamaicans” or for that matter “immigrants”. It is even more upsetting to know that such remarks came from someone who is supposed to be educated and is a Jamaican citizen himself, though I imaging with the disregard he has shown to the wider implications of such unsubstantiated, unnecessary and stereotypical babble, he may also possess a British passport.

I am a Jamaican citizen living in England, who has worked really hard against all odds to get through law school and to embark on a career as a criminal defence lawyer. I have had experience in criminal law practice, and there is no empirical evidence showing any special link between immigrants and crime. In fact, the vast majority of criminal cases faced with on a daily basis involve British citizens. Maybe, that explains why the rest of the Dateline panel failed to advance on Mr Burrell’s point and instead displayed an expression that said “its better him saying it than us”.

It is difficult enough trying to evade stereotypes and discrimination against Jamaicans by the rest of the world, without having “one of our own” inventing further negativities and adding insult to injury simply to facilitate debate. As they say in Jamaica: “if u no ave nutten betta fi sey den shut u mouth”.

I must, however add that before the off-putting comment by Mr Burrell, I was proud to see a positive representation of a Jamaican, rather than the usual negative publicity that is always put forward.

Thank you

M.C Mac

Driving to the North Coast my husband always stops at Kent Village along the Bog Walk Gorge just as you pass Flat Bridge to buy jackfruit. It has become a kind of a family tradition over the years and now we look forward to it. It’s amazing but its seems that no matter what time of the year you go you can always get the fruit to buy. You must stop and eat it right away as the jackfruit carries a very high odor. Nobody wants to pluck the fruit as its extremely sticky and the only way to get the stains from your hands is to use cooking oil. Usually my husband gets that job and we all avoid him after as the smell tends to linger once you have touched it.

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A perfect example of the saying “lickle but talawa” has to be the Jamaicans at the eighteen Commonwealth Games in Melbourne Australia between 15 and 26 March. A record 22 medals, 10 gold, 4 silver and 8 bronze. The Jamaicans created history in the Track and Fields events winning both the men and the women gold medals in the 100 m, 200m, 100m hurdles and 4 X 100m relay. “Chat bout brilliant”.
Jamaica first competed in the Commonwealth games in 1934 in London and came away with 2 medals, 1 silver and 1 bronze. Our second entry in 1954 in Vancouver yielded only 1 medal, a gold. At the sixth Commonwealth Games in Cardiff in 1958 Jamaica won a total of 7 medals, 4 gold, 2 silver and 1 bronze. Since then the maximum number of gold medals ever won by Jamaica was 4 in 1970, 1998 and 2002. In 1966 the eight Commonwealth Games were held in Jamaica. That year Jamaica got 12 medals, 4 silver and 8 bronze, but no gold. The seventeenth Commonwealth Games in Manchester in 2002 had been our best year with a medal tally of 17, 4 gold, 6 silver and 7 bronze.

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There are certain securities that everyone aspires for. The day to day basics for living such as nutrition is a must. However we all dream of owning some form of transportation and a home of our own. Education is another key to our success. And as we grow older provisions for our old age becomes a major concern. All these aspirations need money and today there are no shortage of individuals and institutions wanting, willing just waiting to advice us on how to get the most from our money.
Owning a home is probable the most costly financial commitment that most people embark on. Acquiring a mortgage and dealing with all the associated cost is not easy however once that is accomplished you are half way there. The difficult decision is what to do with any lump sums of money accumulated or earned once your mortgage is secure.
One advice that is very popular with individuals with a financial background and financial institutions is never pay off your mortgage. Invest your money and watch it grow, they tell you. I am no expert but based on personal experience I believe that is the worst advice ever.

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“Woman time now.” These are the words on most Jamaican’s lips since February 25, 2006 when Portia Simpson Miller was declared the next leader of the People’s National Party (PNP) and Prime Minister Designate. Both men and women seem delighted with the choice for the next Prime Minister of Jamaica. Many even agree that Mrs. Simpson Miller is not the “brightest” candidate however they believe her heart is in the right place.
Is “heart” enough to lead a nation? One question on everyone’s lips is, why has Mrs. Simpson Miller been allowed to participate in politics all these years if she was not qualified. PHD or not she has been one of the most ‘visible’ and ‘vocal’ politicians in all the ministries that she has served.

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Rolling Cow and Whooping Bwoy seem the most common duppies ah yard. Rolling Cow tales vary as you say, but sometimes it's a cow with no legs rolling n' mooing, although the sound can also be attributed to Whooping Bwoy. To avoid duppies, the info I learnt was to carry 3 pebbles, and if followed by a duppy, drop them loudly on ground, dem seh 'duppy cyaan count to 3', so the duppy that did ah follow unoo, stop and start count up the pebbles, 1,2, then him confuse n haffi start again, over n' over him go so.. so man can getaway so.

Sunday February 05, 2006
 An appeal is being made by the Spanish Town Ministers Fraternal in St. Catherine for business operators who had fled the old capital because of violence to return. During last year many residents and business operators of Spanish Town were fearful of the constant disruptions caused by the members of the Clans Man and One Order Gangs. Reverend Rowan Edwards, Head of the Fraternal said that with peace and harmony returning to Spanish Town the business operators should return.

 Two illegal guns were on Sunday seizes by the Ewarton Police during an operation at Gobay district in Riversdale, St. Catherine. The police team was fired upon by a man armed with two guns. The police returned the fire and the man fled leaving the firearms behind. A Smith and Wesson Magnum revolver, a Taurus revolver and twenty-three .38 cartridges were seized.

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