People's Report
Published:Saturday | February 26, 2011 | 12:00 AM
Falmouth getting only 'scraps' from cruise passengers
The Voyager of the Seas was the first ship to dock in Falmouth. The second was Freedom of the Seas, and the third, Navigator of the Seas.
If I were asked to construct a sentence using the names of the ships, it would be 'The Voyager has Freedom to Navigate'. The last two ships were seemingly bigger than the first one. Though the excitement was not as high as last week, the town was just as crowded Wednesday and Thursday.
I went by the pier to make an observation on Thursday and I noticed that almost as soon as the visitors disembarked the ship, many of them were led to buses that were waiting to take them off on various tours. Only a fraction of the tourists took the opportunity to experience the town offerings.
It appears that though the ship docks in Falmouth, other resort areas benefit immensely, as tourists were seen in buses whisking them off to tours as far as Appleton Estate, and other attractions on the north coast. Hence, the naysayers and detractors have nothing to squabble about, as they are still benefiting. Many of the buses that transport the guests are from the Montego Bay chapter and some came from as far as Lucea. To be truthful, what stakeholders of the town, as well as residents, are getting are scraps, as my friend says.
I know people have choices, but I do believe that Falmouth and its surroundings should be given first preference when sales pitches are being made for these excursions. After all, we have a lot to offer.
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Tackle lead threat in Red Pond and St Andrew communities
The issue of lead poisoning has been the subject of much research in the Hope Flats, Kintyre and Mona Commons communities in St Andrew, and the Red Pond community in St Catherine. While the Hope lead mine in the Hope Flats and Kintyre communities may be blamed for the high soil lead in those communities, anthropogenic agents - in the form of scrap metal recycling and lead-acid battery smelting - are to be blamed for the lead content in soils from Mona Commons and Red Pond.
Lead is a heavy metal that enters the body via inhalation or ingestion, which usually makes children more susceptible to poisoning since they may spend more time outdoors and may consume food not properly washed. Extensive studies conducted on the heavy metal revealed that it is possible that every part of the body might be affected by lead. It competes with metals that are essential for bodily function, such as calcium, but it has no biological value. Lead plays no essential role in the body.
Additional research has concluded that overexposure causes hallucination and severe mental problems, it may be absorbed by bones, has been found to be related to hypertension, kidney problems, cardiovascular disease, heart attacks and early deaths.
But lead has no role.
The proliferation of backyard smelting, unregistered garages, illegal battery workshops and scrap-metal recycling activities serve as points of origins for this heavy metal - that has no role. As citizens, may we assume the role of environmental police as we seek to thwart the deleterious effects of soil contamination with lead.
Charlemont hit by unemployment, job woes
I am from Charlemont housing scheme in Linstead, St Catherine. It is a residential area.
Charlemont faces tough issues like any other community in Jamaica, such as unemployment, crime, peer pressure, drug abuse, idle youths, a lack of role models, etc. We used to have a youth club, but my friends and I are currently working together to restore it because we need to bring back that togetherness.
We have a playing field where the youths play football daily, but the field needs to be developed. We have received so many promises from the MP, Mr Robert Pickersgill, that he would develop the field into a multi-purpose facility, but nothing has materialised. That's typical of politicians - lots of talk, without action. There are many young people in my community who are unemployed. The primary source of employment for young people inside Charlemont and surrounding communities would be the Windalco alumina company in Ewarton, but since the decline in the bauxite industry, and the resulting job cuts, and salary cuts because of shorter workweeks, it's no longer a potential source of employment for many.
It is frustrating when you don't have a job, and I believe many can relate to that. However, not having a job is absolutely no excuse to idle, sit down and smoke weed and engage in irrelevant conversations. There are productive and significant things you can do, such as read a book or do voluntary service to contribute to some form of social development in your community.
Charlemont is a nice community, with people who hold various occupations in business and the civil service.
I have to mention the standard-bearers that have come out of Charlemont housing scheme, such as George Wilson, a former student of St Jago High School who scored the highest grade in the Caribbean in the Cambridge GCE Advanced Level geography exam about a decade ago.
There is also Garfield Reid, a former Jamaica international footballer who made his debut against Uruguay in 2004. He was also the first Jamaican to sign in the Norwegian league, on loan for Hamarkameratene in July 2004. He currently plays for Benfica in the Digicel Premier League.
There's also Cleveland 'Brixton' Scott, a music producer, who has partnered with Tarik 'Russian' Johnston. Some of the hit singles that they've produced - Vybz Kartel's Life Sweet, Good Girl Gone Bad by Tarrus Riley and Konshens.
They are many youths in my community who have great potential but they sometimes fail to identify it. Some people have given Charlemont a bad reputation that has stigmatised the community. This is unfortunate, because Charlemont is a working-class community, with good people. The youths need to find solutions to change those negative impressions people outside may have of the Charlemont housing scheme.
Why has Flat Bridge remained the same after all these years?
William Layton Nelson, Jacksonville, Florida
At the age of 15, the Queen's Highway was the only comfortable stretch of road in our beautiful island to boast of. Today, 50 years later, so many changes have taken place. From the 1970s until December 1980, I worked at Leach's Garage in Kingston. I knew my way around because my job would take me to all areas of the island.
I last visited the island in the summer of 2009, and was so amazed to see how straighter and wider highways have replaced several of the winding roads of long ago.
Long and winding roads are a part of the landscape of our beautiful Jamaica, a treasure to hold dearly.
I have seen all the developments on the island, but there is one thing I still cannot comprehend: Flat Bridge, except for the traffic signals, is still what it has been all these years.
Deplorable roads in Hanover districts prove challenging
Gwendolyn Shaw, Spanish Town, St Catherine
Eastern Hanover Member of Parliament, Dr D.K. Duncan, seems to have forgotten the residents of the farming districts of Copse, Friendship and New Milns. These residents are experiencing tremendous challenges commuting to Montego Bay, the nearest town to this section of the constituency, with their produce because of the deplorable condition of the roads.
I grew up in the district of Friendship, and now that I am a senior citizen, to the best of my knowledge, this is the worst I have seen this stretch of road. It is practically non-existent. There are huge craters in the road and this is compounded by the overgrown vegetation which has encroached on the entire stretch of road, making it extremely hazardous to traverse.
Access to the Friendship Primary School by teachers, workers and children has become an obstacle course. A trip to Montego Bay from any section of Friendship which usually takes 30 minutes to see the doctor or to conduct any other business is now taking more than an hour. Transportation costs have skyrocketed because of the damage to vehicles which provide service to residents.
Sir, on behalf of the residents of Friendship, I am making this appeal to you to make some urgent repair work to this stretch of roadway. I trust that you will give it your urgent attention.