Thursday talk

1. It's now known as 'Doing A Redwood'. And doing a Redwood is the practice by sitting politicians to sell all their real estate, convert their holdings to US, British or Canadian currency, and then take leave of our shores. Well, another sitting politician is now in the process of doing a Redwood. Wait for it, as the house is now on the market and conversion to US currency is currently under way, but this one will be from the Opposition benches.

2. According to one side of the two warring factions fighting for power, the anticipated challenge is the best thing that has happened to the Jamaican economy for a long time, as 'money ah run now'. Story from the inside is that one side is outspending the other to tie up the internal elections, while the other is pleading poverty and hard times. Insiders say the one with the money is ahead by at least four furlongs.

3. Questions are being asked by all and sundry: Where is the money coming from? Some are asking that the Integrity Commission be empowered to include the ability to investigate some private citizens who are seemingly not gainfully employed, but live quite the lavish lifestyle, punctuated by conspicuous consumption and travel.

4. Some say the higglers at the island's leading markets had nothing over the political drama that began playing itself out at a meeting near Spanish Town, last Sunday, and saw a near climax at the Green House on Monday night. One who was present at both events says: "If you lost pound cloth, there was no shortage as the material was being reeled off by the yards at both meetings, and the men could not out-cuss the 'ladies' involved, but the crown for Gutter Behaviour remains with the undisputed one!

5. The debtors came calling when they noticed that the one always pleading poverty and his family had all outfitted themselves with spanking new high-end, luxury motor-vehicle imports. One was even armed with a warrant of seizure. So there is one less multimillion-dollar motor vehicle in the family fleet, and one less disgruntled and out-of-pocket creditor.

6. Word is expect more high-profile arrests and detentions in the ongoing lotto-scam investigations. Story making the rounds is that up to the time, those who were being arrested or detained were mere foot soldiers. They say the real masterminds were the ones secreted by their professions and businesses, but were the real players.

7. Stories are burning up the international wires about the loquacious but baseless one who was stopped and searched abroad and a number of 'blank passports' seized. Some say they were on their way for sale in that troubled spot now the centre of the world's attention, where the wealthy are willing to pay top dollar to be able to leave.