Well for a little while it seemed the two political parties were one. It seemed that way as they lined up on the street by Gordon House to glimpse the Prime Minister (Bruce Golding) and the ex (Mama P-Portia Simpson Miller) and also watch the opening of Parliament yesterday.
One man was quoted as saying, ""Me come out fi see Bruce," said Horace Davis, one of the many vendors who set up mini stalls along the sidewalk yesterday. "Me want fi hear from him how him deal with the budget."
Portia received a warm greeting as well. Some of her supporters even sang the PNP song. For more of the story Click Here.
Well, with a lot of fallout for many of the People's National Party (PNP), the latest axe will fall on Kern Spencer. Since he has to be bailed out first (due to his arrest on 9 charges of fraud) his resignation paperwork might be delayed. Spencer was on Tuesday charged with seven counts of fraud, corruption and money laundering by police investigating the Cuban light bulb scandal in which $267 million was allegedly spent to distribute four million energy-savings light bulbs
I feel that the sad part is that Kern is a fall guy for corruption that has plagued the island for a long time. Many,many more are going to fall as well.
Trenchtown is located in Kingston. (Jamaica's largest city). The name came about because the neighborhood had a large open trench running through it. Living in Trenchtown in the late 60's and 70's was hard. Two major rival Jamaican political parties , The Peoples National Party and the Jamaica Labour Party, had emerged in Kingston and enforced code that ensured only their party’s supporters had access to jobs and services.
They sponsored "dons" to enforce their authority in the so-called "garrison communities" and shot any opponents with guns. Trench town was controlled by the PNP, which put it at war with neighboring Rema, a JLP stronghold. The road connecting the two became the front-line in an all-out war. After a while the "dons" outgrew their masters and turned to drug trafficking and extortion, and Trenchtown, like other parts of downtown Kingston, was carved up into warring gang territories.
I remember working at the record shop on Orange Street and how sometimes we had to lock up early due to the fighting. It was hard times in Jamaica. Certain things were scarce (flour, sugar, overseas products).
One of the best things ever to come out of Trenchtown was a young upstart named, Robert Nester Marley. He is known better as "BOB MARLEY." To Bob Trenchtown was home. This was where he got most of the feeling for his songs. Trenchtown was the heart and soul he put in his music. Trenchtown had so many musical artist (aside from Bob) that called it doors home.
Alton Ellis, Peter Tosh, Bunny Livingston, Rita Marley and the list goes on.
