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CONTENTS
Not just a book but an invitation to join the Goodwill
Revolution against an unfair, unjust and deceptive system that
keeps the world poor and without hope. Find out how you can join,
quit the rat race, and achieve a happier more meaningful life for
yourself and others through goodwill to all
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For
the Life of Laetitia
by Trinidad -born Merle Hodge
Price: $10.54a wonderful book about a young girl in the Carribean, the first of her family to go to secondary school.
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May 2008World food prices skyrocket causing riots and grave concernA shortage of rice, grain, flour and other cereals on the world market has sent prices spiraling, causing wide-scale social consequences - from starvation in Indonesia to a burgeoning food black market in Egypt. Price hikes also triggered violent clashes in Peru and Haiti - which holds the ignominious reputation as the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Haiti Food riots exploded as:
The government of Venezuela, viewed increasingly as a close friend and ally to Haiti, was among the first to come to their aid by sending hundreds of tons in food stocks which were distributed in short order. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has also been vocal in calling for increased food aid to Haiti to avert a crisis; UNOPS is busy meanwhile increasing its distribution of donated food. Since then, OAS has sent rice worth US$1.3 million and other countries have heeded the desperate cry for help. Jamaica – Rift over rice with Guyana
The blame - US and the IMF Guess what? Haiti used to feed itself. Thirty
years ago, Haiti produced nearly all the rice it consumed. But in the
late 1980s, cheap imported U.S. rice inundated the country after a
military junta began liberalising the economy with support from the
International Monetary Fund (IMF).
T&T PM sacks MinisterPrime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago Patrick Manning
has fired his Trade and Industry Minister Dr. Keith Rowley and replaced
him with the veteran
politician, Dr. Lenny Saith.politician,
Dr. Lenny Saith. The PM , initially, gave no reasons for such drastic
action, but later claimed that it was because of ‘atrocious behaviour’
reported to him, according to three other ministers of government. At
the time of this writing, these ministers have not been identified by
name.
Obama speech at biggest rally yet in PhillyIt is time to hear the actual words by Hot Calaloo-endorsed US presidential candidate, Barack Obama. Notice the message of hope which even political cynics like me are encouraged. Look at the composition of the crowd, full of young people that up until the Obama revolution was missing from politics. http://my.barackobama.com/CometoPA But, there is one thing that fills me with apprehension. Will the empire strike back because Obama has shunned corporate money? This is so admirable and truly revolutionary for American politics, and could herald a loss of corporate domination of American politics. But, as I contend in my book, "Boycott Money and Save Your Soul - Launching the Goodwill Revolution", Dr. Martin Luther King was not killed by racists. He was not killed by James Earl Ray. (that is official although many knowledgeable people do not know that).He was not killed because of his opposition to the Vietnam war. My book contends that he was killed because he was on the verge of empowering people to challenge corporations by a national boycott. Barack, by his successful candidacy, is challenging and empowering people to take back their democracy from corporations. I hope he does not suffer the same consequence as Dr. Martin Luther King. but like myself, many fear he could be assassinated. Looking back I have to wonder if Jesus Christ himself was not crucified because he threw the moneylenders out of the temple.
Republican congressman calls Obama ‘boy"It’s not been making the TV talk show circuit nor getting thousands of hits on the net. In fact, it has hardly made the news. I wonder why. I am talking about Kentucky Republican Congressman Goeff Davis’s comments about Senator Obama, as he spoke at a Republican Party dinner recently. He referred to him as a "a snake oil salesman" and further stated "I’m going to tell you something. That BOY’s finger does not need to be on the button. He could not make a decision in that simulation that related to a nuclear threat to this country." The Republican audience hailed the comment with laughter and applause. Boy is one of the traditional American racist derogative term for an adult black male. He subsequently sent Obama a letter of apology but as we say in Jamaica ‘first word go to law’. (And they unjustly demonize Rev Jeremiah Wright for telling the truth - See Undiluted Vol 13)
House passes Jubilee Act debt relief for the poorest countriesA big long battle has been won on behalf of world’s poorest countries. The US House of Representatives by a vote of 285-132 passed the Jubilee Act (HR 2634). The legislation calls the US Treasury Department to negotiate a multilateral agreement for debt cancellation for up to 24 additional poor countries that need cancellation to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). It was that outstanding Maxine Waters again. the Democratic Congresswoman from California along with Spencer Bachus (R-AL) introduced the legislation in June 2007 and it enjoyed the support of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Jubilee USA Network is an alliance of 80 organizations consisting of leaders of churches, development agencies, civil rights, labor, and human rights groups that has been leading the advocacy for the legislation. The Vote:
Aime Cesaire, poet and pioneer of the black pride diesMartinican poet, playwright, and politician, one of the most influential authors from the French-speaking Caribbean. Aimé Césaire has died. Revered on his native French Caribbean island and especially in the French-speaking world, Cesaire died aged 94 in hospital in Fort-de-France, after being admitted for heart problems. He formulated with Léopold Senghor and Léon Gontian Damas the concept and movement of négritude, defined as "affirmation that one is black and proud of it". His work celebrated, black pride and the ancestral homelands of Africa and the Caribbean. my negritude is not a stone nor a deafness flung against the clamor of the day my negritude is not a white speck of dead water on the dead eye of the earth my negritude is neither tower nor cathedral it plunges into the red flesh of the soil it plunges into the blazing flesh of the sky my negritude riddles with holes the dense affliction of its worthy patience. French President Nicolas Sarkozy led thousands of mourners at a state funeral in Martinique. Sarkozy's decision to honour Cesaire with a state funeral was only the fourth time that a literary figure has been accorded such a distinction after Victor Hugo in 1885, Paul Valery in 1945 and Colette in 1954.
Cash Plus CEO jailed in JamaicaThe Cash Plus saga continues as its CEO, Carlton Hill and his brother have been arrested for fraud. Cash Plus is perhaps the largest, and certainly the most visible, of the several so-called alternative investment schemes that have mushroomed in Jamaica over the past five years, promising so-called club members who place money with the scheme, returns of 10 per cent per month. During this time Cash Plus, which over the past year announced several major real estate purchases and other ventures, including sponsorship of Jamaica’s National Premier Football League, This means there will be no awards or prize money incentive for the top football league of Jamaica. Of the J$28m that is required to complete the season, J$10m was for the awards ceremony and prize money, another J$10m for the Premier League Clubs Association (PCLA), the clubs and referees and match commissioners. Seaga said the PLCA has secured $8m from a sponsor, Cash Plus was apparently already in trouble for some time. It was unable to meet an estimated J$4 billion debt to its investors. Police raided Cash Plus and seized documents which according to unconfirmed reports showed accounts in the British Virgin Islands, Britain, Spain, Kuwait and China. There was close to US$7 billion in these accounts.
UK to write-off £5m Jamaica debtThe United Kingdom is to write off £5 million (J$708.2 million; US$ 9.8 milion) in debt incurred by Jamaica. The UK minister for international development, Shahid Malik, says the debt write-off should allow the Jamaican Government to spend more on improving public services.
Volunteers perform heart surgery in JamaicaTen Jamaican children will get a new lease of life as three teams from the Florida-based Jamaica Children's Heart Fund Inc are now on the island conducting open-heart operations. The three Florida-based teams comprise four physicians, eight intensive-care-unit nurses, two operation nurses and a physician assistant. The voluntary group was flown into the island courtesy of Air Jamaica, one of the newest sponsors of the program. This year's team is led by Dr Richard Perryman, director of cardiothoracic surgery and Dr Gerald Lavandosky from the Division of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine at the Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital in Hollywood, Florida. Gwen Grant, executive director of the Jamaica Children's Heart Foundation, lamented that the list of screened children who require heart surgery was constantly growing and now stands at 350 cases. She also said there was an excellent screening system that was constantly updated to ensure that children with the greatest need were given priority. Since 1996, the Florida-based teams have successfully completed 126 heart surgeries.
Kites and thieves bleed Jamaica electric companyThe Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) has indicated that it has lost approximately $216 million in damage and repairs due to poor kite-flying practices this year. The light and power company further stated that the practice has also been the cause of about 40 power outages across the island. The JPS said Monday that earlier this month, approximately 16,000 customers in the Portmore and Central Village communities of St Catherine experienced three power outages caused by kite tails becoming tangled with power lines. The company is, therefore, advising residents to fly their kites in open spaces and away from power lines. Kite damage is by accident but electricity theft by illegal hook-up is not. Thousands of residents have caused the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) to incur approximately $4.8 billion due to electricity theft in 2007. And to make matters worse, legitimate customers had to fork out an additional $2.8 billion to cover the cost. In 2006, the figures stood at J$4.1 billion. Approximately $2.3b was underwritten by JPS and $1.8b by customers. This is because both JPS and its customers bear the costs associated with electricity theft. JPS estimates that there are in excess of 110,000 illegal 'throw-up' lines or illegitimate connections in communities across the island, primarily found in inner-city and poor rural communities. But, there were several high profile customers and business places caught also. More sophisticated methods include meter tampering, meter bypass and line taps. JPS claims it is spending over $300 million each year towards both preventing and detecting the theft of electricity.
Chevron Oil guilty of polluting the AmazonA court-appointed expert suggested last week that Chevron Corp should pay up to US$16 billion for allegedly polluting the Ecuadorean Amazon - big bucks. The San Ramon, California-based company is being sued by 30,000 jungle settlers and Indians in a class-action over all the toxic wastewater left in the jungle. Oil prices is soaring on the world market and the only thing keeping up with them are oil prices. Chevron's net profits was US$18 billion last year.
Ewing elected to Hall of FameJamaican-born basketball player Patrick Ewing has been elected to US basketball’s Hall of Fame. Also among the class of 2008 to be inducted on September 5 in Springfield, Massachusetts, home of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, were coach Pat Riley, players Hakeem Olajuwon and Adrian Dantley, coach Cathy Rush, NBA team owner Bill Davidson and broadcaster Dick Vitale. Ewing was the 1986 NBA Rookie of the Year and an 11-time All-Star in a 17-year pro career. He was named to the NBA's 50th anniversary team and won two Olympic gold medals in 1984 and 1992.
Jamaica unemployment rateThe Economic and Social Survey Jamaica 2007, published by the Planning Institute of Jamaica, shows that there are 124,500 unemployed persons in the labour force, with females accounting for 65.4 per cent. Jamaica's youth unemployment rate is three times that of adults, at 23.6 per cent. The latest Labour Force Bulletin, compiled in October 2007, also showed that the 14- to 24-year-old age group had the highest number of persons outside the labour force, at 39.2 per cent, or 267,000. Males accounted for 37.1 per cent of that number.
20 migrants drown near the Bahamasthe U.S. Coast Guard recovered the bodies of 20 migrants recently from the sea near the Bahamas after their boat apparently capsized. The bodies of 19 Haitians and one Honduran were recovered and three survivors — two Haitians and one Honduran — have been found. Authorities in Florida are interviewing the survivors to determine what happened. The search-and-rescue mission began after fishermen heard people screaming in the water.
Free health care program - so far, so goodAfter three weeks, Over 100,000 people have benefited from the no user fee policy in public hospitals. Reports from the Jamaica health ministry show that some 152,569 patients have benefited from the new policy - hospital registration accounted for over 90,000 while just over 70,000 were registered at type three to type five health centers. Some $24.3 million in hospital registration fees has been waived.
Operation Certification helps inner city residents in JamaicaOperation Certification is an Inner City Basic Services Project (ICBSP) launched by the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) in January in 14 inner-city communities islandwide, geared at improving access to innumerable basic services where many encounter challenges. One such service is facilitating the acquisition of civil registration documents as well as creating opportunities for inner-city persons to gain access to services and programs provided by state agencies that will help to enhance and improve their quality of life. During the four-month project,
San Diego organization donates US$5 mil in medical careSome US$5 million worth of medical equipment, supplies and health care has been delivered free of charge to the people of Jamaica recently by 80 medical volunteers from the San Diego-based Miles Ahead organization. The medical team of specialist doctors, pediatricians, surgeons and dentists donated their services to local communities, in close collaboration with Jamaica's Ministry of Health, at four mobile clinics as 200 more volunteers, in conjunction with local churches and community organizations, conduct sports clinics, deaf education workshops, school assemblies and rebuild local elementary schools. The medical team reports that the clinics are stocked with state-of-the-art equipment and supplies. They will deliver dental care and equipment, pharmaceuticals, eye glasses, orthopedics, and general health care. A unique feature of the outreach is the team's mobile pathology laboratory, which can test a tissue sample for cancer and return results in 24 hours. The volunteers are part of Miles Ahead, an outreach organization founded in 1992 by Pastor Miles McPherson, a former NFL professional football player who has family ties to the island. Miles Ahead is currently on the island as part of Jamaica Broilers Group's 50th anniversary celebrations and three major family-oriented festivals, under the Best Dressed 50 Fest banner, presented in Mandeville, Montego Bay and Kingston through May 4. The Miles Ahead organization has plans for additional outreach activities throughout the Caribbean region. Pastor Miles McPherson many accomplishments include:
Chapter V "Don't Blame White People for Slavery" feedback(Not unexpectedly, controversial Chapter V "Don't Blame Slavery on White People" from my book, "Boycott Money and Save Your Soul - Launching the Goodwill Revolution" got some interesting feedback. So much so that I am repeating that chapter in the serialization of the book in this Hot Calaloo update. My email dialogue with Cheryl Henry culminated in a very interesting video that she sent me which I urge my readers to view. I repeat, "View the video". ) Date: Thursday, April 17,
2008, 4:51 PM Cheryl Henry wrote: For me, TRUTH is more vital toward change than goodwill that is here today and gone tomorrow. No matter how much we attempt to lie and manipulate, the naked truth is always there waiting to be exposed (seen). I support the survival of the human race and its many cultures. Your words are worthy
of consideration, except taking away blame where blame lay. -------------------------- My Reply Hi Cheryl, I'm glad to get your response. The majority of white people were poor and could not afford slaves. Slaves represented cheap labor who probably took their jobs. I think the damage blaming white people is that the real culprits hide behind that generalisation. That sort of thing goes on today in other atrocities that I mention in the book. My point is to focus on these real culprits in order to really expose them, for that's the only way to make a difference. Truth is very valuable, but the Goodwill Revolution is the only way to resolve the multiple conflicts and problems, from personal to national to international. I regret that my book has not done a good enough job at getting that point across. I am working on a sequel to really make a stronger case. I hope you read the whole book to get the full impact of the Goodwill Revolution. Michael--------------------------------------------------------- Hi Michael, I wanted to share this video with you sent to me by a friend in the states: http://www.redroom.com/video/tim-wise-creation-whiteness-clip . You see, your book is definitely focused in the right direction! Remember though, don't take away our responsibility for the choices we make. Without doing so, we will not grow. Keep TRUTH flowing. Much respect, Cheryl
Jamaican patties in ChinaA new Jamaican-owned restaurant, called Uncle Mike's Jamaican Patties, is now serving up the popular meat pastry and other Jamaican and Caribbean staples in China. Owned by a firm called Tradersco, the restaurant opened for business March 17 in Shanghai as the first Jamaican eatery there, said a release from the one-year Caribbean Association in China.
Let us know what you think. Email us at hotcalaloo@yahoo.com
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