Guns coming into Jamaica

As I have said on this blog before, many of the guns coming into Jamaica are coming in through the ports – notably Kingston Wharf where police have just found 12 high powered firearms and 700 rounds of ammunition.

Kingston Port - Photo by Azhari M

These guns were found by officers who were part of Operation Kingfish.  It’s reported here that Kingfish has merged with other major crime units now to respond to the nature of crime in Jamaica which has to work across borders.

These guns are said to have been destined for St Catherine and were coming in from New York.   Trying to stop the flow of guns coming in this way is very difficult, bribes are paid, not enough of the containers can be checked and the incentive to do it is strong due to the money to be made in gun  trafficking.   Creating a cross border tracking system  for guns out of the US, as is happening between tthe US and Mexico would help.

Buju Banton denies the drugs charge

Photo by Soul Brother/ FilmMagic

Buju Banton was charged in Miami for trying to buy 5kg of cocaine from an undercover police.

Buju’s attorney is denying the charges on his behalf but Buju is looking at very serious charges indeed.  He could get up to 20 years in prison if he gets convicted for trying to deal those drugs.

The Drug Enforcement Administration in the US, said that Buju was arrested on a charge of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute the drugs.

He’s still in custody at the moment according to latest reports.

The Gleaner reports that he was wearing a beige jail jumpsuit and his dreads were tied back.  He’s accused with two other people.

His supporters are calling it a fix – up, details of what happened are up on the LATimes blog. They print some interesting details about how Buju arrived in a car with a “Jah One” license plate and how the negotiations for the cocaine started in a restaurant and more details here on MTV.

It looks bad bad bad for Buju.  UPDATE – he was in court yesterday and pleaded not guilty again in Tampa, he did not ask for bail as he will be detained on immigration if he does that.

Cricket and Crime

You wouldn’t think there was an immediate connection – between cricket - a game brought over by the British and which now flourishes in former colonies including Jamaica, and crime – an ever escalating problem on today’s streets of Jamaica.                              The connection is a guy called Courteney Walsh.

Courtney Walsh (centre) Photo: REUTERS

He’s using cricket to reach young people in 12 inner city communities and offenders in Jamaica’s prisons.  He’s using Street20 cricket – the fast, new version of the game.   His foundation is supported by the Jamaican government and is also getting funding from the British Foreign and Commonwealth office.

I think there is great power in sport to change peoples’ lives, I’ve reported a couple of times about boxing and how that has taught troubled boys in Jamaica about discipline and given them a new, positive outlook on life, away from the streets.  Not sure if cricket can have that same power?  Is it really a game that can be a real ambition for young inner city boys, for youth offenders?  Isn’t it a bit more privileged than that?

Fire! Rum! Fire!

The Wray and Nephew plant on Spanish Town Road In Kingston has been on fire tonight.  At first they were saying the fire was under control and the rum was safe, now it seems the fire has spread to the warehouses containing the rum.

The photos looked pretty dramatic and it’s being reported that he Prime Minister has gone down to the scene.

If all that rum has gone up in smoke, that’s bad news all round.

It’s not known how it started yet.

How many knives?

I had to post this photo in the Jamaica Observer showing the hundreds of knives that police brought in from one weekend of spotchecks.   This would give some indictation of just how many people walk around with knives in JA.

 

 

Human trafficking and prostitution in Jamaica

Shaw Clifton

The general of the US Salvation Army, Shaw Clifton is on a five day trip to Haiti to look into the problem of human trafficking in the Caribbean.  Especially around Haiti to the Dominican Republic but also Belize and Jamaica.  He said that there was forced prostitution going on.

I’ve written on this blog before about the problem of prostitution and the Haitian women in Jamaican go go clubs.    

Yardflex reported last year how an influx of Haitian women in the clubs was causing tension between them and the locals, but I think they’re missing the point about the choices available to these women and the decision to become prostitutes. 

Last year, there was a planned protest by Haitian prostitutes in the Dominican Republic, many of whom were later deported.   Their voice seems to hardly ever be heard.

The extent of the problem of human trafficking, like everywhere else, is not known.  There was some research into it, but it did not throw much light on the problem, but this woman – Sheila Nicholson who was a programme director of an organisation called People’s Action for Community Transformation (PACT), which worked with young Jamaicans at high risk of becoming victims of human trafficking, probably would be a good place to start to find out more.

If you’ve ever been into one of these go go clubs, sometimes they have hotels attached - I stayed one night at one of these hotels (I needed a cheap hotel!) , but Kingston and Jamaica have loads of them, it would not be hard to start uncovering some of the stories behind the darkened glass and flashing lights.

Who defends Jamaicans from the soldiers?

Photo by redz220

I had some very bad news that someone I know was shot and killed by a soldier in Kingston, Jamaica.  Having a look around, it seems there are a few problems with the Jamaica Defence Force worth looking into.

In a recent announcement, the acting commissioner of police, said that his priorities were to tackle corruption among soldiers under his command, restoring public confidence and upholding human rights.

A number of things lead him to make these his priorities.

There was the case, I blogged before, about when a soldier opened fire in a club, killing four people.  Then there was this case, where a soldier gunned down his girlfriend.

Of course, there are countless more terrible deaths of soldiers shot trying to maintain peace in tense and violent communities.

But some of the same problems endemic in the police force are most certainly going on in the JDF too.  Corruption, shootings and killings,  as well as cover up.

Made In Jamaica

I watched this film last night and thought it was pretty good man. 

I liked Elephant Man on stage where he gets a skinny white man up on stage with him, when he is on tour in Europe, to get down and dirty with some women from the audience – one of them he calls “Lady Elephant”. 

Photo by luvey010677

I also liked the shots of Bounty Killer but desperately wanted to hear more from Lady Saw, Tanya Stephens and Vybz Kartel.  There was a bit too much old time reggae for my liking.

The film was a mix between documentary and social commentary on ghetto life and how it fuels the musical talent and also part slick music video staged shots going on. 

I would have filmed a more rough and ready version with a faster turnaround – most the the tracks were old old old – the thing was recorded in 2006 and only just showing now. 

But it had great music including Gregory Isaacs singing Denham Town as a funeral passes by and great scenic shots – cinematography was perfect. 

The start showed Bogle dancing and then how he got shot.

 

I interviewed Elephant Man at a club one time and he was really hating on John Hype before that shooting so there was a lot of animosity going around at that time.  RIP Bogle. 

 

The Cool School Bus

Photo by Jonathan Goldberg

School kids in Spanish Town are waiting around for special cool buses to get to school in the mornings.   These are the buses playing the music they like at loud volume and also have tinted glass so there are fears that there might be sex going on, on there.  It’s causing a log jam in Spanish Town in the mornings, to the extent that the police are involved – trying to get the kids to get on any transport to get them to school.

The so called “sex bus” has been in the headlines on a number of occasions – Vybz Kartel sang a song about it – and there were claims of sexual activity on buses in 2006. The practise of “lapping up” on packed buses where you have to sit on other peoples’ laps might have something to do with it (or not).

I prefer the buses playing the loud music myself, I have to say.   Better atmosphere!

In defense of the reputation of Jamaica’s buses, I would like to post this link to the bashy bus which is about spreading the AIDS awareness message.

Vivian Blake and Corruption

Vivian Blake an old photo

This man, Vivian Blake was in a US federal prison, for eight years for being part of a notorious, violent drug gang called the Shower Posse.  I have written about him on this blog before - see that post here.

Now I’ve come across him a few times today.  Firstly because of the BET programme on him, as part of their American Gangster series – a longer movie is planned.

Blake was released and deported to Jamaica in January 2009.  Here’s an interview he gave then.

Then there were rumours, written up here in The Star that he had been killed.

Vivian Blake more recently

In response to that recent rumour, he talks about how he thinks the police, working on behalf of the politicians in Jamaica want him dead.  Read what he says here.

This guy Blake is really making waves, he was a guest speaker at this ‘breakfast club’ event where the author of the article talks about attending a high level meeting on corruption in Jamaica.

If he is being targetted by the politicians and / or police, that says a lot about corruption in Jamaica but also about society.  Blake is profitting now from his criminal lifestyle, in fame and fortune, his celebrity profile will probably protect him although nobody is untouchable, expecially in JA.