Traffic jams – some roads are more tolerable when there are less people on the road. It is amazing how the same journey can be radically different.
Housing – apart from the fact that people live
in the hills (no Valentine’s gift for your car), the houses can be lacking in
quality looking terrible from level ground. Various places have irregular
housing where everybody wants to do their own thing, especially comes out
terrible and tacky. Calling out Independence City, Gregory Park, Cumberland,
Greater Portmore. Miley Cyrus’ song ‘Wrecking Ball’ comes to mind. I detest the
unpainted houses with steel sticking out the roof. That needs to stop. I am also
calling out the new developments for simply not being high quality enough.
That’s right New Era, you could have done a better job with Caymanas Estates
(whose entry road needs fixing and had too many complaints from residents) and
Caribbean Estates (whose entrance is terrible as highlighted by the news). I’d
like to see this better regulated. Simply saying all new houses should have
rainwater harvesting is not enough. Address the quality issues. I also don’t
like the fact that we wait till the night to come home to cover up what we
don’t want to face in the days (an issue of Omar Davies vs K.D. Knight). And
why do new built houses have proper landscaping, a bigger issue I explain
later.
Smoking buses – why does the JUTC buses have to smoke and why are there so many old buses on the road. Ok, they say ‘Everybody Hates Chris’ but I don’t believe it. Some are cramped, there is this foolishness about the SMART and SMARTER cards and of course naming them “chi chi” doesn’t help.
Smoking buses – why does the JUTC buses have to smoke and why are there so many old buses on the road. Ok, they say ‘Everybody Hates Chris’ but I don’t believe it. Some are cramped, there is this foolishness about the SMART and SMARTER cards and of course naming them “chi chi” doesn’t help.
Narrow, low quality roads – could they have planned it so that the roads are not so narrow (bad town planning), where the houses are so close to the road. Yes Liguanea, I calling you out. Also, the surfaces of most roads tend not be one uniformed tough nut to crack, but a series of patches. You have a small car and you feel it. Sad for the non-SUV owners. Some roads are not in a line, non-straight or smoothly curved roads making for a terrible driving experience. Some of these terrible roads lead to good places. Is this protectionism? Just because a road is smooth doesn’t mean that when empty all people are going to speed. Most people I observe try to drive at a decent pass although you have to watch out for the swervers.
Jamaica House not as revered as the White House
– I don’t remember growing up and hearing anyone speak about being filming or
taking a picture of Jamaica House. At
least no one has made a movie called ‘Jamaica House Down’. Why also does it
have to be in a place called Devon. Does
it have the devil in it? Why is the House of Parliament named George William
Gordon and why is the place called Jamaica house at a place called Devon
(excuse me if your sons have either of those names)? It just doesn’t say
positive. Why not consider at alternate
place for the House of Parliament and another place for Jamaica House. I know I am not scoring any political points
but if Devon is a poorer part of England and suggests “the devil is on”, then
why are we placing Jamaica House there that should be representative of all the
houses. Really can someone explain this to me, seriously?
Businesses not a pleasure to enter – This may come as a surprise, but only the high-end customer can get this pleasurable feel when travelling from home to a business place, but they are often too close to the road, too many long lines (calling out you banks) and too many that don’t say high quality as you enter them. On the last point, note there is a difference between liking the culture and quality and that this should be expounded upon as there are great examples of where the two meet. I am also calling out the Tastee in Patrick City which is a crisp place beside a dilapidated building, such a turnoff.
Transport doesn’t make sense – An example is travelling on the Nelson Mandela highway. This may not be a good experience on the bus, cars certainly have a hard time and bikes make their dangerous trecks through traffic. In a idealistic sense, I would see a train going there. Everybody, however wants their own comfort and there is a sense that we’ve tried that and the ‘numbers’ don’t crunch. The toll road in Portmore is often a mess in the mornings, yet another episodic fit of persons going in the same direction.
Said to be a country of bad parenting, irregular naming of people, domestic abuse – I would say this is true on some level but this is everywhere. People get disgruntled with themselves and some can’t seem to figure out they are doing it wrong, whether it is the decision to get married, have children and create a home. I remember going into a church asking to write my name on a piece of paper and not having my name called. I wonder it was a mistake or whether the concept of my name didn’t sit well with them. They say all people want to do is eat a food and them all right. I think that being honest is important, but don’t degrade the lives of others with you. It is important that we find some way to live with each other, but realize that as difficult as that may be, God made you with advantages and you have to maximize that. A deed poll can fix many a things, just be honest about it and don’t change your name to Anderson as some thought was the way to success.
Quality of high schools – This starts with the overall look of the buildings. How do the classrooms look, how does the library look (and who it is named after – is it a good name?), does the principal have a nice office and is the staff room up to par? What about the accompanying church, is it up to scratch? I remember loathing going to chapel, but sometimes I sing a chapel song I remember both for fun and seriously. Do they have proper bathrooms which are well treated by the students? We can’t time when we go, but we all have to go. The landscaping, sport facilities top notch. Again, I sound idealistic, but many schools have talent, then why not have good sports facilities. All schools should have some form of sport facility as a decent level.
Pursuance of quality/Approach to Technology – In general I am upset with the fact there isn’t a free way to watch Jamaican television by iPad (although Flow says this is coming). At least not free in the sense of not having to subscribe and pay a fee. This I feel affects the way the maximum amount of us can see the country and judge what is good and bad. Do the televisions in public establishments have to always be grainy. On an off topic, is it possible to have a better depot for instance. What about the online marketplace to buy and sell goods? Do we structure our houses with mailboxes to facilitate such commerce? Is that feasible and is the current system effective. Why doesn’t Jamaica have a ‘there is an app for that culture’.
Shopping Malls – I don’t know what it is but Jamaica has yet to build a shopping mall that I love. This means that there is still the need to ‘fly out’ to get high quality clothes and other items. This is more of a privilege than a luxury. Economics may prevent this from happening but I think it may be a focal point for people to consider if their homes are high quality enough, is what they are wearing the best and at the best price and if they drive decent cars. Some malls have terrible roads leading into them (calling you out Boulevard).
Energy Prices – Stop comparing our energy prices to Trinidad’s when you are not using some sort of standard of living quotient. That being said, energy prices are too high and it is as if Jamaicans are finding ways to be richer, faster which is why the money is being constantly devalued and prices inflated. Can we get some growth when it reaches $120 to $1. What about Electricity theft costing us 17 cents out of the 42 cents we pay for. Getting that oil out of the ground doesn’t pay for itself.
The ‘if you give them an inch they’ll take a mile attitude’ – I have heard this said, not written, because of course it has been said that black people don’t read. While I don’t remember the context, I am not talking about the patty crumbs in the car. I am talking about things like electricity theft which makes our electricity prices almost twice as high.
Hospitals – after visiting the Spanish Town Hospital, I lament that better care in terms of facilities not the doctoring is being given to patients. I can’t imagine the conditions a woman has to give her children birth in and this seriously makes me not even want to think about it. Let’s not even start on Kingston Public Hospital and the Bustamante’s Children Hospital where the doctors have to use ingenious methods to make ends meet. If only more places can be like the Tony Twaithes wing. Can this new Health Card (along with the NHF one), help to eliminate clutter in the hospitals.
Improper party culture – Don’t want to expound too much on this but I think the extravangant parties need be private cordoned off affairs that are not televised to the open public. Sort of makes our culture look trifling and unsophisticated. I just think there is no excuse for that.
Sort out yu life Jamaica: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y11vTFrAJeI
Cartoons are from Clovis: Jamaica Observer. All rights reserved.
