Chicken friends.

Tales from Jamaican bureaucracy: This morning we awoke at 5am to head to the passport office to secure a passport for my daughter. (She already has a Canadian passport, but is landed in Jamaica as a “visitor” because she does not have her Jamaican passport, even though she was born here).

My husband arrived at 5:45 am, only to discover EIGHTY-FIVE people were ahead of him in line. They must have slept there or arrived at 2 or 3 a.m.!! After a quick conversation with a supervisor, we were told we could go in the “special needs” line, as we have an infant. So we were processed in Line 1, where we presented our documents in a small, air-conditioned room in a temporary building with chairs so tightly packed one can hardly move around. We both showed our identification and were sent to Line 2 in another temporary building, again where the chairs are so tightly packed one can hardly move (fire hazard, surely), where we waited until the workers arrived at 7:30 a.m.

Then we were moved into Line 3, upon which my husband and I had to part ways, as only the applicant on the form can enter the building. I waited outside with my daughter and diaper bag. I was told I could not stand outside, I had to sit in the waiting area. After a short while, we were told our pictures were wrong, so we dashed next door to take the right size. I was then allowed in the building to ensure our forms were filled in correctly. Ultimately, we hope to have a passport by Friday.

I’m not certain why the process is the way it is. It must have made sense at one time, but now it is incredibly inefficient and demands that people take hours, possibly the whole day, to obtain a document that is rightfully theirs, that they pay taxes for. They miss time off work, children miss time from school. It is a demeaning experience to be shuttled around to different lines, with no end in sight, where the security guards are rude and the workers harried and harassed. Bureaucracy is unpleasant anywhere, needless to say.

(image courtesy JIS)

Today is traditionally a day when people embark on projects to beautify and clean up their environment.

Here is a fascinating history from the JIS news service, check it out.

The bounty from Jamaica’s farmers at Agro Fest

More scenes from Agro Fest

I have always wondered about the migrant worker’s program, in which Jamaicans (mostly male) head to Canada to harvest fruit and vegetables. Last year when we were attempting to secure a visa for a family member to travel to Canada, I saw dozens of young men waiting at the Canadian consulate office.

They earn a seasonal worker’s visa and return home when the season is finished. They do not have health care, from what I understand, nor are protected by labour laws (I’m not sure of this).  A friend of mine years ago received the green light to go to Canada for this program. Early one morning, he headed to the airport, only to wait the entire day while others got on the plane for Canada. For some reason, he was never allowed to board. So I have always wondered how these men are treated as they are in a sort of human rights limbo- not protected by their home country, nor by their employer.

In any case, here is a story of the worst case scenario that answers some questions, and it is not good.

Check out the CBC story here.

I wrote last week about CNN anchor Ashleigh Canfield’s comments about Jamaica being ‘extraordinarily violent.’ My friend Emma has now compiled the many varied responses for Global Voices, including my own. Upon further contemplation, I added some thoughts- here they are:

Hi Emma, thanks for including my comment. Upon more consideration, I would add to my comment that I agree with the additional commenters. Jamaica is extraordinarily violent in certain communities, while in other certain communities, weeks pass before any violence occurs. It depend who you are, where you live. And does it really matter what kind of violence it is, who it happens to? The parents burying their children don’t care about the analysis, the nuance. All they, more than 1,500 of them, know, is that their family member was a victim of violence. There is a sense of self-righteousness when it comes to comparing with the United States, but one form of violence is not more sensical than the other. And protecting one’s reputation seems a crass endeavour when people are dying…

As always, the truth is nuanced and differs based on one’s perspective.

Scenes from Agro Fest

Bob Marley died 35 years ago yesterday. His influence is still as strong, if not stronger, here in Jamaica and around the world.