With personal safety a determining factor in whether or not a city ranks high among Mercer’s Quality of Living ranking, it is no surprise that Kingston is near the bottom. Mercer released its 2016 survey today and Kingston ranks 199th out of 230, with Bagdhad, Iraq in last place.

Canadian cities all rank high for personal safety, with Calgary, Montreal, Ottowa, Toronto, and Vancouver sharing 16th place, whereas no US cities make the top 50. Kingston (199), Tegucigalpa (201), and Port-au-Prince (211) have the lowest levels of personal safety in the region. In 96th place, Montevideo is South America’s highest ranking city for personal safety; Caracas (214) is the lowest.

Mercer determines the list mainly for “expatriates” who move globally for work.

“Heightened domestic and global security threats, population displacement resulting from violence, and social unrest in key business centres around the world are all elements adding to the complex challenge facing multinational companies when analysing the safety and health of their expatriate workforces,” said Ilya Bonic, Senior Partner and president of Mercer’s Talent business. “Multinational companies need accurate data and objective methods to determine the cost implications of deteriorating living standards and personal safety issues when compensating expatriates.”

With the election looming on Thursday, we were treated yesterday to the pounding, grinding base of a sound system in preparation for  PNP rally in HalfWay Tree. The Prime Minister addresses her “comrades” in the hopes of getting out the vote. Or does it even matter? Only one in two eligible voters cast their ballot. People are predicting a status quo election.

Our apartment complex received this gift the other day. Some glossy propaganda from the JLP candidate Delroy Chuck. It outlines the party’s 10-point plan, which has some solid ideas but no costing, as usual. The figure might be alarming, especially as the country tries to climb out of its economic quagmire and stares down the restrictive IMF agreement.

Also note the politicization of the murder rate, or to non-politicians, the loss of loved ones, friends, colleagues, fellow citizens.

New Canadian citizen!

Life in Grant’s Pen

Clothing sale.

If I had more than five minutes to type and think before my girl needs me, as well as some political theory literature, I would argue that the People’s National Party, as led by Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller, is morally, ethically, constitutionally and even legally (although the latter two are probably a stretch) obligated to participate in nationally televised debates. How is that for a thesis?

Instead, the Prime Minister is refusing to debate until Opposition Leader and Jamaica Labour Party President Andrew Holness apologizes for “disgusting and disgraceful” references to herself. To borrow a term coined with regards to feminist theory, this is truly making the personal political.

The refusal is being regarded as an act of fear, with people speculating that the Prime Minister is too scared to debate the Opposition Leader. She has long defended herself from the stigma of being from a poor and uneducated background. But she last week dismissed those claims, stating that she has participated in the National Political Debate before.

In any case, this seems like petty politics. The people have a right to be as well-informed as possible. They have a right to know where their leaders stand. They have a right to see how their leaders perform under pressure. They have a right to see them think on their feet. They also have an obligation to participate in and encourage a healthy democracy by exercising their right to vote. This is all a Platonic ideal, of course. In fact, only about half of Jamaica’s population votes in national elections, despite what you see on the streets during rallies.

The Press Association of Jamaica is calling for the Prime Minister to participate, as is the opposition. And the people of Jamaica should too, as well.

Just a goat on his way to take care of some business. Happy Friday.

This is a good report on Bloomberg news about the state of Jamaica’s economy. It features an interview with Finance Minister Peter Phillips, who claims that the nation’s GDP debt ratio will decline from 133 per cent to 124 per cent this year. The report highlights  Jamaica as the best performing stock market in 2015. Phillips also notes that JA will be paying out about $550 million (US) as a result of re-opening its domestic bond market. Things seem to be looking up, as he tells it…

Check it out here (it is a link to someone’s FB page, who recorded it)

Dolly’s House of Nails, Grant’s Pen.

It is nomination day today in anticipation of the Feb. 22 election. We were on the road today and traffic seemed unusually slow. “It’s a holiday tomorrow,” my husband speculated. A few slow blocks later we realized the delays were political. A truck with several men in the back in green shirts, then a huge group of orange-clad people walking on the street. Horns and music blaring. I hope everyone keeps their cool.