Mark Wignall | The ghosts of Hurricane Melissa

If you were living in or close to areas that were heavily impacted by Hurricane Melissa in late last year, your judgment of the quality of recovery would be much different to someone else who lived in say Kingston. In the end, our judgment pales in comparison to the reality which stares us in the face.

The fact is no governmental administration in this country has ever in our history, carved out for itself a workable public body that truly understands the alacrity expected at most times if it wants the people to see it as a government that can actually drive a nail into a board and twist a bolt into metal and to do so in quick time. That is the shame we must live with.

Even with that I would be surprised if a majority viewpoint finds that the government has done a good job in the post-Melissa recovery efforts. To me, even as a social expectation, the negatives would pile up higher than the positives. 

National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA) is the legal vehicle created to gather, store and disburse funds collected for the Melissa recovery efforts and as expected, it is already under fire from all angles.

A painful reality is that, if the government is convinced that NaRRA is the ideal vehicle and it must be supported, then, even for the pure politics in it, it must be promoted. The JLP government has little choice. 

Some of us are sure that as usual, corruption must be and ought to be found. Even if it is not visible yet, it is one’s duty to dig, to exhume. 

As part of what I see as the JLP’s army of young generals, recently Minister Delano Seiveright was in Dublin highlighting Jamaica’s rapid recovery and reconstruction efforts following Hurricane Melissa, including the role of the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA). 

The Observer reported: “Seiveright also acknowledged the leadership of Prime Minister Andrew Holness and portfolio Minister Senator Aubyn Hill in advancing Jamaica’s broader economic reform, investment and business development agenda internationally.

“The minister said the mission will continue this week with additional meetings involving Irish and British ministers, senior business leaders, investors, trade stakeholders and members of the Jamaican diaspora in both Ireland and the United Kingdom, as Jamaica intensifies efforts to strengthen export growth, investment inflows and international commercial partnerships.” 

Good representation Minister. 

STARVATION CLOSE TO US

This is a time to run away and hide inside ourselves vis a vis Cuba. A headline in The Hill said: ‘Cuba out of fuel oil, diesel under U.S. sanctions.’ 

Think of the reality on the ground in that land. First old furniture would have been used up. The machete would have done the job. Then dried bramble and then there has to be an additional push in the bushes at the edge of the forest for coal making. A people driven to their wits end. For what? The politics of hate and cruelty. 

This is the perfect time for Putin to call in his chips with Trump. He knows Trump every move is the childhood therapy he never got and is still trying to recapture. Russian tankers pulling into Cuban deep-water ports set up for receiving bulk oil will not get any pushback from Trump because Putin knows Trump is basically meltwater and, as they say, TACO.

China is in one of those moments when it can feel the tremors of the geopolitical times. Again Cuba needs the kind of assistance from China that only China, Russia and the US can give. Of course the US is at this moment stepping away to hand out starvation and stamp it out in the name of geopolitics. 

Putin and Xi can smell the change in the winds. The wind blowing from Trump is weak and arid. It can be blown away.

Russia has already tested the geopolitical waters by sending a tanker of oil to Cuba about two weeks ago. This time, this is the weekend that China came of age in the post-Cold War era and America under the hapless Trump never even saw it coming.

Putin has cards to give up on Ukraine while still holding on to seized territory like Crimea. With the new freedoms gained Putin and China can use the waters of the Atlantic and the Caribbean for jet skiing and playing with nukes, subs and warships.   

President Donald Trump doesn't seem to be enjoying good health. He needs rest. The job of President will suck away his life. And it matters little even if Trump muck's around, messes up as he always does and snores at midday. 

The US Congress exists to accumulate money and power. If it takes half a chopstick to hold up Trump and keep him alive the GOP will do it to hang on to power and all it gives. 

It suits people like Xi and Putin to see and hear Trump fooling around and say he wants Venezuela as the 51st state. And Greenland as a security blanket in his bassinet. They can always make fools of him by saying they want Cuba and Panama. 

At some stage the Kakistocracy must be elevated to meet its moronic moment. Since 2016 Trump has been preparing the nation of gullible Americans for this grand parade along the Fool’s Boulevard. China blew a whistle this weekend and started a brand new ballgame. 

At the next diplomatic post it is the hope that Jamaica will escape the virus.   

Mark Wignall is a political and public affairs analyst. Send feedback to [email protected] and [email protected]