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Is the JLP just another PNP, just another ride?
WIGNALL'S WORLDMark Wignall
Sunday, December 07, 2008
Why does Jamaica kill creativity?
Having read my short piece last week where I wrote on the firing of Ian Moore from the post of PCJ chairman, one Jamaican engineer gave his viewpoint on how Jamaica treats its more skilled sons and daughters. Like Ian Moore, a highly skilled engineer who also ventured into private business abroad and became highly successful and wealthy, there are many Jamaicans residing abroad who would like to offer up themselves, not just for the income, but to 'give back' something to a society that is teetering on the edge of failure.
He writes, "I can't even tell you the degree of opposition that I am experiencing after less than a year in Jamaica. One of my colleagues who is also a very competent engineer and came back to Jamaica two years ago has resigned himself to a desk job and has told me that I should bury my dreams.
"In fact, his words were, 'Nuh come here and dream too much, is pure fight yu ah go get', with some expletives of course. Most of my friends whom I visited have got themselves desk jobs and have put on weight; their eyes have lost the glitter of high expectancy of coming back to Jamaica to use their acquired foreign skills to develop their country. I am plodding along; I have met an MIT graduate (a civil engineer) who has decided that the desk job is not part of his plan, so I am following suit and collaborating with him on doing something meaningful. The thought of going back to 'foreign' has crossed my mind many times but the feeling of 'ah yah so mi born an mi belong yah' has been a greater pull.
"Many years ago when I was working as a consultant engineer in Jamaica I saw a team from a company in Miami, who came over to collaborate on a project. When they walked in the plant, everyone stood at attention; I was amazed. We (local engineers) spent most of the time teaching them things that they were expected to know as engineers, but because the contract we won was based on their collaboration we went ahead and taught them how to do the job (we have to eat food, don't we?).
"I hope that one day we will appreciate the brand Jamaica. Our people have stood/worked with the best in the world and in many cases have outshone them. Jamaica is not short of good talents; they have just been silenced or broken. We have to start demanding high standards and selecting the right people for the job; we are not boxing out food out of anybody's mouth. If we insist on high standards then people will step up to the plate. I have seen Jamaicans conform abroad, so why can't they conform 'ah yard'?
"USA and UK are now saying that the jobs are for their people, so why can't we produce jobs for Jamaicans? Do you not think that will reduce crime? Why do we have so many young, strong people hanging out on the corner? We have to do something, even if roadblocks are set up to discourage us. We overcome abroad, so we can overcome ah yard."
WIGNALL'S WORLDMark Wignall
Sunday, December 07, 2008
Why does Jamaica kill creativity?
Having read my short piece last week where I wrote on the firing of Ian Moore from the post of PCJ chairman, one Jamaican engineer gave his viewpoint on how Jamaica treats its more skilled sons and daughters. Like Ian Moore, a highly skilled engineer who also ventured into private business abroad and became highly successful and wealthy, there are many Jamaicans residing abroad who would like to offer up themselves, not just for the income, but to 'give back' something to a society that is teetering on the edge of failure.
He writes, "I can't even tell you the degree of opposition that I am experiencing after less than a year in Jamaica. One of my colleagues who is also a very competent engineer and came back to Jamaica two years ago has resigned himself to a desk job and has told me that I should bury my dreams.
"In fact, his words were, 'Nuh come here and dream too much, is pure fight yu ah go get', with some expletives of course. Most of my friends whom I visited have got themselves desk jobs and have put on weight; their eyes have lost the glitter of high expectancy of coming back to Jamaica to use their acquired foreign skills to develop their country. I am plodding along; I have met an MIT graduate (a civil engineer) who has decided that the desk job is not part of his plan, so I am following suit and collaborating with him on doing something meaningful. The thought of going back to 'foreign' has crossed my mind many times but the feeling of 'ah yah so mi born an mi belong yah' has been a greater pull.
"Many years ago when I was working as a consultant engineer in Jamaica I saw a team from a company in Miami, who came over to collaborate on a project. When they walked in the plant, everyone stood at attention; I was amazed. We (local engineers) spent most of the time teaching them things that they were expected to know as engineers, but because the contract we won was based on their collaboration we went ahead and taught them how to do the job (we have to eat food, don't we?).
"I hope that one day we will appreciate the brand Jamaica. Our people have stood/worked with the best in the world and in many cases have outshone them. Jamaica is not short of good talents; they have just been silenced or broken. We have to start demanding high standards and selecting the right people for the job; we are not boxing out food out of anybody's mouth. If we insist on high standards then people will step up to the plate. I have seen Jamaicans conform abroad, so why can't they conform 'ah yard'?
"USA and UK are now saying that the jobs are for their people, so why can't we produce jobs for Jamaicans? Do you not think that will reduce crime? Why do we have so many young, strong people hanging out on the corner? We have to do something, even if roadblocks are set up to discourage us. We overcome abroad, so we can overcome ah yard."
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