Shottas [film]

Jamaican PM Golding vows to restore order to Kingston

Page last updated at 22:09 GMT, Tuesday, 25 May 2010 23:09 UK

The BBC's Nick Davis says the government is hoping to regain control

Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding has vowed to restore order after at least 31 deaths during an anti-drug offensive in Kingston.

He said he regretted the loss of life as security forces battled fighters loyal to a suspected drug trafficker sought by the US.

Mr Golding said police would continue searching for illegal guns and crime suspects.

The whereabouts of alleged drug lord Christopher "Dudus" Coke are unknown.

He has thousands of loyal followers who have promised to protect him at any cost.

Police say they have detained more than 200 people and seized arms and ammunition.

New gun battles raged on Tuesday as police and soldiers searched Kingston's Tivoli Gardens district for Mr Coke.

The fighting has intermittently blocked the road to Kingston's airport and forced some flights to be cancelled.

Western countries such as the US and Britain have warned their citizens against travel to Kingston and its surrounding area in the current circumstances.

'Lorries piled with bodies'

Prime Minister Golding, who approved Mr Coke's extradition to the US last week after a delay of nine months, reported to parliament on the crisis.

 

Witness: 'We got out fast' Kingston under siege Profile: Christopher 'Dudus' Coke In pictures: Jamaican unrest

Mr Coke, 41, insists he is a legitimate businessman and enjoys the support of many impoverished Kingston residents who see him as a benefactor.

The US justice department accuses him of being one of the world's most dangerous drug barons.

Thousands of heavily armed police and soldiers have been making their way through the capital's most violent slums, battling masked gunmen loyal to Mr Coke.

Gangs from slums just outside the capital also joined the fight, erecting barricades on roadways and shooting at troops.

Jamaica's Minister of Education, Andrew Holness, told BBC World Service the government had the situation under control.

"The government is always in control, we've never lost control," he said.

The security forces were acting according to the law, he insisted, adding: "This government is one that is big on protecting human rights."

Mr Coke is said to lead a gang called the Shower Posse - owing to the volume of bullets used in shootings - and operate an international smuggling network.

The gang has also been blamed for numerous murders in Jamaica and the US.

Mr Coke faces a life sentence if convicted of the charges filed against him in New York.

The drugs trade is deeply entrenched in Jamaica, an island nation of 2.8 million people with one of the highest murder rates in the world. Some 1,660 homicides were recorded there in 2009, AP news agency reports.

___________________________________

 

AT THE SCENE

Matthew Price,
BBC News, Kingston

It doesn't feel safe in downtown Kingston today.

Out on the streets, the police are watching for snipers. The occasional bullet whizzed through the air and hit the palm trees.

This is a disaster for Jamaica's reputation. The main offensive is a mile away, but even in the commercial heart of the capital, people are being pinned back against the walls. Normal life is on hold.

Dudas is seen by many here as a kind of Robin Hood figure, a protector of the poor.

And that's why it's hard to see what happens next - the authorities are intent on capturing Dudas; those loyal to him intent on stopping that at whatever cost.

"The government deeply regrets the loss of lives of members of the security forces, and those of innocent law-abiding citizens who were caught in the cross fire," he said.

Estimates of the death toll vary from 31 to 60 but almost all of the victims are said to be civilians.

Police Director of Communications Karl Angell told Reuters news agency that 26 civilians had been killed and 25 injured in Tivoli Gardens.

Two other civilians were shot dead by suspected supporters of Mr Coke in Spanish Town, an area 14 miles (22km) west of Kingston, officials said.

At least three members of the security forces have also been killed in the violence which began on Sunday.

Hospital sources told AFP news agency that more than 60 bodies had been unloaded on Tuesday at a morgue in one of the Jamaican capital's main hospitals.

AFP's correspondent was first told of two lorries which had delivered "about 50 bodies" to Kingston Public Hospital, then witnessed a third lorry "piled with corpses riddled with bullet wounds, including a baby".

A nurse counted 12 bodies on the third lorry, the correspondent said.

'Big on human rights'

A state of emergency has been in place in parts of Kingston since Friday, when several police stations were attacked.

_______________________________________________________

Kingston under siege

Page last updated at 0:30 GMT, Tuesday, 25 May 2010

• E-mail this to a friend
• Printable version

By Nick DavisBBC News, KingstonSmoke rose over Kingston's Tivoli Gardens area on Monday

As I drive through the city, my taxi driver tells me that he is going to have to charge extra: "Everywhere is blocked up, it's just turn, turn, turn."

I am just trying to get into the main commercial district of the capital, New Kingston, but the journey provides a snapshot of the situation the country finds itself in.

As we head up one road we spot the few vehicles on the road doing sharp U-turns. Then I hear it, the sound of automatic weapon fire.

We head back down the road to go around the trouble, and we are suddenly surrounded by police. A shot-up Toyota is parked up by a petrol station.

We continue. Towards the centre of town the streets are quiet - it is a national holiday, Labour Day, a time when communities get together to do work in their areas.

But everywhere is empty until we pass the main army camp as truckloads of soldiers in convoy head out, sandbags loaded on their vehicles, to a city under siege.

Steve the driver, like many Jamaicans, has a nickname. His comes from his time in the Jamaican defence force: Sojey, the patois for "soldier".

After seven years in the army, he recognises the sound of the M16s fired in our direction.

Tight control

The old police station at Darling Street had stood in West Kingston for over a century. Now it is a ruin, firebombed and looted in an brazen daytime attack. Parts of the capital are under a state of emergency with two police officers killed overnight.

Jamaica had been gearing up for trouble from the moment the country's Prime Minister, Bruce Golding, announced he would address the nation a week ago.

He promised to explain his handling of an extradition request from the US for Christopher Coke, better known as Dudus.

He also goes by the other aliases of Shortman and President, the last one an indicator of how he is viewed in his community of Tivoli Gardens in West Kingston.

Before the violence which came to a head on Sunday, I had spent time in the community of Denham Town, and I was surprised by the reaction from many residents.

The area had been called the "mother of all garrisons" by a former head of the Jamaica Constabulary Force yet when I spoke to people, I was struck by the loyalty and support people had for the Dudus.

"Nobody can steal round here without his say-so, nobody carries out rape round here, they'd be dead."

I was worried for my safety but was told that nobody would touch me and in the early hours of the morning I walked out of the community, something that would be unheard-of in other more volatile communities on the island.

He was seen as the boss who cared for his community, providing what the state had not: safety.

Fast-foward to nine months ago and the US put in an extradition request for Christopher Coke, a man Washington claims is the head of the Shower Posse, an infamous gang that made and earned its name in the 1980s by spraying bullets like water when they attacked rivals.

It is believed they are responsible for more than 1,400 murders in the US.

His extradition would see him facing charges of drug-smuggling and gun-running but, as a prominent supporter of the ruling Jamaica Labour Party, he holds a large amount of political sway.

Jamaica's 'dons'

He keeps the area, which is also Prime Minister Bruce Golding's constituency, loyal to the party.

The government initially turned down the request, saying the evidence for the extradition had been gathered illegally.

But following calls for Mr Golding's resignation, after it became clear he had sanctioned a US law firm to lobby against the extradition, he announced the order would be signed the following day.

The warrant for the arrest saw fortifications being put round West Kingston.

The tough inner city communities of Kingston are not called garrisons for nothing.

Controlled by an "area leader" - the island's euphemism for the criminal bosses who are better known as "dons" - local strongmen can control a few blocks to whole swathes of the city.

The power they have stretches from the gully to the Gordon House, the seat of government.

The prime minister says the security forces will be swift and decisive in re-establishing law and order but, as the violence spreads, many wonder if they can handle the criminals who are taking on the state.

_____________________________________________________

TIVOLI GARDENS

 

• Located on Jamaica's south-eastern coast, far from tourist hub in north
• Built in late 1960s on grounds of a cleared dump known as the Dungle or "dung hill"
• Warren-like public housing project with population of about 25,000
• One of Jamaica's notorious "garrison" slums - described as "a state within a state"
• Power base of PM Bruce Golding's West Kingston constituency
• Invaded in 2001 by security forces in search of illegal weapons; 25 people killed in three-day stand-off
• Four residents died in a similar operation in 1997

__________________________________________________________________

 

 

Video: Alain Clark - "Father and Friend" (Netherlands)

Alain Clark is one of the nominees for 3FM awards 2010. De 3FM Awards is the audience prize for Dutch musicians. The award ceremony will take place on April 15th .

Alain Clark is a Dutch pop musician and producer who has a strong global fanbase. In 2007 he released the double platinum album “live it out”.

Inspired by a chance comment by a friend, the album’s biggest hit is ‘Father and Friend’ , an emotional ballad in which Clark duets with his (Dutch Caribbean) father Dane – himself a veteran of a covers band playing classics from the likes of Otis Redding, Sam & Dave and James Brown.

The album was also released in the UK, where the first single 'This AIn't Gonna Work' was a top 10 hit.

In 2009 Alain Clark sang a duet with Diana Ross in the Gelredome in Arnhem.

Official website: http://www.alainclark.nl/

THE OAXACA INTERNATIONAL LITERATURE COMPETITION

The competition is dedicated to providing a forum for the writer to display their talents. For the relationship between cinema and literature has always been closely intertwined. It has proved on the whole a successful symbiosis, a relationship that remains to this day as inextricable as it is fruitful.

The “event within the event”, celebrates writing as the interaction of a complex of processes-rhetorical, cognitive, social, and intuitive-that develop through social acquisition, formal training, and reflective practice.

This year the submissions are limited to only 1000!

- There are no limits on genre, subject matter, or origin of the writer.
- All stories must be either in English or Spanish
- The Oaxaca International Literature Competition is seeking short stories only.

A classic definition of a short story is that one should be able to read it in one sitting, a point most notably made by Edgar Allan Poe.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
 AWARDS
This year we will be honouring 10 authors-Five English submissions and five Spanish submissions.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

THE 2010 OAXACA INTERNATIONAL LITERATURE COMPETION AGAVE AWARD FOR LITERATURE
*Will be awarded to two works of literature selected by the committee-One in English and one in Spanish.

The author(s) will be awarded the following:
- $1,500 US Dollars in prize Money
- The AGAVE award
- Festival Reading
- Publication in a special commemorative book of a collection of shorts limited to the top 10 authors from the competition
- Syndicated International Press Release announcement
- A complete travel package to and from the Festival

 

THE 2010 OAXACA INTERNATIONAL LITERATURE COMPETION
HONOURABLE MENTION AWARD FOR LITERATURE
*Will be awarded to eight works of literature selected by the committee-Four in English and four in Spanish.

The author(s) will be awarded the following:
- Honourable Mention Award
- Publication in a special commemorative book of a collection of shorts limited to the top 10 authors from the competition
- Syndicated International Press Release announcement

 

HURRY TO SUBMIT YOUR STORY. SUBMISSIONS ARE LIMITED To 1000 ENTRIES AND THE DEADLINE IS  JULY 31, 2010

Submit your project prior to  JUNE 10, 2010  and receive a 30% early registration discount!

Barrow Street Press

Poetry Book Contest

Deadline:

June 30, 2010

Entry Fee:

$25

Web site:

www.barrowstreet.org

A prize of $1,000 and publication by Barrow Street Press is given annually for a poetry collection. Mary Ruefle will judge. Submit a manuscript of 50 to 70 pages with a $25 entry fee by June 30. Send an SASE or visit the Web site for complete guidelines.

Barrow Street Press, Book Contest, P.O. Box 1558, Kingston, RI 02881.

The Black River Chapbook Competition

 

Twice each year Black Lawrence Press will run the Black River Chapbook Competition for an unpublished chapbook of poems or short stories. The winner of this contest will receive book publication, a $500 cash award, and twenty-five copies of the book. Prizes are awarded on publication.

 

To enter, please refer to the guidelines below.

 

CONTEST GUIDELINES

How to submit:

In order to reduce the costs of printing and postage and in the spirit of being a bit greener, Black Lawrence Press now accepts electronic submissions rather than hard copies for our contests.

Please include the following in your electronic submission:

-A cover letter with brief bio and contact information including your e-mail address(es)

-A .rtf, .doc, or .pdf attachment including a title page, an acknowledgments page, a table of contents, and your manuscript with numbered pages. 

Email your submission to editors@blacklawrencepress.com.

Please submit your $15 entry fee via Paypal. 

Deadline:

The annual deadlines for the prize are May 31 and October 31. 

About the judges:

Black Lawrence Press does not use interns to screen entries. All entries are judged by the editors.

Notification:

Because of the high volume of entries received, all finalists and semi-finalists will be announced 

on the Black Lawrence Press website. All finalists for the fall prize will be announced on or before December 31 of each year. All finalists for the spring prize will be announced on or before July 31 of each year. The winners will be announced shortly after the finalists are announced.

Other Notes:

We may request hard copies of manuscripts that make it to the finalist round and are being seriously considered for the prize. 

Simultaneous submissions are acceptable, but you must notify Black Lawrence Press immediately if your manuscript is accepted elsewhere for publication. 

All finalists will be considered for standard publication. In addition to each year's winner, Black Lawrence Press often offers standard publication to one or more other finalists. 

Thank you for your interest in Black Lawrence Press. 

via blacklawrence.com

Slice The Air With Knives: Jessica Hagedorn

-->

29 minutes

Poet and novelist Jessica Hagedorn reads short poems and excerpts from her novel "Dog Eaters," and offers her views on the responsibilites of being a multi-cultural writer. (#3215)

Gil Scott Heron x Mos Def – “New York is Killing Me (Remix)”

May 24, 2010 by Verse  
Filed under New Music

5 Comments

After the extremely dope Nas version got absolutely played to death at SoulCulture HQ, along comes the Mos Def remix of Gil Scott Heron’s “New York Is Killing Me” to take its place on rotation.

LISTEN HERE

[Source]

Interview with author Geoffrey Philp, the premier blogger on Caribbean book and literary events

--> Published May 24, 2010 -->

-->

This week we have conversation with Jamaican author & blogger Geoffrey Philp. He is the creator of the premier literary blog on Caribbean books, authors and literary events. This Jamaica College alumnus is the author of a novel, Benjamin, My Son; two collections of short stories, five poetry collections and a children's book. His work has been anthologized in both the Oxford Book of Caribbean Short Stories and the Oxford Book of Caribbean Verse.  He is the recipient of numerous awards, including an Individual Artist Fellowship from the Florida Arts Council, the Sauza Stay Pure Award, James Michener fellowship at the University of Miami, and an artist-in-residence at the Seaside Institute.  He will be featured author  the Jamaicans.com  sponsored Anancy Festival on  June 26^th, 2010. 

Where in Jamaica are you from? 
I was born in Kingston at St. Andrew’s Hospital and I grew up in Mona Heights. 

Please tell the audience of the high school you went to in Jamaica?
I went to the best high school in Jamaica. Here are a few hints: it is located on Hope Road, we have educated several prime ministers, and our motto is Fervet Opus in Campis. 

What were some of your fondest memories of JC?
The memories are all blurring now. It was so long ago! What I do remember was the uncertainty of that first day walking past the chapel, being put into Murray House, which created a rivalry between me and one of my best friends from primary school who was put in Hardy House, and then, the growing camaraderie from first through sixth form, especially on those evenings in September, playing in a football match and looking up at Long Mountain and knowing these would be the best times of my life.

How did the school prepare you for you career?
I had some of the most compassionate and astute teachers at JC. They really grounded me and gave me the intellectual foundation for my vocation. Dennis Scott, my literature teacher, noticed my talent as a writer and helped me to get my first poem published in The Daily Gleaner. I was paid the princely sum of £8.

Tell us about your blog? 
Geoffrey Philp’s Blog Spot serves as a platform for my books and the works of other writers from the Caribbean and South Florida. I write several posts per month, but I am also pleased with the guest posts of several writers such as Opal Palmer Adisa and Heather Russell.

Why did you start the blog?
I started the blog because my daughter, who is very wise, told me that I should be blogging. I then discovered blogs by Nalo Hopkinson, MadBull, and other Caribbean bloggers and thought it was an excellent medium to discuss ideas about which I cared deeply.

Did you envision your blog would become one of the premier resources for Caribbean books?
I went to JC. We only expect excellence! I say that half-seriously. At first, I had no idea what I was doing. I only knew that I wanted the blog to be, as Seth Godin would say, “remarkable.”

At what moment did you realize that your blog had "arrived"?
I guess it was when I was complimented by the African American scholar, Houston A. Baker Jr.,  who said that my blog was a treasure and that I should continue with the “fine work” that I was doing.

How much time do you spend blogging each week?
I spend about two hours each day working on the blog. However, if I am working on a poem, the time spent on blogging decreases. For although in some circles I am better known as a blogger, my first love is poetry.

Has it taken away from your writing?
Blogging is writing. It’s different from poetry, short stories, or novels, but it has its own form. Some ideas are meant to be explored by blogging, some with poetry, and some as a story. What drives me nuts is when I see chopped up prose passing as poetry. They are distinct forms and each has its own value.

Compared to 10 years ago do you think Caribbean books and authors are getting more exposure?
Yes, and I think it is wonderful. Look at the web sites for Peepal Tree, Macmillan, or Akashic. They’re all publishing talented authors like who happen to be from the Caribbean.

How has the internet and self-publishing helped to increase the number of Caribbean books being published?
There has definitely been an increase in self-publishing and writers who have been rejected by New York publishing houses have turned to sites such as Lulu.com or Create Space to publish their books. This is a good thing. You see, New York has one idea about the Caribbean and we have our own. Sometimes, the ideas meet. But sometimes they don’t.Pirates of the Caribbean is a good example of an idea that doesn’t match our vision of ourselves, but one that New York and Hollywood continue to perpetrate. The sad thing is that we support these films while all the while singing Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song”: “Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery…” 

Do you think we as Caribbean people appreciate our great authors?
I think we do. I also think that we can broaden our appreciation not only for the well-known authors, but also for authors such as Kellie Magnus, Joanne C. Hillhouse, and Joanne Gail Johnson who are writing children’s books. We can always make room for more.

What is your involvement in Calabash?
There are book fairs and there are book fairs, but Calabash is an experience. I’ve taught poetry at Calabash workshops and I read a short story, “The Day Jesus Christ Came to Mount Airy,” from Who’s Your Daddy? And Other Stories at last year’s festival. It was one of the highpoints of my career. I’ve given readings throughout South Florida, the States, the Caribbean, and UK, but reading in Jamaica to over 3000 people, my people. C’mon, it doesn’t get any better than that!

Will you be attending this year?
Unfortunately, I’ve been caught up in some other commitments, so I won’t be attending this year. 

Last year’s Calabash was almost cancelled due to the lack of sponsorship. Any ideas on how this event can be sustained in the future from the threat of cancellation?
From what I’ve learned Calabash has received several grants which should get them through the next three years and they’ve just published a book, So Much Things to Say, and the proceeds go to the funding of Calabash. If you buy the book, not only will you get a poetry anthology by some of best writers in the world, but you will also be helping with a righteous cause. 

Apart from appearing at the Jamaicans.com sponsored Anancy Festival in June 9, what projects are you working on?
I’m working on a new book, Anancy’s Christmas Gift. It’s my adaptation of the folk tale of “Anancy and Sorrel.” 

Tell us about your forthcoming book of poetry titled “Dub Wise”?
Because I am part of the “Reggae Generation,” the poems in Dub Wise (and I think the emphasis should be on Wise) are reflections on being a father, husband, lover, writer, son…the many roles that I have incorporated into my life. The book also extends the Jamaican/Caribbean literary tradition and includes tributes to writers such as Anthony McNeill, Edward Baugh, and Kamau Brathwaite. 

What type of books do you enjoy reading?
Good books. Right now, I’m reading Sections of an Orange by Anton Nimblett. It has several stories that will leave you saying to yourself, “Don’t cry. Is only a book. Is only a book.”

If you were on a deserted island and could take one book what would it be?
Escaping a Desert Island for Dummies.

If you could take one person on the island who would it be? (Better say your wife)
Hmmm, let me see… (pause). My wife? If I don’t write any more books you will know why.

Thanks for the spending the time with us for this interview.
Thank you for giving me this opportunity.