Orville W. Taylor
FIVE YEARS into the new millennium there is much to reflect on and hopefully something to look forward to. It is New Year's Day, and unlike Christmas, Easter and other holidays of dubious origins, no one has to guess whether it is the beginning of a new year. Of course, for the Chinese, the New Year is not until January 29.
In 46 BC, Julius Caesar introduced the Julian calendar, (hence July), and declared that January was the beginning of the year. Interestingly, Ethiopians still use it but their New Year is September 11 (9/11). In Europe, New Year's Day was a pagan festival, celebrated on April 1. Perhaps that is why we fool ourselves into making long lists of unrealistic resolutions to be unfulfilled in the new year.
Anyway, it was switched to January 1 with the introduction of the Gregorian calendar by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582. Nevertheless, the Roman god, Janus, with two faces (like politicians), one looking forward and the other backward, is whom January is named after. This is appropriate since it provides an opportunity to reflect on the past year and make improvements.
STILL DRUNK
Unfortunately, most of those who should be reprising last year are too hung over or perhaps still drunk from last night's festivities. Therefore, I bet that they either won't be reading this or perhaps will read it on Tuesday. I recommend greater sobriety than in 2005.
Last year, the greatest- ever male voice in R&B music, Luther Vandross, went to dance with his father again and American civil rights icon, Rosa Parks, Ebony publisher John Johnson and 'actorvist' Ossie Davis departed. Locally, educator Dr. Dennis Irvine, tourism veteran Lucille Lue, track and field's Adrian Wallace, artists Cecil Baugh and Karl Abrahams and too many others left.
It was also a year of unprecedented natural disasters. Following in the wake of the Asian tsunami that passed through Bangkok and Phuket, we had the strongest and most hurricanes and typhoons in history. Hurricane Katrina devastated the mostly black city of New Orleans.
'KATRINA'
Creating a storm and crisis in local and federal leadership, 'Katrina' exposed the sharp contrasts between blacks and whites in the United States, raising serious questions about structural racism.
On the track, despite the obvious disappointment with Asafa Powell's groin injury, 2005 was a glorious year, capped I believe, by his scintillating run of 9.77 and Trecia Smith's triple jump gold. Detractors suggest that Powell is so fast that Justin Gatlin can't seem to catch him for a race.
Merlene Ottey, citizen of the world, with a truly international accent, has finally had her appropriately-coloured bronze statue erected at the National Stadium. By the way, why isn't the one commemorating the victorious 1952 Helsinki 4 X 400 quartet made of gold?
Yet, the delayed glory to our greatest Jamaican athlete ever, whose 26-year career has lasted longer than the years of good leadership in the society, epitomises much of what is wrong with us.
The sequence of events leading to her decision to run for Slovenia demonstrates the sometimes incompetent and 'slovenly' management of Jamaican 'athletipolitics'. Clearly, Merlene's selection to run in the Sydney 100 metres was logical and correct. However, the ignominious exclusion of national champion Peta-Gay Dowdie and allowing Beverly McDonald to run the 100 was a blunder.
The Jamaica 'Amateur' Athletics Association continued this trend in 2005, where they chose rank amateur Lerone Clarke and the ordinary Ainsley Waugh over Patrick Jarrett and Christopher Williams. This mistake not only cost us a medal in the 4 X 100 men's relay, but perhaps a new Jamaican record. I anticipate better in 2006.
CRIME
Crime was doubtless, the top newsmaker such that it was disqualified by the Gleaner's editor from the front page for the month of December. A record-breaking 1,700 plus murders, including 12 police officers, were committed in 2005. Regrettably, crimes against children were also unacceptably high.
Nonetheless, inasmuch as we lost ground to the criminals, the crime-fighting initiative, Operation Kingfish, 'netted' some big ones with several dons taken down or out.
There is one whose reputation is very scary, so I'll "keep my mouth shut."
On the other hand, there were a number of blemishes on the part of the police, including several acts of alleged corruption and the customary questionable police homicides. Still, the new Professional Standards Branch, launched in mid-year, has had around 40 major complaints, two thirds of which have led to arrests.
RENETO ADAMS
By the way, Senior Superintendent Reneto Adams' ill-advised recording may very well be the crime of the month, but not because of the content. Rather, although an exceptional crime fighter, he is quite 'talent-free' as a singer.
Still, allegations of corruption in the National Solid Waste (Mis-) Management (without) Authority (NSWMA) and the Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation have plagued us even as the threat of 'kleptospirosis' has failed to eradicate the 'rats' from within and outside bureaucracies.
Needless to say, one cannot speak of public cleansing without congratulating Kingston's mayor in attempting to literally clean up the city, sometimes 'uglifying' beautiful signs and oftentimes going 'toe to tow' with the police. He should act and speak less precipitously in 2006.
Internationally, we have continued to fall short of traditional agricultural targets and are now faced with the end of preferential treatment as Europe, like insulin, is reducing its sugar imports.
AGRI-EXPORTS
Furthermore, despite a 10-year-old warning, some agricultural exports face a U.S. ban for failing to meet standards. Pure manure!
In governance overall, we needed a little more. Five persons seeking to become prime minister have new ideas even though all have been around for decades.
Thanks for an 'all write' year!
Dr. Orville Taylor is senior lecturer in the Department of Sociology, Psychology and Social Work at the University of the West Indies, Mona.
