Michael A. Dingwall (michael_a_dingwall@hotmail.com)

              We like to blame others for the things WE are doing to ourselves!

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Michael Duberson (mduberson@yahoo.com)

HIGH BEAM DRIVING - The dimlit driver

What is this obsession with excessive luminescence? To those who drive with such utter disrespect for everyone else on the road I ask, do bright lights make up for dim wits? Did your obstetrician remove your brain at birth? Did the best part of you run down your mother’s leg? Don’t you want to be more than ‘daddy’s wasted semen’? Can you find it to wipe it? Did you do a little ‘downsizing’ upstairs? Can you tell me in what part of the body the brain is found? Too much time in church and not enough time in school? How did you ever reach adulthood? Take a good look in the mirror and see what stupid looks like.

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Ivan Simic, Belgrade, Serbia (ivansimic10@gmail.com)

The end of War World II brought the idea for the unification of Europe, now known as the EU, but some individuals or groups also known as world rulers needed to conduct an experiment before the formation of an important super power such as the EU. And soon, they succeeded; the right person for them was Josip Broz Tito leader of Communist Party and lifetime President of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRJ). With the Royal family in exile and a post war atmosphere in Europe, Tito became famous, an ideal partner for this experiment.

Many will wonder why Yugoslavia? The answer is very simple; besides the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), which was too powerful, to play with, she was the only post war country in Europe with multiethnic and multicultural population, and Member Republics.

In 1945, from the remains of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia; the Democratic Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was proclaimed, headed by Tito. Tito became Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs.

The experiment begins; one State with six republics, one army, one currency, one federal police, one federal Government and Law, one passport, no borders and a visa regime among republics, and most of all: every Republic had their own Government with all vital institutions. Still, one very important thing for this experiment was the fact that Yugoslavia had different cultures and religions among State members, such as: Orthodox, Catholic and Muslim. The way the population is going to live in these circumstances was essential for the future of the EU.

In 1948, Tito makes one interesting move, highly motivated; he becomes the first socialist to defy Stalin's leadership in COMINFORM also known as Information Bureau (Inform biro). This move by Tito gains him good positions with all Western powers, of course his old friends, but bad relations with the USSR. For good results and loyalty to the West, In London in 1954, Yugoslavia gets zone B from Free Territories of Trieste by treaty based on the "Memorandum of Understanding".

On the other side, with the first results of the experiment, formation of the future European Union begins with European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) in 1952. Let us not forget that coal and steel were, and still are, very important in war and industry. A very important founding member of this Community was West Germany. A few years later, the Treaties of Rome in 1957 created two more communities: the European Economic Community (EEC) and European Atomic Energy Community (EAEC or EURATOM). The EEC and EAEC later merge into EEC in 1967.

Strangely, but as previously arranged, Tito is chosen for SFRJ to be free Eastern European country, independent from the USSR, and neither member of Warsaw pact nor NATO, but in 1961, Tito puts Yugoslavia to be a founding member of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). Membership in NAM did not affect the experiment since Yugoslavia was the only European country in the Movement at that time, but it did affect future of Yugoslavia.

Time is running, and in the beginning of eighties, Tito dies, but the experiment continues. The West needs a few more years before final announcement of new European Union. Europe is rapidly altering, many countries have joined EEC.

At the beginning of nineties, Europe is about to change forever. In Yugoslavia a new government is forming headed by Slobodan Milosevic, the experiment is about to end, mission is about to be accomplished. World rulers are entering the final phase before the formation of the EU. With the USA battling Gulf War in Middle East, in Europe, history has been written; Germany's reunification takes place in 1990, followed by; dissolution of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in 1991, dissolution of Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in 1992, dissolution of Czechoslovakia in 1992, and wide spread fall of communist monopoly.

As planned, the new Europe comes into being in the year 1993, and with no threats on the way, a new star was born, European Union. Just a few months after termination of the USSR in which America had a big influence, the USA got a new rival; the EU. This rival will become more influential and powerful than any other country or Union in the world, more powerful than the old USSR.

Two questions arise from this: First, did world rulers decide to put European Union instead of the USA as a leader of a free world and first super power? Second, who are those rulers and where were they coming from?

Answer for the first question is yes, they did, and as always, the USA was used. Second: We will never know who they are, but they are definitely coming from Germany, they are not Jews as many think, if they were Jews then they would have had their own State long time ago.

If we turn back and look through European history, Germany was not defeated as many thought, they played very smart; waited and planned to return stronger than ever and they did through the EU, as leader and strongest Member State. Germany was, and still is the Union's biggest net contributor; with the biggest economy, she is responsible for about 23% of the EU budget. Same is with Japan and the USA; it looks like Japan was also not defeated in the USA-Japan war. Now, Japan is the strongest independent economic and industrial power on the earth, most Japanese products is represented in the USA. In contemporary days, power is not measured through weapons, rather through strongest industry.

Will the EU have an equal rival in the future?

It will; a true rival for the EU will be a future Union with lots of money and same religion among member States as an advantage (maybe, Union of Islamic countries?).

However, maybe we are being deceived with the EU; perhaps the EU is just another world experiment before the launch of another giant global Union.

Martha Lauer (coha@coha.org)

The Shrug That May Have Launched A Thousand British and Argentine Ships: General Vernon Walters’ Purported Epochal Role in Triggering the Conflict.

Even after the U.K.’s victory over Argentina in the Falkland War of 1982, the jurisdictional status of the Falkland/Malvinas Islands continues to be ardently debated. Since the discovery of the islands in the 1500s by English navigator John Davis, a number of countries, including England, Spain, France and Argentina, have claimed them. The Falklands lie 300 miles off the Argentine coast and are 8,000 miles from Great Britain. Their population of 2,000 is outnumbered by the islands’ 500,000 sheep.

Who Owns the Falklands?

Argentina and Britain have wrangled over the ownership of the islands for over two centuries and most recently, in 1982, engaged in the war which cost over 800 lives; still, the sovereignty issue remains a gnawing presence. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Falkland War, which the British Throne has just commemorated with a ceremony at Buckingham Palace and Argentine authorities at La Casa Rosada. To the British, the territory is tenaciously known as the Falkland Islands, but to Argentines, they are defiantly known as Las Islas Malvinas; calling them the Falkland Islands only legitimizes Argentina’s perhaps self-serving charge that the U.K.’s swindled seizure of the islands from the Argentine nation. The issue currently being addressed is whether the Falkland Islands/Islas Malvinas should fly the Argentine flag, the Union Jack, or be a sovereign entity in its own name. Another issue that needs to be addressed is whether the conflict was inevitable and what role, if any, did General Vernon Walters play-intended or inadvertently-in bringing it about.

The Walters Factor

The Argentine military had seized power in 1976 and rather than devote itself to recycling the control of the government to another civilian political faction other then the just-ousted Peronista Party, the armed forces decided to grab authority in their own name and then proceeded to rule the country until the early 1980s, when the military was humiliated by its defeat in the Falkland War, forcing it to abdicate power. The military led the nation into war in the first place because it was seeking to distract the Argentine people from the corruption, economic fiasco, human rights violations and brutality that had characterized its rule.

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Ewin James (EROYJAMES@aol.col)

We Christians are said to be bigoted, hateful, narrow-minded and backward in a modern world, holding on to an outdated ethic, because we continue to insist that Homosexuality is an abomination.

Why? We insist that the Bible forbids homosexuality; and people respond, that the Bible is a book written by man to nations living over two thousand years ago. It certainly couldn’t have foreseen the issues today much more address them. Give it up - the book is outdated, people say. But we won’t and we continue to hold our position on homosexuality, because we believe that Scripture is relevant, and unchanging.

Permit me to attempt to demonstrate this. The Bible is a collection of 66 Books written by some 40 writers over a period of fifteen hundred years, and translated into thousands of languages, yet is a unified whole; this alone shows it is no ordinary document. For centuries many of the greatest minds have fought in vain to find contradictions and inconsistencies in it. Why has it been preserved for so long, so purely? John Mac Arthur, Pastor/Theologian, professor of Pastoral Theology and syndicated Preacher says, "In Scripture, the Person of God and the Word Of God are everywhere interrelated, so much so that whatever is true about the character of God is true about the nature of God’s Word" (The Mc Arthur Study Bible, 1997, Word Publishing).

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Robert Bazil (rbazil@cypcaribbean.org)

Is it morally right for a young person in the juvenile justice system, who, from all reports is showing significant signs of rehabilitation to be transferred to prison to spend the rest of his life among hardened criminals because of some archaic legislation?

The Commonwealth Youth Programme Caribbean Centre (CYPCC) is deeply concerned about rising levels of juvenile delinquency and the increasing numbers of young people who are either the perpetrators or victims of gang activity, gun violence, drug related offences and other serious crimes.

According to Regional Director, Mr. Henry Charles "It is indeed a tragedy and major development challenge, that so many young people, many of whom may be below the age of adulthood are reported to be languishing in Caribbean jails, juvenile detention centres and/or are being processed through juvenile justice systems."

"We are particularly concerned that the regional juvenile justice and penal systems may not have the capacity to address this complex development challenge, unless these are subjected to a comprehensive programme of review and reform" added Charles.

This call for the reform of the juvenile justice systems was made by Regional Director, Mr. Henry Charles, in the editorial column of the April issue of the CYPCC Caribbean Youth Vibes monthly newsletter published by the Centre and reiterated in an exclusive interview with CYPCC Public Information Officer.

According to the Regional Director, "this matter requires urgent attention from governments and other relevant stakeholders, as it should now be very evident that the existing juvenile justice and penal systems are not having the desired impact they should in contributing to the decrease in youth crimes and violence. In actual fact the existing status quo maybe a major contributing factor in the creation of more seasoned young offenders, because of the actual situation within the institutions."

The Regional Director laments the fact that there is still the policy in the Caribbean to address juvenile delinquency and other cases of youth in state care on pure punitive responses rather than through rehabilitative and positive development strategies.

Mr. Charles emphasized that while one is not advocating a "free pass" for young offenders it must be of some concern that many of these young people are at such an early age exposed to penal and justice systems plagued with inadequacies and distortions. In the circumstances, instead of weaning those young people away from crime, their exposure to the deficient systems has resulted in the creation of higher proficiency in pathological and anti-social behaviour.

Consequently, apart from depriving our societies of the productive capacity of these individuals we are also creating the conditions for a volatile social and political environment.

He suggested that a reformed juvenile justice system must be informed by sound empirical data and guided by international standards and protocols that are rights-based in approach.

"While there may still be a role for institutions, there is need for a deliberate effort to develop more community based rehabilitation programmes and strategies. Communities must be empowered to support young people and their families to manage the psychological, social and economic factors contributing to deviant and criminal behavior. Some may disagree but it is now well established that many of the young offenders are usually the victims of social exclusion and economic marginalization", Mr. Charles said.

Instead of being a major contributing factor in the graduation of juvenile delinquents to become hardened violent criminals, our juvenile justice systems must be transformed into effective tools for the reduction of crime and violence.

Mr. Charles, in the editorial, questioned, "Is it morally right for a young person in the juvenile justice system, who, from all reports is showing significant signs of rehabilitation to be transferred to prison to spend the rest of his life among hardened criminals because of some archaic legislation?

He also feels part of the reform process should include the provision of appropriate training to the police and other law enforcement agencies to improve their capacity to better manage the challenges of dealing with young people who find themselves in conflict with the law.

Mr. Charles is also calling for greater access to and improved quality of counseling and development services for young people and attention to the role of families, emphasizing that there should be parenting programmes to help parents better support and assist their children.

Stating that governments need to move fast to de-stigmatize the issue of psychiatric treatment, Mr. Charles said that society must provide for and allow young persons affected by mental illnesses to access quality treatment in a timely manner.

Looking at the existing probation services, he reiterated that these need to be revamped to ensure that there is enhanced capacity to manage juvenile offenders. Given all these factors, he summated.

Stanley Lucas, President, The Haitian Coalition USA, (202) 256-6026 (centurionlucas@gmail.com)

Randall Robinson and Ron Daniels were not in Savannah Georgia. Neither was Danny Glover. The unveiling of Haitian Monument in Savannah (see pictures @ www.solutionshaiti.blogspot.com ) to Honor a Platoon of Haitan Soldiers who fought for American Independence at the Siege of Savannah Georgia in 1779 was an opportunity for them to show that they cared about Haiti. This was a unique opportunity to showcase Haitian culture and highlight a truly positive aspect of the US-Haiti relationship. The political leaders of Savannah really extended themselves to make this monument come to fruition -- as did the people of the Haitian American Historical Society. However, when they could have used a little star power or support from black leaders -- neither were there. This reinforces the fact that they really only are interested in selling Haiti's history to the highest bidder.

Randall Robinson has written a book about Haiti's history, Unbroken Agony, which was published this year. On July 22, 2007, he gave an interview to C-SPAN covering his perspectives on a variety of issues, including recent events in Haiti. The following are some corrections and comments on the interview intended to clarify several of his misleading statements.

1. Mr. Robinson omitted mentioning that his wife, Hazel Ross-Robinson, not only has an extensive background working on Capitol Hill, but left the Hill to go to work for Aristide earning millions of dollars as a lobbyist defending Aristide's interests in Washington, DC http://www.haitipolicy.org/Lobbying7.htm

2. Mr. Robinson failed to mention if there is a connection between his book and the $30 million that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez pledged to actor and Aristide supporter Danny Glover to produce a movie about the Haitian independence and its impact on Latin America. The thrust of Robinson's book is essentially an effort to gloss over Aristide's abysmal record of drug trafficking, human rights violations, election rigging and corruption by positioning Aristide's story as an extension of the Haitian independence movement. The absurdity of comparing this man to the founding fathers of Haiti is evident and an insult to the Haitian people. There is a concern among Haitians that their history is subject to being sold out to the highest bidder and therefore can be manipulated, specifically by the Aristide supporters.

3. Overall, it is disappointing to hear Mr. Robinson characterize everything in terms of race. Haiti is 99% black and proud to be the world's first black republic. However, the independence was not just about race. Haiti's founding fathers saw beyond race to the universal values of freedom and equality. Haitians fought alongside Simon Bolivar in his quest to liberate the Latin American countries. They fought alongside Americans in the Revolutionary War. It was not about Latinos or Americans. For Haitians, it was about freedom and liberation. It is true, however, that outsiders may have considered us a threat because of our cause and because of our race, but that did not have an impact on our purpose. There is a further concern among Haitians that the collective memory of the Haitian independence movement could be tainted by these assertions. President Rene Preval requested that Danny Glover shoot the movie in Haiti and include Haitian historians and movie producers in the project to ensure that the only successful black revolution on earth is portrayed faithfully and accurately.

4. Mr. Robinson does not know me or my family. My father was a businessman and spent his career with the US Agency of International Development (USAID), where he retired. My mother is a businesswoman in her own right and never worked in Haiti. Neither were involved in politics. To state that my parents were supporters of Duvalier is an outright fabrication. -- Stanley Lucas www.solutionshaiti.blogspot.com

Glenda Raphael, (glenda@junglebaydominica.com)

POINTE MULATRE, DOMINCA - In the April 2007 Issue of Forbes Traveler Magazine, Jungle Bay Resort and Spa of Pointe Mulatre, Dominica was named as one of their ‘Top Ten Luxury Eco Resorts’. The article featured luxury nature-based resorts from around the world that are environmentally and culturally sensitive and benefit the local community in which they are located. The article is good news for both Jungle Bay and the island of Dominica, ranking it along with renowned properties around the globe.

Forbes Magazine is a leading US publication that provides financial advice to the world’s wealthiest people along with information on financial trends and forecasts. Forbes is known internationally as the authority on financial trends and for profiling successful individuals.

Forbes Traveler Magazine writer Stephen Regenold describes Jungle Bay as a “Dominican resort, found midway down the chain of Caribbean islands near Guadeloupe and Martinique, includes 35 cottages elevated on wooden posts and perched like bird's nests under a jungle canopy”. The significant international recognition this article brings, along with other awards and recognition received by various tourism entities will help to position Dominica as one of the world’s premier nature/adventure tourism destinations. The publicity from this major publication will provide significant support for the island’s destination marketing thrust. The inclusion of “luxury eco resorts” as a distinct category in Forbes Traveler Magazine and the recognition of a Dominica property as a world industry leader help validate the Ministry of Tourism's emphasis on eco-tourism as an ideal niche for Dominica.

“Our entire Jungle Bay family which includes our staff, the people of the South East and our well wishers feel very privileged to achieve such an honor from Forbes Magazine,” says Jungle Bay Owner Samuel Raphael, “In addition to validating that the Dominican people can create and operate tourism products that exceed international standards, it also validates up-market “Geo-Tourism” as a successful niche market for Dominica”.

Elsa Hemmings, (elsa@travellersresorts.com)

On May 4, 2007, the Negril Education Environment Trust (NEET) along with Beach Life Vacations and Kraft E handed over one hundred blocks, which was donated by Dean Wallace to Ferris Primary School in Westmoreland to assist with the construction of a tuck shop. Books and a computer were also handed over by Travellers Beach Resort Chief Executive Officer and founder and chairman of NEET Mr. Winston Wellington.

During Spring Break 2007, the above mentioned companies hosted the Soul Rebellion concert at which Spring Breakers who were interested made a monetary donation and as proof of their contribution to a worthy cause painted their names on a building block. Schools within the Negril area and its environs also performed cultural pieces for Spring Breakers who were quite grateful to receive a different view of Jamaica apart from the Spring Break parties and fun.

In 2006 a similar event was held and the following five schools benefited by way of a Ten Thousand Dollar Scholarship each to assist with the growth of education: Sheffield All Age, Little London Primary, St. Paul’s Primary, Negril All Age and Grange Hill High. This year, schools that participated in the Soul Rebellion Concert will also receive scholarships from the Negril Education Environment Trust.

Mr. Beckford, Education Officer of Ministry of Education, Region IV in his greeting quoted, “Education is a journey not a destination and you never stop learning ‘till the day you die”.

Students and teachers alike were quite appreciative of the donation and Winston Wellington, Founder of NEET encouraged businesses in the area to give back something to the community by assisting Ferris Primary with other needed materials, so that the building could be completed ahead of the deadline.

Since its inception, NEET has distributed over two million books and computers. NEET continues to aim at its motto of “A book in every child’s hand and a computer in every classroom”.