If we were to leave those technologies that are crucial to life and look at some of the others, we will see that, like slaves, we are still dependent. Take a simple example like the cell-phone. This important communication device was given to us black people by others - its origin has nothing to do with us slaves. We don’t even believe that we can achieve anything of worth. I know of a university in a predominantly black county that constantly boasts about the intellectual powers of its staff and students, but has to import an advanced management information system from Britain. This action is typical of black/slave tertiary institutions. The many PHD holders at the University could not even come up with a system. No doubt these people, like so many other black people look into themselves and see “inability” and “beyond our intellectual ability” when considering the kind of scientific and technological solutions that will make us great - or even self-sufficient. In terms of science and technology we act like slaves because we are still slaves.

Very closely related to our scientific and technological dependency is our economic dependency. This is the type of dependency that is very clear. During slavery, we had our own little “sections” of the plantations within which we were allowed to engage in activities that allowed us to “just survive”. Still being the slaves that we are, we have ordered our societies today to be strong enough just to allow us to survive - subsistence economies. We produce very little and even this is produced very inefficiently. Most of our economies only produce the raw materials needed by the truly free peoples of the world - the great powers. If we don’t, we base our economies on entertainment - tourism and, in Jamaica’s case dancehall. We don’t structure our economies like free peoples, but like slaves - totally dependent on others.

Throughout the world black economies are the most indebted and backward. As we are still slaves, we don’t want to (or maybe we cannot) build the sort of economies that are strong, competitive and advanced. Slaves cannot do this. We skirt the globe for handouts - loans and grants, and what’s worse, as we are still slaves, we don’t make proper use of that money. Since we continue to think like slaves - much of the money is squandered and we remain poor. This forces us to beg for more handouts and the slavery cycle starts all over again.

Our overwhelming desire to live up north is also symptomatic of our slavery mentality. Not believing that we can do anything of worth if we live amongst ourselves, most of us would prefer to go abroad. We see much worth in working in the “white man’s land”, but no point in working hard to build home. When we do get the chance to go to heaven - that is, up north, we see a great chance in building up home - we send remittances. Of course, only slaves will see things this way - not a free people. Remittances, while in some ways good, actually encourage many of the recipients to be, for want of a better word - lazy. Certainly, countries like Jamaica, being led by “freed” black people, see no need to really boost economic output. Why should we, when remittances are our largest foreign exchange earner? We see no need to be truly free and productive, if our stomachs are full with the proceeds of the remittance money. The means of mental control of a slave is through his stomach!

Our cultural practices are also very reflective of the slavery mindset. As a people, we don’t like being black - we don’t like looking black, we don’t like talking black and we don’t like being around anything black. Why do I say this? Here in Jamaica, there is a very well established fashion trend - bleaching. I have seen far too many black-bodied women (and men, mind you) with light brown and near-white faces all over the place. Many of us don’t want our “bad” hair - so we cut it all off and wear wigs, or have hairpieces sewed in. These hairpieces are not those of us black slaves - they are straight and usually brown, blond, red and even green and blue.

Many of our leading role models also want to free us from our black slave-selves. One leading Rastafarian boasted how he had a strong preference for light-skinned women, in his hit - “Give me the browning” some years ago. As we are all still slaves, the populace did not ignore the song - on the contrary, it was enthusiastically received. This Rastafarian, by the way, has tree roots growing out of his head and he is as black as tar! We see how, when posters are plastered all over the place advertising street dances, there is always a few naked, or near-naked women with very light or very near white completions. I suppose that our black women are just too black and as we slaves always say - “anything black nuh good!”

Like all slaves, we have refused to strive to be free and great. Like any slave - greatness means being able to entertain. On the plantation, apart from doing hard menial tasks (which by the way, we are still doing through our backwardness and inefficiency) we provided some entertainment. Today, it seems, the only thing that we can do, like any slave, is to entertain. We emphasize, far too much as far as I am concerned, achievements in the arts and sports. We have shown the world that we can sing good music tunes and run around stadium tracks - these days in under ten seconds. However, like slaves, we have shown the world that we are really nothing. All of the important decisions of the world today are made without us black people, us slaves. Today’s great powers, ruled and occupied by free people, make all the world’s important decisions. Of course, this is natural, as we could not have slaves making important decisions now, could we?

So, when we stop to celebrate our “freedom”, we must stop and think. We are not free. We think like slaves so we are still slaves. Plus, our inferior thinking has made use drones - capable of nothing (but entertainment, which is really nothing) and awaiting instructions and handouts. The British may have taken the chains off our hands in the 1830s, but, up to today, we have yet to take the chains off our brains.

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A groundbreaking online educational initiative to enhance the GSAT preparation and promote fun learning has taken Jamaica by storm and has yielded excellent results. The learning system found at www.gogsat.com has yielded success beyond the developers' imagination in its first year.

To date, the company has been bombarded by emails from subscribers (schools, parents and students) advising of their success in the GSAT examination and their placement in the school of their first choice.

"I think GoGSAT is quite good! I find that my child enjoys working on the site. GOGSAT is definitely an excellent addition to what is available." Says Dr. Leachim Semaj - "The experience had been wonderful and no doubt has contributed to my daughter's excellent performance in the GSAT Exams", says Yvonne L. Barrett-Rochester, Billing and Receivables Supervisor at the MBJ Airports Limited Sangster International Airport. "I am sure that GoGsat played an integral part in my son's success." Reported Debra Parson whose son secured a place at Calabar High School. "GoGSAT provided great practice in a different setting with immediate results.".

Parents are not the only ones singing the praises of GoGSAT. Rashana Anderson wrote: "In the GSAT Examinations, the GoGSAT system has helped me in different ways that I can't explain. When the results were being called out I was astonished to hear that I got my first choice, which is Montego Bay High School. The GoGSAT system increased my confidence and academic skills. It has increased my knowledge… Thanks for everything. My mom says thanks and hopes your program helps more children like me."

Principal of Rollington Town Primary, Mrs. Margaret Bailey also took the time to write to GoGSAT to express her appreciation for the system, which was used to enhance the preparation of students for the examination at that school. "Thank God for GoGSAT. The children love it, the teachers love it. It has helped us to achieve our goal. I am definitely on it for next year".