I want money to spend...

Jamaica, West Indies is where I call home. Believe me, sometimes I think about doing what alot of my childhood friends did...and jus' leave this raas country behind and forget all di crime and madness!! I am still here though... I guess as a very popular entertainer put it: "mi waan money fi spen' ". With gas prices sky-rocketing, my little go-cart seems to be eating a hole through my pocket; and I usually have no money to spend- much less to buy a plane ticket!

With all that is negative about this little island centered in the Caribbean Sea below Cuba and to the right of the very large and intimidating U.S of A., there seems to have arisen a positive movement among Generation Now; aka the Jamaican Youth.

So what is the big deal about the Jamaican youths? I will tell you the "big deal"; and you are welcome to agree or disagree. I am interested in your opinions though, so please do leave a comment on what I am about to state: the cause of crime in JA (attributed also to steady increases in other West Indian territories) is the difficulty for young men to get jobs or make an income. What do you do when companies won't hire you because of your: skin color, address, age/gender, or sexual preference? The fact is: youths get involved in crime due to lack of parental guidance. Alot of them are forced to make money for their families from an early age; some even become fathers as early as fourteen years old. Talk about responsibility and pressure!!

Back to the point about the positive movement. Some aspiring Jamaican youths have found unconventional ways to survive, help their families, and even become wealthy.
In entertainment: their is the world famous Marley family (the off-springs of BOB MARLEY) who are still belting out "wicked tunes" and continuously giving to Jamaican charities.

Also doing well are entertainers: Sean Paul, Tami Chynn- and her sister Tessanne- who are an encouragement to the spoilt and pampered off-spring of the Jamaican upper-class to actually try and make their own money instead of depending on handouts from their parents. And of course, you must know Rihanna who hails from neighbouring Barbados.

During the recent Olympic games, in Beijing, the world witnessed the raw talent of our young Jamaican athletes: Usain Bolt, Asafa Powell and some new starlets of the racing circuit, to name a few!

To all the people I have mentioned on this page, you are truly heroes and deserving of respect for the positive light you have shed on the Windies! And to the artist who have the tune "mi waan money fi spen'" ... well I am sure you won't have that problem again for awhile! (Smile and a salute). It is a catchy tune with catchy lyrics. A part of it goes something like- his blood is too rich to spill...he doesn't want to follow the same path as his bretheren and steal! Respect my brother! Don't you know it is men like you stepping forward with such positive words that will continue the new trend taking place among the youths!

And maybe when things have evolved enough... Jamaicans living overseas will find their ways back home where they belong. I know I need money to spend, and I am doing just that! What about you?