Mark Wignall | Big, bad, war machine

 In March, a sanctioned Russian tanker shipped 730,000 barrels of oil to Cuba, a country engineered to wither away and starve to death courtesy of US President Donald Trump. The tanker was partially accompanied by a Russian warship as far as the waters of the North Sea. My assessment of that delicate geopolitical move was simple. 

Putin knew that Trump was more bark than bite, and the American armed forces under Trump’s leadership would do exactly nothing. All it needed was a Putin stare-down. 

At the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis of the 1960s when US President Kennedy was testing not just the military resolve of the Russians (then called the Soviet Union) but the political appetite of Americans for an increase in the temperature of Cold War moves, the Russians, in effect, retreated and removed nuclear-tipped missiles back to Russia. 

In 2026, major packs of cards have been reshuffled. In 2015, Obama visited Jamaica and presented us with America’s latest take on China. The US president wanted us to be wary of the Chinese, especially in our economic entanglement with them. Obama saw the global motions of the Chinese juggernaut but was helpless to slow it down. Obama offered Jamaica little in the way of, say, reversing the climate-change degrading of our beaches or in guiding us to cheaper funding for road building.  

Then in April 2021, Biden said China has an overall goal to become the leading country, the wealthiest country in the world, and the most powerful country in the world. Biden said he would not let that happen under his watch. Hmm? So much easier to say what will not happen than what can be done to ensure that it happens. 

With the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, and Trump like mythical werewolves baying at the moon for blood and war on Cuba, USS Nimitz, an aircraft carrier, arrived in Jamaica to stay until June 5. Let us get this straight. The Nimitz class carrier one is the most powerful war machine existing.    

The political side of the JLP has kicked in, and it is trying to spin the arrival and stating that it is for community relations and a goodwill gesture notwithstanding the catch-phrases designed to express the visit.  Really? Why now after Trump announced Cuba was next in Trump’s colonisation of the Western Hemisphere?    

Why didn’t the USS Nimitz visit soon after Hurricane Melissa destroyed western Jamaica?  It could have done a lot of goodwill and community relations then. As much as I tend to understand the raw politics in this government, its explanation lacks merit, is disingenuous, and overloaded on arrogance.  

Come on now. The JLP still think they can say anything, including nonsense, and the people of Jamaica will believe them. Why not tell the truth as unbelievable though it may be? For example, 

“The USS Nimitz is in the region for security operations, and because Jamaica is an ally of the US the USS Nimitz has made a port of call in Jamaica”.

After the Nimitz leaves, I think we are likely to see Russian warships in the Caribbean en route to Cuba. 

AND DR HOLNESS SAYS … 

As for the PM, his explanation of the auditor general’s report on the donations for Hurricane Melissa and the leftover funds from Beryl was comprehensive foolishness. Let us use his words. The PM stated that the Government is not only efficient, it is strategic. 

Is it efficient and strategic to have thousands of Jamaicans suffering six months after the destruction of Melissa? Plus, many of those who lost their homes are still without temporary housing.    

Is it efficient and strategic not to be able to account for a large amount of building supplies that were supposedly delivered to the JDF, but the JDF has no records to show for the delivery of those supplies?

Is it efficient and strategic to co-mingle those donations with funds from other sources? Is it efficient and strategic not to even make temporary repairs on the schools that served as shelters that were damaged by Melissa some six months on?  

Is it strategic and efficient not to give the country periodic updates on what is being done temporarily for the thousands who suffered due to Melissa?  PM, think about it. Isn’t this mere distraction, and is it worth it?

MUCH MORE EXPECTED FROM DR BLAKE

Let me now bring into focus the Commissioner of Police, Dr. Blake. It has been more than two weeks since Ms Bulgin was shot dead by a JCF officer in Granville. Soon after the shooting it was announced that the officer involved was removed from front-line duties, and an investigation was being launched. The commissioner then published in Force Orders - a JCF publication meant for JCF personnel - some thoughts about use of force and carrying out duties properly.   

The video of the incident is chilling.  Why has Dr Blake not been to Granville?  Why send the superintendent of the parish to meet with the angry residents?  Dr Blake, you are the commissioner, and you ought to be prepared to wade barefooted into police/citizen muck and junjo.  

One of your officers shot dead a woman in very questionable circumstances.  Your officers have been involved in violent confrontations for the last 30 months, and many young, black Jamaican men have been killed in those confrontations. Unlike many Jamaicans I am not readily prepared to label those killed.  

Dr Blake, the JCF has a history of lying about police encounters with citizens, and you do not think it important enough to go to Granville yourself to face the residents.  I can hear the whoosh of the vacuum in the quality of that specific leadership. Much more is expected from you, sir.