UNJM Union Jamaica
UNJM United Jamaica
Acronym Definition
UNJM United New Jersey Manufacturers
UNJM United New Jewel Movement
UNJM Union Jamaica
UNJM United Nation Job Manual
UNJM Untrue Joe Millionaire
UNJM Union Joint Menu
UNJM United Nation Joint Mission
UNJM United Nation Journey Management
UNJM United Nation JTIDS Module
UNJM Union Just Messing
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, 234 kilometres (146 mi) in
length and as much as 80 kilometres (50 mi) in width situated in the Caribbean
Sea. It is about 620 kilometres (385 mi) northeast of the Central American
mainland, 145 kilometres (90 mi) south of Cuba, and 190 kilometres (120 mi) west
of the island of Hispaniola, on which Haiti and the Dominican Republic are
situated. Its indigenous Arawakan-speaking Taíno inhabitants named the island
Xaymaca, meaning either the "Land of Springs," or the "Land of Wood and Water."
Formerly a Spanish possession known as Santiago, it later became the British
West Indies Crown colony of Jamaica. It is the third most populous anglophone
country in the Americas, after the United States and Canada.
History
History of Jamaica
The original Arawak or Taino people from South America first settled on the
island between 4000 and 1000 BC. Although some claim they became virtually
extinct following contact with Europeans, others claim that some survived for a
while. There is very little trace of the Arawak culture, and the Jamaican
National Heritage Trust is attempting to locate and document any evidence of the
Arawaks .
Jamaica was claimed for Spain after Christopher Columbus first landed there in
1494. Columbus used it as his family's private estate. The English Admiral
William Penn (father of William Penn of Pennsylvania) and General Venables
seized the island in 1655. During its first 200 years of English (then British)
rule, post Spanish rule, Jamaica became one of the world's leading sugar
exporting nations and produced over 77,000 tons of sugar annually between 1820
and 1824, which was achieved through the massive use of imported African slave
labour. After the abolition of the slave trade the British imported Indian and
Chinese indentured servants in the early 1800s as more cheap labour. Many of the
descendants of the Chinese and Indian indentured servants continue to reside in
Jamaica today.
By the beginning of the 19th century, the United Kingdom's heavy reliance on
slavery resulted in blacks (Africans) outnumbering whites (Europeans) by a ratio
of almost 20 to 1, leading to constant opportunities for revolt. Following a
series of rebellions, slavery was formally abolished in 1834, with full
emancipation from chattel slavery declared in 1838.
During the 1800’s a number of botanical gardens were established. These included
the Castleton Garden in 1862 (set up to replace the Bath Garden which was
established during the late 1770s and where breadfruit brought to Jamaica by
Captain William Bligh was planted but which was subject to flooding), the
Cinchona Plantation in 1868 and the Hope Garden during 1874.
In 1945, Sir Horace Hector Hearne became Chief Justice and Keeper of the Records
in Jamaica and sat in the Supreme Court, Kingston between 1945 and 1950/1951
before going on to become Chief Justice in Kenya.
Jamaica slowly gained increasing independence from the United Kingdom. In 1958,
it became a province in the Federation of the West Indies, a federation among
all of the British West Indies. Jamaica attained full independence by leaving
the federation in 1962.
Strong economic growth averaging about six percent per annum marked its first
ten years of independence under conservative governments led successively by
Prime Ministers Alexander Bustamante, Donald Sangster and Hugh Shearer. The
growth was fueled by strong investments in bauxite/alumina, tourism,
manufacturing industry and to a lesser extent the agricultural sector. However,
the initial optimism of the first decade was accompanied by a growing sense of
inequality and a sense that the benefits of growth were not being experienced by
the urban poor. This, combined with the effects of a slow-down in the global
economy in 1970, prompted the electorate to change the government, electing the
PNP (People's National Party) in 1972. However, despite efforts to create more
socially equitable policies in education and health, Jamaica continued to lag
economically, with its gross national product having fallen in 1980 to some
twenty-five percent below the 1972 level. Rising foreign and local debt
accompanied by large fiscal deficits resulted in the invitation of the
International Monetary Fund (IMF) financing from the USA and others, and the
imposition of IMF austerity measures (with a greater than 25% interest rate per
year).
Economic deterioration continued into the mid 1980s, exacerbated by the closure
of the first (Alpart) and third (Alcoa) largest alumina producers, significant
reduction in production by the second largest (Alcan), the exit of Reynolds
Jamaica Mines Ltd from the Jamaican industry and reduced flows from tourism.
During the 1980s Jamaica was still a prosperous country though increases in
crime and petty theft began to weigh on the island.
The early capital of Jamaica was Spanish Town in the parish of St. Catherine,
the site of the old Spanish colonial capital. The Spanish named the town
Santiago de la Vega. In 1655 when the English captured the island, much of the
old Spanish capital was burned by the invading troops. The town was rebuilt by
the English and renamed Spanish Town. It remained the capital until 1872, when
the city of Kingston was named the capital under questionable circumstances.
Map of Jamaica
Government and politics
Politics of Jamaica
Jamaica is a constitutional monarchy with the monarch being represented by a
Governor-General. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who officially uses
the title "Queen of Jamaica" when she visits the country or performs duties
overseas on Jamaica's behalf. See Jamaican Royal Family. The Governor-General is
nominated by the Prime Minister and the entire Cabinet and appointed by the
monarch. All the members of the Cabinet are appointed by the Governor-General on
the advice of the Prime Minister. The monarch and the Governor-General serve
largely ceremonial roles, apart from their potent reserve power to dismiss the
Prime Minister or Parliament.
Jamaica's current Constitution was drafted in 1962 by a bipartisan joint
committee of the Jamaican legislature. It came into force with the Jamaica
Independence Act, 1962 of the United Kingdom Parliament, which gave Jamaica
political independence. This was followed by a reformation of the island's flag.
Inside the Jamaican ParliamentThe Parliament of Jamaica is bicameral, consisting
of the House of Representatives (Lower House) and the Senate (Upper House).
Members of the House (known as Members of Parliament or MPs) are directly
elected, and the member of the House of Representatives who, in the
Governor-General's best judgement, is best able to command the confidence of a
majority of the members of that House, is appointed by the Governor-General to
be the Prime Minister. Senators are appointed jointly by the Prime Minister and
the parliamentary Leader of the Opposition.
In February 2006, Portia Simpson-Miller was elected by delegates of the ruling
People's National Party (PNP) to replace P. J. Patterson as President of the
Party. At the end of March 2006 when Patterson demitted office, Simpson-Miller
became the first female Prime Minister of Jamaica. Former Prime Minister
Patterson had held office since the 1992 resignation of Michael Manley.
Patterson was re-elected three times, the last being in 2002.
On 3 September 2007, Bruce Golding of the Jamaica Labour Party was voted in as
Prime Minister-Designate after achieving a 33 - 27 seat victory over Portia
Simpson-Miller and the PNP in the 2007 Jamaican general election. Portia
Simpson-Miller conceded defeat on the 5 September 2007. On 11 September 2007,
after being sworn in by Governor-General Kenneth Hall, The Hon. Bruce Golding
assumed office as Prime Minister of Jamaica.
Jamaica has traditionally had a two-party system, with power often alternating
between the People's National Party and Jamaica Labour Party (JLP).However,over
the past decade a new political party called the National Democratic Movement [NDM]
emerged in an attempt to challenge the two party system. However, the NDM has
almost become irrelevant in the two party system as it garnered only 540 votes
of the over 800,000 votes cast in the September 3 elections. Jamaica is a full
and participating member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
Parishes
Parishes of Jamaica
Jamaica is divided into 14 parishes, which are grouped to three historic
counties that have no administrative relevance.
Surrey (county) in the east, containing the following parishes:
Kingston
Portland
Saint Andrew
Saint Thomas
Middlesex (county) in the centre, containing the following parishes:
Clarendon
Manchester
Saint Ann
Saint Catherine
Saint Mary
Cornwall (county) in the west, containing the following parishes:
Hanover
Saint Elizabeth
Saint James
Trelawny
Westmoreland
Geography
Geography of Jamaica
Jamaica is the third largest island in the Caribbean, and the most populous
English speaking island there. The island of Jamaica is home to the Blue
Mountains inland and is surrounded by a narrow coastal plain. Most major towns
and both cities are located on the coast. Chief towns include the capital city
Kingston, Portmore, Spanish Town, Mandeville, Ocho Rios, Port Antonio, and the
city of Montego Bay.
The climate in Jamaica is tropical, with hot and humid weather, although higher
inland regions have a more temperate climate. Some regions on the south coast,
such as the Liguanea Plain and the Pedro Plains are relatively dry rain-shadow
areas.
Demographics
Demographics of Jamaica
Ethnic Origins
Jamaica's population consists mainly of people of West-African descent,
comprising about 90.9% of the demographics. The Akan people of Ghana's influence
is evidenced by the town of Accompong (Achiampong is a common family name in
Ghana). Other populations on the island are as follows: East Indian 1.3%, White
0.2%, Chinese 0.2%,Lebanese 0.1%,Multiracial 7.3%. Immigration from countries
such as China, Colombia, St. Lucia and many more areas of the Caribbean and
South Asia have seen a steady rise.
Skin Complexion
The motto of Jamaica is 'Out of Many, one people' And, in terms of genetic
inheritance, there is much evidence that many 'African-Jamaicans' also have
European ancestors . This is primarily due to the widespread practice of white
British plantation owners and overseers engaging in (often forced) sexual
relations with African women during the era of slavery and colonialism (or Maafa)
(as well as the much less common practice of African men having sexual relations
with British women). As a result, any well-travelled visitor to the island will
immediately notice that the African-Jamaican population has many more people of
a brown or light-brown complexion than is found in those regions of West Africa
which provided the main sources of enslaved labourers (such as Nigeria or Ghana)
. Many (not all) of the African-European children of planters and overseers were
given favoured status compared with African plantation slaves/workers. This
included greater access to education, capital and land, as well as 'social
acceptance'. This however was a common practice in countries involved in the
slave trade .
Language
The official language of Jamaica is English. Informally Jamaican Patois
(pronounced patwah) is more commonly spoken by a majority of the population.
British English or "The Queen's English" is the most obvious influence on
patois, but it includes words and syntax from various African languages
(including Akan and Yoruba); other European languages (Spanish, Portuguese and
French); Pre-Columbian Caribbean languages (Arawak); and Asian languages (Hindi
and Mandarin) which is evidence of the long standing mixing of the people. In
general, patois differs from English in pronunciation, grammar, nominal
orthography and syntax, having many intonations to indicate meaning and mood.
The language's characteristics include pronouncing /θ/ as and /e/ as , and
omitting some initial consonant sounds, principally /h/. For example, the word
"there" is pronounced [d?e?]. A number of linguists classify Jamaican Patois as
a separate language, while others consider it to be a dialect of English.
Religion
65.3% of Jamaica's population are Christians, the majority being Protestant,
which is primarily due to the influence of British colonialism, and the later
influence of denominations from the U.S. Today, the five largest denominations
in Jamaica are: Church of God, Seventh-day Adventist, Baptist, Pentecostal and
Anglican.
The largest non-Christian religion is the Rastafari, which was founded on the
island and reveres the late Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia.
Other non-Christian religions in Jamaica include: Bahai, Buddhism, Islam.
Practisers of Spiritism can also be found on the island. The West African folk
cult of Obeah is found in poor urban and rural areas of Jamaica.
Emigration
Jamaican diaspora
Over the past several decades, close to a million Jamaicans have emigrated,
especially to the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada. This emigration
appears to have been tapering off somewhat in recent years, however the great
number of Jamaicans living abroad has become known as the "Jamaican diaspora".
There has also been emigration of Jamaicans to Cuba.
Concentrations of expatriate Jamaicans are large in a number of cities in the
United States, including New York City, Buffalo, the Miami metro area, Atlanta,
Orlando, Tampa, Washington, D.C, Philadelphia, Hartford and Los Angeles. In
Canada, the Jamaican population is centred in Toronto; in the United Kingdom,
Jamaican communities exist in most large cities where they make up the larger
part of the British-Caribbean community.
Education
Education in Jamaica
The emancipation of the slaves heralded in the establishment of the Jamaican
education system for the masses. Prior to emancipation there were some elite
schools for the plantocracy. Others sent their children off to England to access
quality education.
After emancipation the West Indian Commission granted a sum of money to
establish Elementary Schools, now known as All Age Schools, for the children of
the freed slaves. Most of these schools were established by the churches. This
was the genesis of the stratified system of education that is still currently
embedded in the policies of the 21st century.
Presently the following categories of schools exist:
Early childhood – Basic, Infant and privately operated pre- school. Age cohort –
1 – 5 years.
Primary – Publicly and privately owned (Privately owned being called Preparatory
Schools). Ages 5 – 12 years.
Secondary – Publicly and privately owned. Ages 12 – 18 years. The high schools
in Jamaica may be either single-sex or co-educational institutions. Many follow
the traditional English grammar school model e.g., St. Hugh's High School for
Girls, Wolmer's Girls' and Boys' Schools, Calabar (boys) Baptist Missionary
College first created for the education of former slaves and closely associated
with the abolition movement (notably in the personage of William Knibb from
Britain) and the establishment of the seminary which is the progenitor of the
theological college at the University of the West Indies - one of the country's
highest seats of learning (Mona campus),Cornwall College (Montego Bay) Kingston
College (boys), Jamaica College (boys), St. George's College (boys), Convent of
Mercy Academy (popularly known as Alpha) (girls), Camperdown High, Campion
College and Vauxhall High (co-ed), Holy Childhood High School (girls),the Mount
Alvernia High School (Montego Bay - girls)the St. Andrew High School for Girls,
The Queen's School(girls) high school for girls, the Immaculate Conception High
School (girls), Munro College (boys), Hampton School (girls), Clarendon College,
St. Jago High School, Glenmuir High School (co-ed) Meadowbrook High School, and
the Ardenne High School (co-ed) Excelsior High School; although there are
several good technical high schools. Chief among these are the St. Andrew
Technical High School, the St. Elizabeth Technical High School, Marymount High
School (girls), Saint Mary High School (co-ed) and Kingston Technical High
School.
Tertiary - Community Colleges, Teachers’ Colleges, Vocational Training Centres,
Colleges and Universities - Publicly and privately owned. There are five local
universities namely: The University of the West Indies (Mona Campus); the
University of Technology, Jamaica formerly The College of Art Science and
Technology (CAST); the Northern Caribbean University; the University College of
the Caribbean and the International University of the Caribbean. Additionally
there are many teacher training and community colleges including: Mico,
Bethlehem Moravian, Moneague and Shortwood teacher-training colleges and Exed,
Portmore and Montego Bay community colleges.
There is no free education in Jamaica above the primary level. Although there
isn't free education, there are opportunities for those who can't afford further
education in the vocational arena through the Human Employment and Resource
Training-National Training Agency (HEART Trust-NTA) programme and through an
extensive scholarship network for the various universities.
Economy
Economy of Jamaica
Jamaica is a mixed, free-market economy with state enterprises as well as
private sector businesses. Major sectors of the Jamaican economy include
agriculture, mining, manufacturing, tourism and financial and insurance
services. Tourism and mining are the leading foreign exchange earners.
Supported by multilateral financial institutions, Jamaica has, since the early
1980s, sought to implement structural reforms aimed at fostering private sector
activity and increasing the role of market forces in resource allocation. Since
1991, the Government has followed a programme of economic liberalization and
stabilization by removing exchange controls, floating the exchange rate, cutting
tariffs, stabilising the Jamaican currency, reducing inflation and removing
restrictions on foreign investment. Emphasis has been placed on maintaining
strict fiscal discipline, greater openness to trade and financial flows, market
liberalisation and reduction in the size of government. During this period, a
large share of the economy was returned to private sector ownership through
divestment and privatisation programmes.
The macroeconomic stabilisation programme introduced in 1991, which focused on
tight fiscal and monetary policies, has contributed to a controlled reduction in
the rate of inflation. The annual inflation rate has decreased from a high of
80.2% in 1991 to 7.9% in 1998. inflation for FY1998/99 was 6.2% compared to 7.2%
in the corresponding period in CUU1997/98. The Government remains committed to
lowering inflation, with a long-term objective of bringing it in line with that
of its major trading partners.
After a period of steady growth from 1985 to 1995, real GDP decreased by 1.8%
and 2.4% in 1996 and 1997, respectively. The decrease in GDP in 1996 and 1997
was largely due to significant problems in the financial sector and, in 1997, a
severe island-wide drought (the worst in 70 years) that drastically reduced
agricultural production. In 1997, nominal GDP was approximately J$220,556.2
million (US$6,198.9 million based on the average annual exchange rate of the
period).
Fishing boats and bauxite cargo ships share the waterways near Alligator Pond,
JamaicaThe economy in 1997 was marked by low levels of import growth, high
levels of private capital inflows and relative stability in the foreign exchange
market.
Recent economic performance shows the Jamaican economy is recovering.
Agricultural production, an important engine of growth increased 15.3% in third
quarter of 1998 compared to the corresponding period in 1997, signaling the
first positive growth rate in the sector since January 1997. Bauxite and alumina
production increased 5.5% from January to December, 1998 compared to the
corresponding period in 1997. January's bauxite production recorded a 7.1%
increase relative to January 1998 and continued expansion of alumina production
through 2009 is planned by Alcoa . Tourism, which is the largest foreign
exchange earner, showed improvement as well. In the third quarter of 1998,
growth in tourist arrivals accelerated with an overall increase of 8.5% in
tourism earnings in 1998 when compared to the corresponding period in 1997.
Jamaica has a wide variety of industrial and commercial activities. The aviation
industry is able to perform most routine aircraft maintenance, except for heavy
structural repairs. There is a considerable amount of technical support for
transport and agricultural aviation. Jamaica has a considerable amount of
industrial engineering, light manufacturing, including metal fabrication, metal
roofing, and furniture manufacturing. Food and beverage processing, glassware
manufacturing, computer software and data processing, printing and publishing,
insurance underwriting, music and recording, and advanced education activities
can be found in the larger urban areas. The Jamaican construction industry is
entirely self-sufficient, with professional technical standards and guidance.
Since the first quarter of 2006, the economy of Jamaica has undergone a period
of staunch growth. With inflation for the 2006 calendar year down to 6.0% and
unemployment down to 8.9%, the nominal GDP grew by an unprecedented 2.9% . An
investment programme in island transportation and utility infrastructure and
gains in the tourism, mining, and service sectors all contributed this figure.
All projections for 2007 show an even higher potential for economic growth with
all estimates over 3.0% and hampered only by urban crime and public policies.
In 2006, Jamaica became part of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) as
one of the pioneering members.
International trade
Exports: (1999) 1,238 billion $ (Natural resources: 55.7%, Food 19.1%, Bananas
4%, Chemicals 3.6%, Machinery 2.2%). The main export countries: USA 33.4% ,
United Kingdom 13.4%, France 5%, Germany 4%, Canada 14.1%, Netherlands 10.2%,
Norway 5.8%, Japan 2.3%. Imports: (1999) 2,89 billion $ (Energy 50.5%, Machinery
and Equipment 7.6%, Consumer goods 33.2%). The main import countries: USA 48.1%,
Trinidad and Tobago 7.8%, Japan 6.9%, United Kingdom 3.7%, France 5%, Canada 3%.
Exports and Imports (January 2007) Exports : (January 2007) Total Goods Exports
166,495 (US$000) (General Merchandise Exports 93.4%, Freezone Exports 2.6%,
Goods Procured in Ports 4.0%) Imports: (January 2007) : Total Goods Import
511,015 (US$000); General Merchandise Imports 97.8%, Freezone Imports 0.3%,
Goods Procured in Ports 1.8%)
Infrastructure
The transportation infrastructure in Jamaica consists of roadways, railways,
ship and air transport – with roadways forming the backbone of the island's
internal transportation system. The Jamaican road network is comprised of almost
21,000 kilometres of roads, of which over 15,000 kilometres is paved. The
Jamaican Government has, since the late 1990s and in cooperation with private
investors, embarked on a campaign of infrastructural improvement projects, one
of which includes the creation of a system of freeways, the first such
access-controlled roadways of their kind on the island, connecting the main
population centers of the island. This project has so far seen the completion of
33 kilometres of freeway.
Railways in Jamaica, as in many other countries, no longer enjoy the prominent
position they once did, having been largely replaced by roadways as the primary
means of transport. Of the 272 kilometres of railway found in Jamaica, only 57
kilometres remain in operation, currently used to transport bauxite. There are
two airports in Jamaica with the modern terminals, long runways, and
navigational equipment required to accommodate the large jet aircraft used in
modern air travel: Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston and Sangster
International Airport in the resort town of Montego Bay. In addition there are
local commuter airports at Tinson Pen (Kingston), Port Antonio, Ocho Rios,
Mandeville, and Negril for internal flights only. Many other small, rural
centers are served by private fields on sugar estates or bauxite mines.
Owing to its location in the Caribbean Sea in the shipping lane to the Panama
Canal and relative proximity to large markets in North America and emerging
markets in Latin America, Jamaica receives high container traffic. The container
terminal at the Port of Kingston has undergone large expansion in capacity in
recent years to handle growth both already realised as well as that which is
projected in coming years. In addition, as the island is a large exporter of
bauxite, there is considerable freighter traffic.
Energy
Jamaica depends on petroleum imports to satisfy its national energy needs . Many
test sites have been explored for oil, but no commercially viable quantities
have been found . The most convenient sources of imported oil and motor fuels
(diesel, gasoline, and jet fuel) are Mexico and Venezuela. Jamaica's electrical
power is produced by diesel (bunker oil) generators located in Old Harbour.
Jamaica imports approximately 80,000 barrels of oil energy products per day ,
including asphalt and lubrication products. Just 20% of imported fuels are used
for road transportation, the rest being used by the bauxite industry,
electricity generation, and aviation. Jamaica produces enormous quantities of
hydrous ethanol (5% water content), most of which appears to be consumed as
beverages, and none of it used as motor fuel. Facilities exist to refine hydrous
ethanol feedstock into anhydrous ethanol (0% water content), but the process
appears to be uneconomic at this time and the facility remains idle .
Communication
Jamaica has a fully digital telephone communication system with a mobile
penetration of over 95%. The country’s three mobile operators - Cable and
Wireless (marketed as bmobile), Digicel, and Oceanic Digital (operating as
MiPhone) - have spent millions in network upgrade and expansion. The Irish owned
Digicel has become a generic term for mobile phones in Jamaica. Both Digicel and
Oceanic Digital were granted licenses in 2001 to operate mobile services in the
newly liberalised telecom market that had once been the sole domain of the
incumbent Cable and Wireless monopoly. Digicel opted for the more widely used
GSM wireless system, while Oceanic opted for the CDMA standard. Cable and
Wireless, which had begun with TDMA standard, subsequently upgraded to GSM, and
currently utilises both standards on its network. With wireless usage
increasing, land lines supplied by Cable and Wireless have declined from just
over half a million to roughly about three hundred thousand as of 2006. In a bid
to grab more market share, Cable and Wireless recently launched a new land line
service called HomeFone Prepaid that would allow customers to pay for minutes
they use rather than pay a set monthly fee for service, much like prepaid
wireless service. A new entrant to the Jamaican communications market, Flow
Jamaica, recently laid a new submarine cable connecting Jamaica to the United
States. This new cable increases the total number of submarine cables connecting
Jamaica to the rest of the world to four. In its 'Watch, Talk,Click' campaign,
Flow Jamaica is also currently rolling out several residential services: Cable
Television, Digital Telephone, and Broadband Internet. Island-wide coverage
however, is not yet available.
Two more licenses were auctioned by the Jamaican government to provide mobile
services on the island, including one that was previously owned by AT&T Wireless
but never utilised, and one new licence. Industry analysts argue that with a
near market saturation, there is very little room for new operators.
Military
The Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) is the small but professional military force of
Jamaica. The JDF is based upon the British military model with organisation,
training, weapons and traditions closely aligned with Commonwealth realms. Once
chosen, officer candidates are sent to one of several British or Canadian basic
officer courses depending upon which arm of service they are selected for.
Enlisted soldiers are given basic training at JDF Training Depot, Newcastle or
Up Park Camp, both in St. Andrew. As on the British model, NCOs are given
several levels of professional training as they rise up the ranks. Additional
military schools are available for speciality training in Canada, the United
States and the United Kingdom.
The JDF is directly descended from the British West Indies Regiment formed
during the colonial era. The West Indies Regiment was used extensively by the
British Empire in policing the empire from 1795 to 1926. Other units in the JDF
heritage include the early colonial Jamaica Militia, the Kingston Infantry
Volunteers of WWI and reorganised into the Jamaican Infantry Volunteers in World
War II. The West Indies Regiment was reformed in 1958 as part of the West Indies
Federation. The dissolution of the Federation resulted in the establishment of
the JDF.
The Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) comprises an infantry Regiment and Reserve
Corps, an Air Wing, a Coast Guard fleet and a supporting Engineering Unit. The
infantry regiment contains the 1st, 2nd and 3rd (National Reserve) battalions.
The JDF Air Wing is divided into three flight units, a training unit, a support
unit and the JDF Air Wing (National Reserve). The Coast Guard element is divided
between sea-going crews and support crews. It conducts maritime safety and
maritime law enforcement as well as defence-related operations. The support
battalion contains a Military Police platoon as well as vehicle, armourers and
supply units. The 1st Engineer Regiment provides military engineering support to
the JDF. The Headquarters JDF contains the JDF Commander, Command Staff as well
as Intelligence, Judge Advocate office, Administrative and Procurement sections.
In recent years the JDF has been called upon to assist the nation's police, the
Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) in fighting drug smuggling and a rising crime
rate which includes one of the highest murder rates in the world. JDF units
actively conduct armed patrols with the JCF in high-crime areas and known gang
neighbourhoods. There has been vocal controversy as well as support of this JDF
role. In early 2005, an Opposition leader, Edward Seaga, called for the merger
of the JDF and JCF. This has not garnered support in either organisation nor
among the majority of citizens.
Culture
Main articles: Culture of Jamaica, Music of Jamaica, and Jamaican literature
Though a small nation, Jamaica is rich in culture, and has a strong global
presence. The musical genres reggae, ska, mento, rocksteady, dub, and, more
recently, dancehall and ragga all originated in the island's vibrant popular
urban recording industry. Internationally known reggae musician Bob Marley was
born in Jamaica and is very respected there. Many other internationally known
artists were born in Jamaica including Lee "Scratch" Perry, Peter Tosh, Bunny
Wailer, Jimmy Cliff, Dennis Brown, Desmond Dekker, Beres Hammond, Beenie Man,
Shaggy, Grace Jones, Shabba Ranks, Supercat, Buju Banton, Sean Paul, I Wayne,
Capleton, Bounty Killer and many others. Famous band artist groups that came
from Jamaica include Black Uhuru, Third World Band, Inner Circle, Chalice Reggae
Band, Fab Five, and Morgan Heritage. The genre jungle emerged from London's
Jamaican diaspora. The birth of hip-hop in New York also owed much to the city's
Jamaican community.
Christianity remains a strong influence on cultural life, particularly in music.
Most people learn their music at church, and Biblical references are often used
in popular songs. It is not uncommon for musicians to be playing dancehall music
on Saturday night, and church music on Sunday morning.
The Rastafari movement was founded in Jamaica. This Back to Africa movement
believes that Haile Selassie of Ethiopia was God incarnate, the returned black
messiah, come to take the lost Twelve Tribes of Israel back to live with him in
Holy Mount Zion in a world of perfect peace, love and harmony. Bob Marley, a
convert to the faith, spread the message of Rastafari to the world. There are
now estimated to be more than a million Rastafarians throughout the world.
Ian Fleming, who lived in Jamaica, repeatedly used the island as a setting in
the James Bond novels, including Live and Let Die, Doctor No, For Your Eyes
Only, The Man with the Golden Gun and Octopussy. In addition, James Bond uses a
Jamaica based cover in Casino Royale. So far, the only Bond film to have been
set in Jamaica is Doctor No. However, filming for the fictional island of San
Monique in Live and Let Die was shot in Jamaica.
The American film Cocktail, starring Tom Cruise, is one of the most popular
films to depict Jamaica. A look at delinquent youth in Jamaica is presented in
the 1970s cops-and-robbers musical film The Harder They Come, starring Jimmy
Cliff as a frustrated (and psychopathic) reggae musician who descends into a
murderous crime spree.
Errol Flynn lived with his third wife Patrice Wymore in Port Antonio in the
1950s. He was responsible for developing tourism to this area, popularising raft
trips down rivers on bamboo rafts.
National Bird — Doctor Bird (Green-and-black Streamertail, Trochilus polytmus)
National Flower — Lignum Vitae (Guaiacum officinale)
National Tree — Blue Mahoe (Hibiscus elatus)
National Dish — Ackee and Saltfish (dried salted Cod)
National Motto — "Out of Many, One People." (Unity among many cultures and
races.)
Sport
Jamaicans, in general, have a large interest in sports. Cricket, Football
(soccer), athletics and horse-racing are several popular sports. The Jamaican
national cricket team competes regionally, and also provides players for the
West Indies. The national football team qualified for the 1998 FIFA World Cup.
The athletics team has been well represented at the Olympics, World
Championships and other major athletics events over the years with leading
athletes obtaining medals. Asafa Powell, world record holder in the 100m for men
at 9.74s is among a rich heritage of Jamaican athletes to compete on the world
stage. The bobsled team has been a serious contender in the Winter Olympics,
beating many well-established teams.
There is a notable amount of golf in Jamaica, but it appears to be focused on
the international tourism market. A typical first-class golf estate is the
Tryall Club near Montego Bay. Also near to Montego Bay is the White Witch
course, and Cinnamon Hill. Jamaican nationals do not appear to engage with golf
to any great extent.
Crime
A darker side of Jamaican culture is endemic, high levels of violent crime.
Jamaica has had one of the highest murder rates in the world for many years
ranking third after South Africa and Brazil according to UN estimates. Jamaica's
Former Prime Minister P.J. Patterson described the situation as "a national
challenge of unprecedented proportions". Some commentators associate the high
levels of violence with the thousands of Jamaican criminals being deported back
to the island each year from the United States, Britain and Canada alone, and in
recent years Jamaican murder rates have reached in excess of 575% of those in
the United States on a per capita basis
RuneScape is a Java-based
MMORPG operated by Jagex Ltd. With over nine million active free accounts and
more than one million paid member accounts, RuneScape is rated among the most
popular online games in the world. More than five million unique players access
their accounts to play RuneScape at least once per month. RuneScape offers both
free and subscription content and is designed to be accessible from any location
with an Internet connection and to run in an ordinary web browser without
straining system resources. One of the best website that discussed various
gamers' issues is IJFG.com IJFG.COM
Internet Junction For Gamers Internet Junction
For Gamers, Runescape Market and More IJFG.COM This site has Jokes, Pranks, Runescape and other cool games at IJFG.COM. RuneScape is set in a medieval
fantasy world, similar to "Guild Wars" or "EverQuest", where players control
character representations of themselves. As with most massive multiplayer online roleplaying games (MMORPG), there is no overall objective or end to the game.
Players explore, form alliances, perform optional tasks, and complete quests for
rewards and to build character's skills.
Internet Junction For Gamers, Runescape Market and More. IJFG.com IJFG.com
RuneScape takes place in the fantasy-themed realm of Gielinor, which is divided
into several different kingdoms, regions, and areas. Players can travel
throughout the gaming world on foot, by using magical teleportation spells or
devices, or mechanical means of transportation. Each region offers different
types of monsters, materials, and quests to challenge players. Players are shown
on the screen as customisable avatars. They set their own goals and objectives,
deciding which of the available activities to pursue. There is no linear path
that must be followed. Players can engage in combat with other players or with
monsters, complete quests, or increase their experience in any of the available
skills. Players interact with each other through trading, chatting, or playing
combative or cooperative mini-games.
Internet Junction For Gamers, Runescape Market and More IJFG.COM
IJFG.com
Contact Information
Call our office today to set up an appointment. Learn more about how we can
help you, and learn more about the other services that we can offer you. All
messages we receive will be answered as soon as possible. We look forward to
hearing from you.
- Electronic mail
- General Information:
