Half Way Tree (HWT) is One Big Market

 Let me declare that I love going to the market to get my fresh produce :-) Come to think of it, I haven't been to "Currie" in a while, where I not only get fresh produce but is also reminded that Jamaicans are tuly hardworking and a happy set of people.

Despite this love for my fresh produce :-) I have recently been noticing and getting upset by the fact that Half Way Tree is now one BIG HELLEVA MAAKIT. On every corner, on every walkway people are comfortably plying their wares, from ground provisions to clothing items to phone credit. All the sidewalks in the town, literally, are now strung with peddlers. And you better not step on anything that they are selling, regardless of it being in the walkway. Try your best and walk in the road if necessary to accommodate them or else…

The recent addition I have seen is a “roots man” right in front of Ping’s Fabric. All kinda bush and weird looking fruits are placed on a mat on the ground. I can only identify Noni. And to my amazement men just stop by, buy a botlle a “tun it right a dem head.” I know they are often hoping for a miracle when they get home. But that’s a different story.
 
As you walk along the NCB Bank in HWT (and everybody mus' kno dat bank wedda yuh come fr country or town) the string of ground provision hustlers increases daily. In fron’ a di bank tun maakit to!!I guess it's a strategic place...just in case you just withdrew some cash and is heading home, you are reminded forcefully that you will need food to take with you too. You can get bananas (green and ripened), cho-cho, callaloo, roasted breadfruit, yam, plaintains...just about anything.
 

HWT was obviously not properly planned. How can you have a town such as that with no market?????Well no legal space labeled as The Market, since now the whole commercial district is a market. That is just ridiculous. Are the authorities blind or dem just don’t care??Come on, there needs to be some reconsideration of the HWT town plan to see what can be done to address this issue. And Digicel please don’t come and give these vendors sheds like you have done for the ones opposite the NCB Bank!

Oh!It’s moving uptown too…I was travelling through Liguanea to work and when mi look a di bus stop right by the Scotiabank, an elderly man was busy unpacking his provisions which included but not limited to cho-cho, yam, banana, peppers among other things. He was unconcerned that this area was not designated for selling. For all he cares, he needs to eat a food!

Mind you, sometimes I really find them to be convenient, especially when I cyaa bodda to go down town and supermarket prices gives an instant headache,  but dem cyaaa jus sprawl off like that everywhere. But I guess it's "Jamaica, all maakit mon!"

That was just a quick thought so...talk up people :-)

Do not forget our BOYS :-)

I need attention too...

It is evident from history and contemporary statistics and theorizing that females have been discriminated against for many years. Female have been made to settle for lesser positions because of their sex, which is coupled with others factors such as race and class in some instances. This gave rise to numerous women’s groups who now try to convince themselves that they are gender activists when they really still do have an agenda solely for the elevation of women. In advancing the cause of women they often care very little about men since men they view men as the cause for the kinds of discrimination that women have been experiencing. But trying to fix the problems faced by women without involving men and boys will be fruitless.

As we seek to correct this ill of female discrimination and subordination and allow for more social and economic advancement of women, let us be careful not to neglect our boys. While I sure do see the need to ensure that girls are taught that they can lead and should fight against discrimination, not having men in the equation would create an imbalance similar to what we are trying to address with females.

 It is expected that women’s activists will say, “so what? women have been on that side for too long and so we need these unequal measures to correct the situation”. But I implore those who have the cause of gender equality at heart to be more conscious of the realities that there are disadvantaged groups of men too who needs attention and who have been discriminated against over the decades. Men too need to be engaged since the reality is that they are the gate-keepers and in the same way that women as a group is not homogenous, men are not either.

 If the needs of one gender are addressed and the other is left to suffer, this will not advance the cause of gender equality. I am for the empowerment and non-discrimination of women but not to the disadvantage of men. In that same breadth I would recommend that The Male Desk at the Bureau of Women’s Affairs be strengthened to work in tandem with the department(s) of the Bureau that deals with issues related to women. And by the way, The official name change of the Bureau of Women’s Affairs to The Bureau of Gender Affairs is long overdue.   

 Just a word from Talking Thomas :-)