Campbell's Commentary - THE CHAIN IS STILL AROUND THE BRAIN

By Aubrey Campbell

A photo of the hairstyle of the girl who was reportedly refused full access to Kensington Primary.

NEW YORK, NY. Tuesday, August 4, 2020 – My fellow Jamaicans, I bring you greetings and best wishes on the occasion of the 58 Anniversary of Independence, that momentous occasion on August 6, 1962, when a new nation was birthed from the shackles of the plantocracy and its regime of servitude!

With a lot of malice, our leaders were given the proverbial basket to carry water that would enact political, social and economic advancement.

No sooner had the bucket gone to the well that the bottom fell out.

That’s my understanding, that’s my take away from the conversation, and a rather robust one at that, on why at 58 years in, Jamaica’s economic growth is at best, stunted!

As one conversant stated, with much emphasis, our leaders up to most recently, were schooled in the British system and so, while the Independence was signed off on parchment paper, it was never enacted through appropriate legislation.

Case in point. The 7 year old female student who is being barred from school due to her dreadlocked hairstyle…in 2020!

That is colonialism!

How often we hear the comparison between Jamaica and Singapore and the levels of their growth socially and economically?

How often you come across the list of ‘first’ and the many times that little Jamaica is mentioned, the first to have running water, the first to have electricity, the first to have a commuter railway system, and the list goes on.

And that was before the Union Jack was lowered. In other words, we were well on our way to being a prosperous, post-colonial nation with men on the frontlines who dared to be shot!

So, what happened, and is there any truth to the argument that a frustrated monarchy was too eager to get rid of the rebellious Jamaicans, resulting in a basket and not a pail?

My knowledge of West Indian history stopped at the Eleventh Grade, so I welcome your perspective on this niggling subject that there is nothing to celebrate!

The court ruling on the part of a 7 year old girl, barring her from school because of her dreadlocks, should not have been. This case has so much precedent that the parliament of the land through its ministry of education, should have had this one gazetted, long time!

The case hinges on an ‘ugly’ part of our colonial legacy, that the European standard is the sole and only measurement of decency and dignity! That a stiff upper lip and straight hair, are the acceptable norm, nothing else!

And, if you accept that then you also accept the fact that the Rastafarian is still a persecuted and frowned upon sect in Jamaica, still…to this day!

The Livity of the Rastafarian is that the comb is not a part of their lifestyle, in the same way the flesh of animals and birds are not a part of their dietary intake!

Carlyle McKetty who spends much of his time these days as the guardian of our popular culture, on this side of the oceanic divide, could hardly contain his disgust at the thought that the justice system would consider the hairstyle to dirty and filthy, hence its ruling!

What about hygiene that the courts would rule in favor of the system and against the child, he asked?

Forty and fifty years ago, principals got away with this kind of schooling, in part because the boys who wore dreadlocks, were the ones who would go to the far reaches of the school compound to burn a spliff and kick some ball, during school hours!

That was not acceptable, then!

As a prefect and deputy school captain, I knew them all and I reported on them, because and despite everything else, they came to school with a bright future and I, like the faculty and their parents, wanted them to leave with a working education.

At that time, ‘Learn or Leave’ was not debatable!

What is debatable, a half a century later, is the dissonance among those charged with fashioning the education landscape.

Which brings me to a statement by/from the prime minister, expressing concern surrounding the case of the female student and the primary school in St. Catherine.

Remember now, this is the same prime minister who has served in the capacity of minister of education. So, what happened, then?

“This government does not believe that there should be any law, which could be interpreted to deny access to a citizen merely on the basis of their hairstyle.”

The PM goes on to say, ‘this (his) government believes it is time to review and amend the Education Act to reflect a modern and culturally inclusive position that protects our children from being barred from any education institution on the basis of wearing locs (sic) as an ordinary hairstyle irrespective of religious reasons’.

In handing down the decision, the justices noted that the rights of the student were not violated.

Well, there you go!

Mr. Prime Minister, in the context of the global currency, you must act now and act decisive. Nothing else MATTERS!

Oops! Something else does matter. Pardon me.

The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has finally gotten its act together and have declared the winner of the March 2 election, as the opposition Peoples Progressive Party/Civic, with a 2-seat majority in the 62 seat House of Representatives.

As it stands right now, two rounds for the PPP/Civic. Zero for the APNU/AFC coalition. Round three is about to start!

Jamaicans celebrated Emancipation Day on Saturday, August 1. The Caribbean region observed Emancipation Day on the first Monday – August Monday – of the month, yesterday, and on Thursday, August 6, Jamaicans will again, ‘Celebrate, Jamaica 58’, Resilient and Strong.

Your responsibility will be to celebrate, responsibly!

I Thank you.

You have the floor!

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Editor’s note. Aubrey Campbell is producer/host of Caribbean Conversation, airing Sundays, 2 – 4 pm, on WVIP, 93.5 FM, and streaming on the Wee Radio and Caribzone Networks at, www.weeradioonline.com and www.caribzone.com, respectively.