It appears that the JLP has inadvertedly introduced "Race, Gender & Class" into the election by playing(patronizing)the audience in South St. Elizabeth ( a place universally associated with brownings) with their pretty woman bonnununus statement.
Not sure how this will play out, as this is Jamaica and our brain washed heads are usually in the sand, as the general sentiment is: "we dont have a "race" problem in Jamaica, our issue is class"
Oftentimes the correlation between Class and Race is not obvious i.e. they are 1st cousins; otherwise 6 and half dozen are the same. Race, Class and Gender is too sensitive to be causally treated in an election campaign. This is an unfortunate mis-step by the JLP leadership.
The JLP can least afford to make this error, as racial divisions are obvious and exploitable; slippery slope Mr. Vaz....you should be more careful the demographic are not in your party's favour. Mr. Holness your party should issue an immediate apology clarifying the statements, B4 it gathers negative steam, which already started.
Is the JLP willing to accept the votes of 'those' very, very black women that are not necessarily viewed as being 'pretty'; while simulatneously disqualifying them from being selected to represent the party? This is called 'JLPEXPLOITRACISM'
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'Brownings, please'
Published: Sunday | September 11, 2011 204 Comments
Correction & Clarification
The Gleaner wishes to reiterate and clarify that the picture of the model which appeared in The Sunday Gleaner of September 11, under the headline 'Brownings, please', was in no way meant to depict that the model in the photo in any way benefited from or was associated with the discriminatory practice described in the said story. The Gleaner regrets any inconvenience or embarrassment occasioned to the model by the publication.
... Several local businesses asking state-owned employment agency for light-skinned trainees
Tyrone Reid, Enterprise Reporter
A hundred and seventy-seven years after slavery was abolished in the British West Indies, Jamaica's national training agency - HEART Trust - still has to deal with colour-prejudiced employers who are requesting that trainees be brown or light-skinned as a prerequisite for employment in their firms.
A highly placed source at HEART Trust told our news team that on the one hand, some employers note the discriminatory requests on forms provided by HEART Trust under a section that asks them to list specifications that the prospective trainee should meet.
On the one hand, some employers spew out their bigoted requirement to the face of the HEART Trust's training agents or training support officers. "Some are brazen enough," the source said.
"We have had certain firms that have required persons of a certain complexion," said the well-placed informant, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak with the media.
"I was very blown by the request," said a HEART Trust employee who personally have dealt with clients making such requests. "We try our best not to (accommodate the discrimination) … sometimes we try to ignore the request," the employee added.
Our news team understands that in a bid to discourage the discrimination, HEART Trust often drop entities that make such requests, from the list of establishments trainees are sent to for job experience.
The colour-specific requests come from proprietors, personnel managers or the administrative staff who are asked to handle the process of securing trainees for the organisation.
Meanwhile, The Sunday Gleaner source pointed out that the prejudice usually surfaces when employers are seeking trainees to fill "front counter staff" positions as those persons are deemed to be the face of the organisation.
Noted psychologist Dr Leahcim Semaj, who is also CEO of the Job Bank - an entity that screens and assesses prospective employees for its corporate clients - said the skin-tone discrimination is still clear and present but has largely retreated underground.
"It is usually not articulated. I have heard of it. Years ago it was more specific for front-line positions such as receptionists and those dealing specifically with clients.
"There was a time in Jamaica that it (being of a light complexion) was one of the criteria to work in a bank," said Semaj.
He added: "It still is (a problem). You can't blatantly come out and say it (because) Jamaica is still a black country (therefore) it is not something they can come out and say but they will find subtle ways."
The psychologist explained that many people in Jamaica are still of the opinion that persons with lighter complexion are more attractive.
tyrone.reid@gleanerjm.com
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Women's group cries foul over JLP campaign statements
Published: Thursday | December 22, 2011 17 Comments
Nadisha Hunter, Staff Reporter
In the wake of recent statements made by members of the governing Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), which zeroed in on the party's love for women, a coalition of women is demanding a clear shift in attitude and campaigning leading up to the general election.
Recently, West Portland JLP candidate Daryl Vaz said during a mass rally in Junction, St Elizabeth, that the JLP is fielding "13 'boonoonoonus' pretty woman" in the election".
Prime Minister Andrew Holness and JLP Deputy Leader Dr Christopher Tufton also weighed in on the love for women at the rally.
The 51% Coalition said the JLP platform statements demean and undermine Jamaican women.
This is the second time since the start of the week that concerns have been raised about the statements.
The People's National Party Women's Movement had condemned the comments, saying the JLP candidates' statements were belittling of the contribution that women could and have made to the political process in Jamaica.
The release by the groups was yesterday sent by Marcia Forbes, one-time political aide of former JLP leader and Prime Minister Bruce Golding.
Demeaning
"The statement coming from the JLP platform suggests that women candidates are not celebrated for their intelligence but only valued for looks, valued primarily as objects of men's love, without a focus on their multiple competencies," the statement read.
"This includes our strong management and leadership skills, capacity and commitment to our families."
The 51% Coalition, which references the percentage of persons in the population whose gender is female, suggested that women have been selected by the JLP as a result of beauty and body only, and a strategy to pull the female vote to the party.
"This we find to be demeaning to female candidates, and to all Jamaican women. We insist that women participating in the political process are not to be seen as competitors in a contest about beauty and sexuality, but as persons seeking to be involved in serious nation building," the statement read.
"We want to see respect for women and men of integrity who put themselves forward. We want to see practical proposals that will result in the early implementation of the National Policy on Gender Equality," the group said.
"We want to have commitment to implement-ation of quotas that will see all public-sector boards, and the Senate having as members, no less than 40 per cent and no more than 60 per cent of either sex," it further stated.
Among the persons who signed the release are the Association of Women's Organisations in Jamaica, Institute for Gender and Development Studies - Mona Unit, Women's Resource and Outreach Centre and Women's Media Watch Jamaica.
nadisha.hunter@gleanerjm.com
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