National Affairs: Can Kingston [ever] Become the City it's meant to Be?

As a boy of a bout 9 or 10, I used to often accompany my mother to her weekday workplace of Worker's Bank (now defunct) on Tower Street, named, I'm guessing, for the towers of the infamous prison at the eastern end.

Whilst I had little interest in the intricacies of commercial banking, I cherished these trips for exposing the heart of the capital city, and in particular, the waterfront area, as fine an example of a port city as exists in this hemisphere.

Even then, 40 years ago, there was repeated talk about expansion and renewal of the city, of making it into an even greater urban centre - of rehabilitating the blighted settlements ringing the city centre to the north, east and west. Of expanding the harbour, of fostering culture an entertainment.

Four decades, and several political regimes later, there is again talk from Government about "renewal" and the usual committees have been formed, and there was news just this week of a "point man" of sorts to oversee this latest round of toing and froing.

This latest iteration of renewal has seen Cabinet approve the expansion of the downtown Kingston Urban Renewal project to boost investment in the area.

    

Daryl Vaz, Minister with responsibility for Investment, says the expanded development area will include sections of Kingston and Port Royal.

Yeaahhh.....right. I could do a whole other article on the many grand plans to capitalize on the undeniably rich history of the former pirate capital, but with Disney already way ahead of us on that score, and also four "Pirates of the Caribbean" already funnelling revenues from the Port Royal story into foreign hands (a fifth is reportedly due next year), I may be forgiven for not being too hopeful on that score.

    

What is being heavily touted on this go-round is something called the Urban Renewal Tax Incentive Programme. Under this (latest) proposal, investors will benefit from urban renewal bonds, investment tax credit, tax parental income and exemption from transferred tax and stamp duty among other things

In the official spiel, The Tax Incentive Programme for Urban Renewal was first introduced to downtown Kingston in 1995 and was subsequently extended to Port Royal in 1996, Montego Bay in 2000 and Spanish Town in 2008.

The Tax Incentive Programme is managed by the UDC, on behalf of the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service and aims to garner the support of the private sector in arresting urban decay by encouraging the redevelopment of property in blighted areas.

The programme accomplishes this by enabling persons who either own or lease property in areas defined as special development areas to access incentives to redevelop the properties under the Urban Renewal (Tax Relief) Act which was established in 1995. A special development area is one which is declared by the minister responsible for urban development for the purpose of urban renewal.

Under the Tax Incentive Programme, tax relief is offered to companies or individuals undertaking capital investments in either land or buildings.  These can be residential or commercial holdings. Tax Incentives are offered to both owners and lessees of property in the Special Development Areas.

The four incentives offered are Urban Renewal Bonds, Investment Tax Credit, Tax Free Rental Income and Exemption from Transfer Tax. Organizations such as GraceKennedy Limited, Guardsman Group, NEM Insurance Company Ltd and Courts are among beneficiaries of this programme

The Government is also dreaming of a return of cruise shipping to Kingston, in the manner that presently obtains forthe ports of Montego Bay, Ocho Rios and Falmouth. This, the PM and the developmment Minister say,  involves the construction of a cruise ship pier and a dramatic revitalisation and restoration of Kingston's downtown and harbour front areas, along with existing places of interest.

Well, if the kind of work that has been done, and is continuing, in Falmouth could be replicated in Kingston, then i would - notwithstanding environmental and sociological concerns, be among the first to cheer.

But much of the Jamaican Government modus operandi (both Parties) over te past 40 years or so  leaves me less than optimistic.

For instance, it remains impossible to have the streets of downtown Kingston kept in any semblance of order, much less attractiveness. I'm not expecting them to be pristine, but the truly anarchic sprawl of   economically desperate coupled with the outcomes of official neglect - effluent sewage, uncollected garbage, blighted landmarks - is gonna require far more than  grand pronouncements.

The preservation and restoration of national heritage sites such as the Ward Theatre, for example, is urgent, more so now that the gleaming PetroCaribe-funded Bolivar Centre stands almost right nextto it in mocking splendour.

the area in front of the once great theatre is now an informal depot for route taxis and, yes, staging area for individuals selling everything from snacks to basic school supplies to bootleg DVDs to weed.

One of the great city centres and portsides arguably in the world, and certainly in this hemisphere, remains essentiall untamed.

this is partly (you might, depending on your perspective, say largely or entirely) due to the complex and even confusing divisions and overlaps that have been allowed to spring up and fester by uncaring politicians on both sides in their unbridled lust for power. Today, while those "borderlines" and greay areas are not enforced with the quasi-military intensity of the 70s and 80s, they still work against one of the key ingredients of successful urban renewal: standardization.

Each new "plan"   -  Former World Bank country representative, Giorgio Valentini, highlighted in July 2014 that "there are 10 or 15 different plans" which have all "been done in isolation" - arrives with its own baggage of myopia in deference to undrawn but implicit power lines. Until we decode and get past this legacy, then we'll easy slip through another 40 or 50- year time warp with nothing fundamentally changing

One of the things I'd like to see Kingston renewal plans really take into account (no patronising) is what UNESCO has recognised by designating the capital as one of 10 Creative Cities for Music. The designation, made late last year, is long over sue recognition for the symbiotic relationship between the city and its sounds - sounds which now reverberate across the globe.

When we truly give music and the creative arts - all of them - pride of place in the schematic of redevelopment, only then will Kingston truly come to life and attract global interest. This has already been proven on a smaller but no less impressive scale by the courageous work of the Kingston On the Edge (KOTE) conceptualisers. the annual festival has, against the odds, deftly showcased the nuanced riches of the city and drawn growing international attention.

if there was a KOTE every week or or even every month then, trust me, the rest of the officialand economic master plan would be a proverbial snap; visitors would flock, investors would eaglerly sniff and global media would come trotting in eager to capture, explore and share 9albeit not in equal proportion) .

This is obvious to every person who's ever gone to Rae Town, marvelled at the Roktowa and other creative stands during KOTE, or even massed at Half way Tree or Parade (downtown square) to witness our track athletes best the world during the Olympics or World Championships. Simply, Kingston is more than the waterfront and the few stratified and overrun city blocks - it is Dub Club on the precipice of Skyline Drive every bit as much as it is the National Gallery auditorium on last Sundays or the Edna Manley College Amphitheatre every last Tuesday for Poetry Jam.

These are the assets  that Governments have thus far grossly undervalued. But i for one, remain stubbornly (defiantly?) optimistic that the pace of change will move from glacial to something more discernible.

i can think no more apt final point for this piece than the words of the late journalist Jane Jacobs who wrote in  The Death and Life of Great American Cities (1961): "Cities have the capability of providing something for everybody, only because, and only when, they are created by everybody"

Let's come together around that guidepost, can we?

Politics: Had Lisa [Hanna] Led....

First, I do not often write opinion pieces on Jamaican politics - contending with die-hards of either party seems so often to be a battle with no victors.

Second, I carry no brief for Lisa Hanna. Apart form the overall sense of narcissism - understandable, given both her present occupation and its antecedents - I believe her tenure as Minister was, at best, a mixed bag, a work-in-progress that does not reflect sufficient progress.

So what, apart from the fact of the impending PNP Leadership race, would have led me  to put this together?

Specifically, an article in the Jamaica Observer of Sunday Sep 11, titled "Lisa's Tough Climb". (right). The article details both support for and opposition to Hanna'a candidacy for one of the party's four Vice-Presidential posts.

Actually, it was a quote, attributed to an unnamed "member of the party hierarchy" to the effect that Hanna has not yet "served her apprenticeship" or paid her dues.

What????

even to a rank outsider like myself, that is preposterously offensive.The party, having lost the General elections, and far from certain in the impending(?) Local government poll, is still struggling to digest a report from its own Internal Committee, which examined the reasons for the election defeat. Aside from the party leader's  refusal to participate in national Debates, the disconnect between the party and both the public at large and its own constituents, a disconnect in no small way linked to the perception that the "hierarchy" has outlived its usefulness and should, in the Jamaican parlance, "tek weh itself".

It hasn't, choosing instead to focus on Hanna's (long) prior affiliation with the Jamaica Labour Party and the perceived deficit in dues. This, while making a presumptive winner of sitting VP Fenton Ferguson, an individual who bungled his way through the Health portfolio to a breathtaking degree.

All of which, leads me to a bit of speculation (hallucination, some of you might say). what if Hanna had actually led the party in the last election? What if President Portia Simpson Miller had chosen - in a manner similar to Bruce Golding (albeit under different circumstances) to demit office before the "natural" end of her term an hand over the reins to the younger, more media-savvy and forward-looking candidate.

Would that in and of itself propelled the PNP to victory? Maybe, maybe not. We really can't tell. But we do know this. The PNP lost 9 seats that it held prior to February 25, and a good number of those to first-time political opponents. Would Hanna's "change-minded" agenda have been able to sniff out those shifts and counter a least some of them, enough to see the "party of NW Manley" retain the majority at Gordon House?

I suspect she would, though I submit that she's not the only one who could. The PNP, to its credit, has a number of bright young candidates generating significant goodwill among the populace. Deputy General secretary Julian Robinson is one such, though he arguably lacks the charisma to galvanize the new generation?

As the Observer article indicates, and really, as has been obvious over the last couple of years, Hanna is not universally liked within the Party. But she has organized well enough to retain major seat - a seat the PNP has in fact never lost, regardless of the overall outcome of General Elections She's smart, articulate and yes, easy on the eyes (as the now infamous bikini photo at top reminds us), and ii might be THE critical factor but its still a factor. And, equally important, she's demonstrated that she can stay in the proverbial kitchen and function even when the heat is way up.

Could it be, that just as she did by not debating the Opposition, that Portia Simpson miller missed a major opportunity by a) - mistiming her exit, and b) - not making the kind of radical shift in leadership that Hanna represents. Hanna as President would have changed the entire tenor of the political conversation in this country. And, whereas not ALL  the undoubted foreign media interest would be favourable, it would certainly be substantial: a "Third World' country transitioning from one woman leader to another when Uncle Sam is , even now, having conniptions about putting a woman in for the first time.

So yes, Lisa Hann may well be facing an uphill battle for hearts and minds in the demoralised PNP and yes, she is presently seeking the VP post and not the Presidency. Even assuming she succeeds in her bid at this Conference, with the incumbent as yet unwilling to give up the spotlight, and with other contenders biding their time, the leadership is still some ways away.

But the great luxury of the past (and, to a lesser extent, the present) is the ability to speculate on a  different kind of future - just for a change

WheRe WordS WanDer #4: A shoo-in

The conventional spelling of the noun meaning a sure winner is shoo-in, not shoe-in. The term uses the verb shoo, which means to urge something in a desired direction, usually by waving one’s arms. The idea behind the word is that the person being shooed—for example, into the winner’s circle, into a job, or into a field of award nominees—is such a lock that we can shoo him or her in without hesitation.

The term originated in the early 20th century. The earliest instances relate to horse racing, with the shoo-ins being horses that are destined to win through either dominance or race fixing. The earliest instance listed in the OED is from 1928, and we are unable to find any examples from earlier. The word seems to have blown up in the 1930s, though, and historical Google News and Books searches uncover numerous examples from that decade and the 40s. By the 1960s it was in use outside horse racing.

Whoopi Plays God, Obama Plays Matchmaker: Review Double-Bill

Unfortunately, Whoopi Goldberg playing God, the setting of New Orleans (still in recovery mode, but vibrant), and the addition of Gael Garica Bernal do not quite add up to 'A Little Bit of Heaven'.

The Kate Hudson vehicle is a pleasant enough diversion, but neither the comedy nor the romance have sufficient intensity or zing to really pull the viewer in until almost at the end. Kate plays a successful ad exec and commitment-phobe who is suddenly diagnosed with colon cancer (yes, we'll strive to avoid the cliche). The bearer of this bad news is a "terminally" (okay, we're weak) stiff but ambitious oncologist (Bernal) who's torn between his decidedly unprofessional stirrings for his new patient and his desire to progress in a special advance programme run by an even stiffer senior doctor.

In fairness, Bernal's performance becomes more appreciable once he and Hudson's character become "invovled"  as does that of Kathy Bates, who plays the mom with the victim mentality. And of course, we could not help but mention a few of the other support players: Lucy Punch as the pixieish, "down for whatever co-worker, Romany Malco doing both the token Black (sorry, Whoopi) and token gay male friend roles, and Peter Dinklage (no role is too small for him to blow up) as the "blind date/pick-me-up" recommended by said gay male friend (that encounter is a genuine hoot).

That said, its not a crowning achievement for writer/co-producer Gren Wells or director Nicole Kassell and - most disappointingly - this is a contemporary film set in New Orleans, and there are only two minute scenes involving live music/performance.

They may have been trying to escape formula, but sometimes knowing what you'll get beforehand increases the enjoyment.

Not so the case with the "aspiring" political romantic comedy "The Politics of Love". While the multiple conflicts engendered by the impending election of Barack Obama in 2008 seems fertile ground for the genre, The Politics of Love has all the flavour of an English sausage (apologies to our British friends). Jock-turned-actor Brian White (son of former NFL great Jo Jo White) reps for the Republicans, while straight-from-Bollywood hottie Mallika Sherawat is his bit of "Obama Massala".

The problem? Well, let's let's start with the acting gap. White is competent, and has presence, while the undoubtedly gorgeous Sherawat has all the effective range of my high-school spitballs. Watching them together is almost painful. Thankfully leaven comes in several forms: Anil Raman as the Dem's pothead, ne'er do well younger brother, and Loretta Devine (what hasn't she done?) Trinidad-born Gerry Bednob as her parents who, when they're not fighting, and splitting, and making up, run a restaurant.

The rest is an all-too predictable mish-mash (we're aware of our previous rubric) of movie cliches: bikini car wash, would-be Hooters girls, an obsessed TV news reporter smelling a big story, a manufactured scandal(guess which side is behind it) and so on and so forth.

Its already history of course - Barack wins. And love overcomes all hurts, the "bad guy" gets decked and even Indian and Soul Food learn to live together in harmony. All in one neat little 90-minute package. Yeah, riiiight. Republican Vice-Presidential running mate (and now occasional media gadfly) Sarah Palin inspired some far less insipid and testosterone-raising films than this - they just won't be filed under "family entertainment."

Playing Politicos: Ed Harris lands McCain role

Veteran actor Ed Harris has recently been cast as John McCain in the upcoming HBO original film, "Game Change." The movie, adapted from a book about the contentious 2008 US presidential election, will make Harris the first major Hollywood actor to portray the Arizona senator. Opinions on physical resemblance aside, it's hard to deny that Harris has the film cred to play a man who went from five years of captivity in Vietnam to elder politician and perennial presidential hopeful.

Playing famous Americans is familiar territory for Harris. His portrayal of space pioneer and bona fide hero John Glenn in 1983's "The Right Stuff" perfectly captured a pivotal chapter in American history. The fact that Harris is a dead-ringer for Glenn didn't hurt either.

Despite playing American heroes like Glenn, as well as NASA flight director Gene Kranz in "Apollo 13," Harris has a disarmingly believable dark side too. He's long been one of Hollywood's reliable steely-eyed tough guys, a persona he first put on display in 1980's "Borderline." The gritty film starred Charles Bronson as a border patrol agent charged with tracking down Harris's character, a smuggler who murders Bronson's fellow agent.

"Borderline" marked the first big role for Harris, and while it was neither a critical nor box office success, his portrayal of the cold-blooded villain made an impression on audiences. Harris would go on to play much deeper characters. Just look back on 1989's "Jacknife," in which Harris played a troubled Vietnam vet.

While alcoholic Vietnam veterans arguably became stock characters in Hollywood, Harris's portrayal of Dave in "Jacknife" is honest and emotionally gripping. As Harris's vet drowns himself in alcohol, unable to move on with his life after the death of a friend, he transforms a potential stereotype into a powerful, memorable character.

There's something about Harris's worn face that makes him able to bring a special authenticity to the screen. That authenticity works whether he's playing a Vietnam veteran or famed painter Jackson Pollock in 2000's "Pollock," as well as a poet dying of AIDS in the 2002 drama "The Hours." Both films had Harris demonstrating his nuance with performances as eclectic artists. The enigmatic Christof, creator of "The Truman Show," could also be counted among the artists Harris has portrayed.

John McCain may not be an artist, but Harris has the ideal screen presence to portray the senator. Harris has proven that he can pull off McCain's steely demeanor without making him seem like a one-dimensional caricature. Although Julianne Moore is likely to generate buzz as Sarah Palin, look for Harris to steal the show.

Men In Hats: 'The Adjustment Bureau' Trailer HD

"Hooray for 'Dick!' - as in Phillip K Dick.

That's certainly what Hollywood types must now be saying of the late sci-fi master, having now adapted at least seven of his works for the big screen (Blade Runner, Total Recall, Minority Report and others).

In this case, Dick's short story, the Adjustment Team, about a shadowy confederacy (complete with trench coats and fedoras) who direct the lives of mere mortals with the help of "magic DayRunners" starts of as a kind of 'Caucasian Obama fantasy'.

A wonder-boy politician (Damon) heads to the men's room of the Plaza Hotel in the aftermath of a stunning loss (people were already touting him for President) in the New York Senate race - owing, we are to believe, to the publication of an unflattering photo in - wait for it- The New York Post.

There he is surprised by aspiring dancer hiding from security after 'successfully' crashing a wedding. Its love at first sight, and ironically, its this fairly old-fashioned romance that sustains credibility as the movie twists and morphs through a couple of other sub-genres: conspiracy theory, Inception knock-off, and meditation on God and the seeming conflict of pre-destination and free will.

This multi-stop trip swings and careens engagingly through Manhattan, with Damon's character initially at the mercy of the "adjusters" then finding his footing and rushing headlong toward his goal. He's aided and abetted in this quest by a turncoat "adjuster" (seamlessly played by Anthony Mackie) and has to confront and outwit a higher-up (the always welcome Terence Stamp).

Truly though its Blunt who takes this movie. he combination of devil-may care sensuality personal ambition and  - increasingly as the film progresses - vulnerability and submission lift the film above the ever-present cesspool of cliches. Director George Noolfi, who graduates from screenwriter on the 'Bourne' series to director on this outing gives Damon plenty of latitude even as they recreate several of the frenetic chase scenes that typified the action-espionage franchise.

The Adjustment Bureau starts off with some degree of pretensions toward "seriousness" as in , Oscar-contender. It doesn't live up to those, but in shedding those those aspirations it actually becomes - as indeed many of the 'Dickian' adaptations are - a more than tolerable piece of entertainment - solid escapism that poses just enough of the right questions that you don't leave feeling totally empty