The first seven days of the Donald Trump presidency have been marked by the biggest one-day global protest in history, an executive order to install a disputed oil pipeline, plans to withhold federal funding for ‘sanctuary cities’, and the detention of two Iraqi men at JFK airport after the US Government introduced a system of ‘extreme vetting’.

The Washington Post reports, “One of the Iraqi men detained at JFK is Sameer Abdulkhaleq Alshawi, 33, who holds a visa that allowed him to join his wife and young child in Texas… The other detainee is Hameed Khalid Darweesh, 53, who had worked as a contractor for the US Government in Iraq for about a decade, including as an interpreter for the army. He and his wife and three children had spent more than two years securing a special immigrant visa, granted to Iraqis who assisted US military forces.”

The Jamaican folk song Nobody’s business may persuade us to stay silent, but then there is also another song that reminds us, “No man is an island/ No man stands alone/Each man’s joy is joy to me/Each man’s grief is my own.”

Mayor of Boston Martin Walsh showed his humanity as he spoke out against the threat to cut funds to US ‘sanctuary cities’. Such cities are defined as those “that follow certain procedures that shelter illegal immigrants. These procedures can be by law (de jure) or they can be by action (de facto)”.

NBC News quoted Mayor Walsh, the son of Irish immigrants: “I want to say directly to anyone who feels threatened today, or vulnerable: You are safe in Boston. We will do everything lawful in our power to protect you. If necessary, we will use City Hall itself to shelter and protect anyone who’s targeted unjustly.”

While President Trump reaffirms his support of Christians, may he also remember the response of Christ, when He was asked, “Who is my neighbour?” Jesus’s parable of the Samaritan who stops to rescue someone foreign to him makes it clear that we have a responsibility to our fellow humans, regardless of race or religion. May President Trump’s spiritual advisors guide him to this realisation.

Creative way to help UWI students

Carla Seaga, executive director of the UWI Development Fund (UWIDEF), said that one day a man was spotted stoning a mango tree outside her office on the campus. It turned out that it was a student foraging for his lunch. There are so many hungry students for whom UWIDEF, with the support of United Way, has established a feeding programme so that such students can enjoy at least one hot meal per day.

She was speaking at a presentation of the UWIDEF MonaView fund-raising project. Guest speaker Earl Jarrett, perennial volunteer and philanthropist, emphasised that “Education is not an option — It is a clear necessity.” In Jarrett and Dennis Lalor, founder and chairman of UWIDEF, we saw two outstanding Jamaican business leaders who were donating their time, talent and treasure to promote the welfare of bright but needy young Jamaicans. Folks of my time enjoyed highly subsidised fees, and so we should consider it our duty to give back to UWIDEF.

This MonaView digital advertising programme asks not for a handout but for a partnership in what will be a mutually beneficial arrangement. For modest fees, advertisers can show their products on 11 screens on The University of the West Indies campuses in Kingston and Montego Bay, as well as the University Hospital of the West Indies, where the traffic is in the tens of thousands. Who better to sell your advertising message but articulate, trend-setting university students, many of whom are already community leaders?

JSB Vision Centre

Last Thursday we attended the launch of the Jamaica Society for the Blind vision centre by Governor General Sir Patrick Allen. It has been serving individuals with “low vision”. They described “low vision” as a significant reduction of visual function that cannot be fully corrected by glasses, contact lenses, medical treatment, or surgery. The centre, sponsored by the Government of Japan, National Health Fund and Digicel Foundation, among others, will be assisting people with this condition to be trained in the use of low vision devices and aids. It is hoped that, as a result of this, more of these individuals will be able to find or create employment opportunities.

We have a great example in Senator Floyd Morris, a well-educated user of digital platforms. He was able to achieve his degrees by using voice-recognition technology to prepare his papers. I remember visiting a factory in Kingston where two blind workers were rated as the fastest and most punctual. Those of us who have been blessed with all our senses intact should express our thanksgiving by finding ways in which we can empower others.

Phases of ageing

At our monthly International Women’s Forum meeting, led by Chairman Camille Facey, we enjoyed an enlightening address by Professor Denise Eldemire-Shearer on the ‘Phases of Ageing’. She reminded us that growing older happens from the day we are born, and that one should stay positive about our various phases of life.

She described one of her patients, a hale and hearty 90-year-old farmer who was busy in his field, in contrast to younger individuals who consider themselves ‘old’ at retirement age, and therefore acted the part. She emphasised the importance of exercise and said that, in spite of the aches and pains that may come with later years, one should consciously work at moving about as much as possible.

Professor Eldemire-Shearer recommended that it was important to have social interaction to nurture relationships with others and encouraged us to continue our voluntary work, as individuals involved in church and community projects, were happier and healthier.

Eldemire-Shearer also said that one should promote awareness of the challenges of ageing among younger Jamaicans so that they can exercise more patience with the elderly. She bemoaned the fact that some 80 per cent of Jamaicans do not have a pension, and called for a safety net be put in place to protect the elderly.

Those ‘Bolt’ headlines!

A writer for the India Times once described Usain Bolt’s name as “a gift from the grinning gods”. It seems that international media are using this gift to the maximum, with the Nesta Carter test failure taking second place to Bolt who, as a member of Jamaica’s Beijing Olympics 4×100 relay team, will lose his gold medal along with fellow members Carter, Asafa Powell, Michael Frater, and Dwight Thomas. Bolt has made it clear that in no way does this development diminish his accomplishments. We will wait and see what the appeal brings. Stay strong, Jamaican brothers!

lowriechin@aim.com

www.lowrie-chin.blogspot.com