The next decade....what's in store?
Musings of a yamfooted traveller still trying to shake off those last 20 pounds as she treks across the Caribbean
I was an HR Manager at a place that was unionized. I hated that part of the job, just because I think unions had to justify their existence and show their members that they were working for them.
Anyway, the JUTC is Jamaica's bus company. Always has problems, that company. Since Bruce Golding took over, he put his man as Chairman. Douglas Chambers.
Accountants are not known for their excellent people skills. Apparently his were VERY bad. There was tension from he took over. Apparently very abrasive and inconsiderate of the plight of workers. THe latest problem was when the Chairman announced that workers would be sent home. Apparently not much dialogue or empathy shown. After the first meeting, some of the workers threatened to shoot him. Maybe he didnt remember he was living in Jamaica, where threats should be taken seriously.
Well today, it was reported that there was a meeting with union reps, there was a break in the meeting, he went outside and was involved in some discussions with some people and the next thing there were gunshots. He was shot 14 times, it was reported.
I always considered that I could have fired a worker (with cause), and that worker could have had 'connections' and I could be in my office working alone late in the evening with the door open, as I did many times, and someone come into my office and pop me off.
Anyway, the moral of this is that people in positions of authority must show empathy when hard decisions have to be taken that affect people at the bottom of the economic ladder. It doesnt make it right, but Mr Chambers' death is hardly surprising.
I was doing very well in Grenada since my return from Jamaica early June, armed with a battery of pills.
No, the pills weren't for the panic attacks. They were for some stomach issues which seemed to be connected to rapid and skipped heart beats. Don't ask, but I do feel better after having taken them.
Anyway, soon after I came back from JamRock, I was off to Bimshire to participate in a Think Tank. Apart from a horrible Curse, I was fine....until at Oistins on Friday.
Had a lovely meal....it was actually a HUGE plate of food so I asked for a take away container and immediately put away half. I had taken the tablets I have to take BEFORe eating with me, and I duly took them at the correct time. I had also duly taken the tablets I had to take AFTER eating. But soon after eating, I was jigging up myself dancing.
Then something just went 'pop' and the next thing my heart is beating fast and I feeling queezy. I asked my friends if we could go. It was late anyway and they were ready. I had the option of being dropped off first, as we had to pass my hotel before going on the West Coast to drop off the others. But I declined. I was going to work through this.
I think since I took the 'echo' and know that my heart is robust, it has helped my reaction to the attacks. I know that I am not having a heart attack. I text the doctor in JamRock, to find out if I could take a tranquiller/sedative with the other tablets she had prescribed. She called back and I described what had happened and she said I could take twice the dose. But I was going to work through this mentally.
The longer drive helped for sure, because by the time I got back to my hotel, I was feeling a lot better, and I didn't take the sedative after all. I was proud of me. That happened on 6 June. Since then I've been good. But I have been sleeping inside the bedroom. The previous attacks here have happened when I have slept on the bed in the living room. So once I finish cleaning up the place (in honour of my brother's visit next week), I will try sleeping there to see how that goes.
It has rained all night last night, all day today, and all night tonight. This part of the island was as dry as chip. The rain was very much needed. But after seeing my kitchen floor filled with water, I'm saying "enough already!"
Ah not mopping up a ting. Ah gwine let evaporation tek care of dat dere wata!