Stet » police

Life imitates art

Ria — Sat, 01 May 2010 21:19:52 +0000

Last night’s news was dominated by coverage of the Dutch royal family’s visit to our proud little city on Queen’s Day (Koninginnedag). Security was ratcheted up to DEFCON 1 as a result of the car attack on the family during last year’s celebrations in Apeldoorn.

Mr B went into town with our oldest two, and

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The pigs are all right

Ria — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 21:53:27 +0000

The police car was half-hidden by the side of the overgrown lane. I instinctively leaned back, drew my seatbelt across and pulled out of the farm. The police car rolled forward to the middle of the road and stopped. Mr B and I looked at each other and frowned. Two officers climbed out and walked

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Mbour Mblues on the Coke Coast

Ria — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 10:11:15 +0000

Name that tune …

Hey Jim, Jim? Where is Jim, man? Jim, I want you to tell me somethin’ I want you to spell for me New York, Jim Come on, Jim, I want you to spell New York

These days you could ask Jim how to spell Dakar, because a whole lot, whole lot

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Ghetto can’t hold you back

Ria — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 21:51:30 +0000

The athletics results this last week in Beijing represent the summum of success for Jamaican runners, putting them in first place in the gold medal league table, equal with Russia and ahead of the US.

Bear in mind that Jamaica has a population of only 2.7 million.

The first gold medal went to Shelly-Ann

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Driver! Don’t stop at all

Ria — Fri, 25 May 2007 15:34:31 +0000

Drawing to the end of my series of images of downtown Kingston, I post below the first part of a drive I took last week with my good friend, Barry White.

I know, it’s the voice.

If all goes according to plan, Part II will include a drive round the main square, Sir William Grant

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One step forward, two steps back

Ria — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 04:17:24 +0000

The first item on the 8 o’clock news on CVM TV this evening was the parliamentary committee debate on the Offences Against the Person Act, in particular, marital rape. This might seem like old news in other parts of the world, but here in Jamaica, there remain laws left over from Victorian times that are

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Bank on an M-16

Ria — Mon, 05 Mar 2007 05:16:39 +0000

Teller: I’m sorry, Sir, but this line is for Gold Card holders only. Policeman: And M-16 holders? Teller: … That’ll do nicely, Sir.

Related posts: Sleeping policeman Love rules without rules Business as usual

Gun Street Girl

Ria — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 17:27:42 +0000

Best headline of the year so far:

MAN RUN OVER WITH MOTOR CAR, SHOT, ESCAPES

(source: Jamaica Observer)

It’s a fairly typical report of street crime in Jamaica, relying on unsupported interviews with the nearest person at hand, vague and incomplete police statements and victims that disappear, never to reappear.

I’d been scanning the local

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Gone crazy gone mad

Ria — Fri, 15 Dec 2006 17:06:25 +0000

Following the previous post about poor service, I felt I should balance it with a post about how difficult it is to run a small business in Jamaica, particularly when it comes to getting a loan. Shortly after we arrived in Jamaica last year, we considered taking out a loan to buy a car. Our

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Ye have not because ye ask not

Ria — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 03:37:26 +0000

Last week’s news in Jamaica was dominated by the wage negotiations between the police and government. As with public sector workers elsewhere, the police did not actually go out on strike; instead they used a tactic, and a term, I have not heard of before: the “sick-out”. In effect, over fifty percent of the police

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