A supreme performance by the JAAA

By Paul Andrew Bourne, BSc. (Hons) Demography and Economics



Although many people believe either that Jamaicans are criminals, marijuana ?'weed' smokers or brutal beings; the organizational skills and competencies displayed by the JAAA at the recently concluded sports meet, sponsored by Supreme Venture Limited, on Sunday, June 27, 2004, clearly showed the finest qualities of Jamaicans. In that, when a body of people within a developing state of terrain topology and small size can come together and harness already limited resources within the context of co-operation, goodwill and peace without any animosity, then it speaks to the depth of Jamaica's social, political and economical advancement in this world.


Furthermore, I am wholeheartedly pleased to be a resident Jamaican once more given the quality participants, sportsmanship, and atmosphere created by the JAAA's meet. Despite the exemplorary performances of Asafa Powell (9.91 seconds posted to win the 100m) and Veronica Campbell feat (in winning the 100m in a time of 11.18 seconds and wining the 200metres); the three (3) days of competition was high quality, friendly competitive and showed a widespread supremacy of Jamaicans' social qualities.

The organizers of the meet in particular Mr. Forbes and his team are to be highly commended for their brilliance in organization, quality athletes, and the smooth and timely execution of the events over the duration of the meet. In an event of this magnitude and the quality outcomes of the product, the JAAA clearly display the intellectual capacity and ability of our people. As a viewer of the meet, my deepest appreciation goes out to the JAAA, the athletes, the sponsors, the spectators and the officials for having shown the supremacy of the Jamaican spirit. When a single entity can assemble such depth of qualities in officiating, athletic performances, organization skills, and peoples' involvement without an incident of disunity in the National Stadium, Jamaica, then all Jamaicans irrespective of where we reside should be proud of such superiority.

Hence, I request that those qualities exhibited at the Stadium label the hallways of the US embassies, private offices, the UK consul offices and other offices in the world that continue to treat the people of Jamaican slaves with disdain. We are not all ?'weed' heads, criminals, savage beast and socially disruptive being, the country of Jamaica house in excess of 2.5 million people, can all Germans be called Hitlers?
Once again, the JAAA has made us proud to be Jamaicans.



Paul Andrew Bourne
7F Cambridge Street
Franklin Town
Kingston 16
[email protected]