Matt 24 watch, 100: Insurrection and Civil War in Jamaica

I have been busy elsewhere for the past several weeks (pardon), but never would have imagined that the above theme would be what I have to speak to next in succession. So, with pain, but a measure of hope, and some prayers:

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For me, the living nightmare of the past week began with a phone call from my Dad, on the declaration of a State of Emergency, with news of several police stations attacked, the Hannah Town Station being torched and looted.

The fort-like Central Station on East Queen Street was also attacked; having to call on the army for rescue. And, a party of police responding to a distress call from motorists, were evidently ambushed and badly shot up, six officers being wounded, two dead.

The upshot of the past week is that over the next day or so, the Jamaican security forces (with possible US backing and technical support: likely, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles; just possibly, jet aircraft; and, on description of "bombs" and a passing reference to "heavy artillery" by a Government spokesman, maybe also artillery beyond the known 51 and 81 mm mortars in the JDF inventory . . . ) fought a short siege battle with a druggie warlord enclave, breaking in through a front-line of barricades with Improvised Explosive Devices and entanglements, backed up by small arms.

They reportedly took some 50 – 60 casualties [just one fatality, the two other acknowledged security forces fatalities were on an ambush of police responding to a distress call elsewhere in the city . . . ballistic vests make a big difference] but broke in and through what sounds like a 200 m deep defensive zone after about 3 hours; which is usually decisive in defeating this kind of fortification.

The insurrectionist side suffered serious losses, many of them fatal.

The official "civilian" [including insurrectionist] body count is now 73 and counting. [UPDATE, Jun 1: Government spokesmen have acknowledged that security forces snipers shooting from 300 m or more were responsible for many casualties, which would explain a preponderance of dead among the insurrectionists. It also explains why guns were not easily recovered from the bodies of dead gunmen. It is also to be noted that the Police Commissioner remarked that the advanced state of decomposition of a significant number of bodies suggest that they were killed before the battle, probably to enforce compliance with the wishes of the gangsters then in charge of the community.]

Reportedly, 22 guns [UPDATE: over 40, and 9,000 rounds of ammunition; including weapons recovered from searching the garbage being removed from the community] have been recovered (including four AK 47 assault rifles and apparently one .50 calibre long range anti-vehicle sniper rifle), along with army and police uniforms, and unexploded shrapnel loaded bombs. There are reports of women being sent out to recover guns from fallen insurrectionists, so that security forces were constrained to hold fire.

As an Observer newspaper account on how some of the insurrectionists dressed as women while fighting summarises:

"There were two women among the [73] civilians [NB: including insurrectionists] killed. The rest are all males and some were dressed like females at the time they were killed," Ellington said . . . . Seventy three persons were killed while three members of the security forces were killed and 58, (30 soldiers and 28 cops), injured. The joint police/military team has also seized 22 illegal weapons, 7,000 rounds of assorted ammunition, explosive devices, police and military uniforms and paraphernalia. ["Dudus' cronies wore dresses - Police," by Karyl Walker, Online editor Jamaica Observer, Fri. May 28, 2010. Parenthetical clarifications added. (I find it strange that not only the news media but the security forces' spokesmen are not making a clear distinction between insurrectionists and true civilians caught up in the chaos.)]

As an aftermath to the siege, 700 were initially detained, including dozens of teens. By official report, 200 have gone home on processing, and some youths have been placed in shelter homes. [UPDATE: Almost all detainees were released over the weekend.] At least one detainee seems to have gone suicidal, climbing up onto and threatening to jump off a roof until -- after hours of talking -- he was tackled and taken to hospital.

So far, the warlord at the focus of the conflict is still at large, but the security leadership seem confident they can capture him. Though, already there has been a controversial and tragic two to three hour wee- hours- of- the- morning gun-battle in an upper class neighbourhood that has ended with four wounded JDF soldiers and a well-respected businessman dead.

We shall see how the Dudus manhunt fares.

On a more hopeful note, in response to a call to the public for members of a list of other suspected warlords and gang leaders to come in, most have now presented themselves to the security forces.

Serious recriminations are flying fast and furious over the specifics of what happened, blunders, atrocities and cover-up claims, and the wider trends and circumstances that led to the growing cancer. (NB: One quite worrying sign is the lack of a count of wounded civilians; as it is usual for there to be far more injured than fatalities in a battle, and in an urban environment with a lot of civilians around, we should be seeing significant numbers of civilian injuries. Security force spokesmen should be pressed on the numbers of injured civilians, and how many wounded insurrectionists were taken prisoner. But, the tribunal of inquiry will doubtless look closely into this.)

However, it is plain that Jamaica faces a cancer of druggie gangsterism, and linked drug money and protection racket [de facto taxation?] funded warlordism tied into the political systems especially through depressed communities where in effect the warlords and their retainers have been the de facto government in the society, especially the capital. Multiplied by a breakdown of law and order and much mistrust between the public and especially the police.

(I should note, the incidents have occurred about 50 – 150 miles by road from the resort areas favoured by tourists, on the South coast, not the North. But of course the headlines have doubtless done serious damage to the vital tourist industry. Which Jamaica can ill-afford.)

I hope — and pray — that out of this horror, a serious rethink of where the society has been headed will lead to reformation.

I for one would favour a South Africa style Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Inquiry. That will be painful, and will move the older generation of politicians (those implicated in the era of a low key civil war tied to the culmination of the cold war era’s impacts in Jamaica across the 1970’s and the early 1980’s) off the scene definitively, and perhaps some of the younger ones too, but it will allow the land to build on the truth and a national rededication to the right.

Then, maybe the nation can be rebuilt on a sounder foundation over the next generation.

The announcement of an inquiry into the events of the week past will perhaps be a step towards that.

Let us now turn to the Jamaican National Anthem, as a prayer for a deeply wounded, traumatised and bleeding nation:

Eternal Father bless our land,
Guard us with Thy Mighty Hand,
Keep us free from evil powers,
Be our light through countless hours.
To our Leaders, Great Defender,
Grant true wisdom from above.
Justice, Truth be ours forever,
Jamaica, Land we love.
Jamaica, Jamaica, Jamaica land we love.

Teach us true respect for all,
Stir response to duty’s call, strengthen us the weak to cherish,
Give us vision lest we perish.
Knowledge send us Heavenly Father,
Grant true wisdom from above.
Justice, Truth be ours forever,
Jamaica, land we love.
Jamaica, Jamaica, Jamaica land we love.

In the Name of our Lord, Creator, and Saviour. AMEN

Matt 24 watch, 99: Qaneh Bosm, Linda Lovelace and the marketing of addictive, enmeshing, deceptive evil

In his recent path-breaking book, The Marketing of Evil, David Kupelian argues that evil often sells the destructive and enslaving by manipulating our sympathies or desires, while alienating us from corrective information and sources.

Thus, it first induces doubt in traditional views then acceptance of addictive, polarising deception.

This conversion to the perverse is then multiplied by alienation from that which and those who would correct us.

So, we see the three phases of the marketing of evil:

1 --> Desensitising us by making evil seem attractive or at lest plausible or sympathetic enough to be tolerated and entertained

2 --> Jamming out correcvtive information and voices

3 --> Conversion to supporting and/or addiction to the corrupt, perverse and destructive.

I was reminded of this pattern in recent days, while closing out my participation in discussions at an influential regional blog frequented by some of the more rabid anti-Christian voices in our region.

One of the rhetorical tactics used in a thread where the ganja culture was being promoted in the teeth of Bible-based [and medically rooted] objections, was to repeatedly post comments asking the question: "what is qaneh bosm?"

This is of course not a commonplace phrase.

It turns out that the reference is to a hitherto generally obscure discussion of the ingredients of the sacred anointing oil used by the Priests of Israel for anointing the temple and its instruments and priests, etc.:

Exodus 30:22 [NIV] Then the LORD said to Moses, 23 "Take the following fine spices: 500 shekels [about 12 lb] of liquid myrrh, half as much (that is, 250 shekels) of fragrant cinnamon, 250 shekels of fragrant cane [= bosem kawneh, i.e. "fragrant + cane [or reed]" in most lexicons], 24 500 shekels of cassia—all according to the sanctuary shekel—and a hin [about a gallon] of olive oil. 25 Make these into a sacred anointing oil, a fragrant blend, the work of a perfumer. It will be the sacred anointing oil. 26 Then use it to anoint the Tent of Meeting, the ark of the Testimony, 27 the table and all its articles, the lampstand and its accessories, the altar of incense, 28 the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and the basin with its stand. 29 You shall consecrate them so they will be most holy, and whatever touches them will be holy.

30 "Anoint Aaron and his sons and consecrate them so they may serve me as priests. 31 Say to the Israelites, 'This is to be my sacred anointing oil for the generations to come. 32 Do not pour it on men's bodies [i.e. as a perfume] and do not make any oil with the same formula. It is sacred, and you are to consider it sacred. 33 Whoever makes perfume like it and whoever puts it on anyone other than a priest must be cut off from his people.' "

Here we see the stringently protected formula for the holy anointing oil used as part of the dedication of the tabernacle, its instruments and priests. So, why is there an emphasis on asking about the phrase "fragrant cane," or bosem kawneh?

An investigation soon turns up the investigations of Polish born anthropologist Sula Benet, which reportedly led Hebrew University to state in 1980 that the specific "reed" or "cane" most likely in view is hemp (i.e. Cannabis sativa), and to suggest that the specific ingredient is hemp blossoms.

Thus, we see the current NET Bible rendering: "sweet-smelling cane," and the rendering in the 1978 and 1984 NIV or 1977 New American Standard Bible: "fragrant cane," as well as the widely respected recent Roman Catholic translation, the New Jerusalem Bible: "scented reed," as opposed to the older KJV and 1902 American Standard version, "sweet calamus." (In short, we plainly have a more accurate translation in light of onward evidence.)

Revealingly, however, the Wikipedia article on Ms Benet inaccurately states:

. . . the words 'Kaneh bosm' are not in the KJV or the new international version of the bible. [sic] This is because the translators from the original language determined that "Kaneh bosm" should be interpreted as "Calamus" and other similar sounding plants.

This is both plainly false and suggestive that there is an attempt to suppress the truth.

Immediately, a scan of the four references cited in the article shows that -- apart from an initial reference to the Encyclopedia Judaica that tells us how hemp was in common use as a fabric fibre until linen took its place -- the three focal references for the article are from Ms Benet and from a more recent advocate of marijuana decriminalisation.

However, even though it cites a highly relevant reference on the primary use of hemp in the ancient near east, the article fails to bring out the key fact that here are two distinct varieties of hemp that are cultivated: C. sativa sativa -- which has very low THC content and is grown for the fibres -- and the high-THC cultivar C. sativa indica, which is grown for use as a drug. (Given the known context of cultivation for use as a fibre plant in the general time and place, it is inherently likely that the variety referred to in Exodus 30 would be the former, which would indeed have various aromatic compounds in its flowers etc. but would be most likely quite low in THC.)

Worse, the Wiki article on "Religious and spiritual use of cannabis" roundly declares: "Early Christians used cannabis oil for medicinal purposes and as part of the baptismal process to confirm the forgiveness of sins and "right of passage" into the Kingdom of Heaven," again citing an advocacy source.

Nowhere do we see any note that biblically, baptism is in water, and that the anointing with a smear of oil that may have been a part of baptismal services -- it is not a biblical mandate, but would have been symbolic of the descent of the promised Spirit -- would have as likely been with plain olive oil as with the formulated holy anointing oil.

Similarly, the oil used to anoint the sick when they are to be prayed for under James 5:14 - 18 was and is as often plain olive oil [or a substitute], and admixture of herbs according to the Exodus 30 recipe would not have served a significant specific medicinal purpose. (The focus of the prayer is on God's healing in response to the prayer of faith, not he medicative efficacy of perfumed oil.)

The discussion page for the article also adds a revealing corrective on the claimed rendering of bosem kawneh:

The citation of Aryeh Kaplan very inaccurate in it's portrayal of his position on the matter. Here is the original quote from Kaplan:

"fragrant cane Keneh bosem in Hebrew. Ancient sources identify this with the sweet calmus (Septuagint; Rambam on Kerithoth 1:1; Saadia; Ibn Janach). This is the sweetflag or flag-root, Acoras calamus which grows in Europe. It appears that a similar species grew in the Holy Land, in the Hula region in ancient times (Theophrastus, History of Plants 9:7). Other sources apparently indicate that it was the Indian plant, Cympopogan martini, which has the form of red straw (Yad, Kley HaMikdash 1:3). On the basis of cognate pronunciation and Septuagint readings, some identify Keneh bosem with the English and Greek cannabis, the hemp plant. There are, however, some authorities who identify the 'sweet cane' with cinnamon bark (Radak, Sherashim). Some say that kinman is the wood, and keneh bosem is the bark (Abarbanel). "

Kaplan clearly identifies it a one of several possible interpretations, and doesn't endorse the cannabis interpretation in particular, much less state it as the only possible interpretation.

Perhaps that first paragraph should be rewritten something like:

"The herb of interest is most commonly known as kaneh-bosem (קְנֵה-בֹשֶׂם [21]) which is mentioned several times in the Old Testament as a bartering material, incense, and an ingredient in Holy anointing oil used by the high priest of the temple. Aryeh Kaplan mentions cannabis as one of a few candidates for the identification of this herb."

(Dorvan (talk) 23:52, 22 October 2009 (UTC))

Thus, we clearly see the three phases Kupelian described in action:

1 --> Since the Bible is a respected religious text, the plausible identification of the use of cannabis in it -- note the other possibilities, which makes the cautious renderings in modern translations very apt -- is used to open a wedge of perceived legitimisation of widespread use and approval that goes far beyond the formulation of a strictly restricted sacred oil of anointing based on flowers of hemp most likely of the fibre producing cultivar.

2 --> By falsely implying or suggesting that willfully inaccurate translations are being used to suppress the implied approval and widespread use of Cannabis sativas indica, there is a subtle attempt to discredit those who would object to the above agenda.

3 --> Thus the doorway is further opened for the addictive and destructive use of high-potency high THC marijuana.

Similarly, even with fairly simple web searches these days (often with no intent to find such), one easily comes across quite explicit and graphic pornographic sites, with words, pictures and video.

The imagery may easily lure in the unwary, and one may then miss key cues like -- and I specifically confirmed this as a fact before making his post -- the wistful or shocked look on the face of a victim "star" as she turns and looks into the camera; even while she is being portrayed in a degrading fashion, shamefully spread apart or spurted upon for keyhole-peeping delectation, as if we have a mere sexual plaything, not a real human being prostituted in front of us.

(Shouldn't we notice instead, what the pleading look tells us: am I not a person with inherent dignity, maybe your daughter, maybe your sister? Will you not have pity on me instead of callously and selfishly fantasising about me?)

Or, as the recent Carrie Prejean case shows, a semi-nude "glamour" photo shoot made on a conveniently windy day, or personal video shared in a moment of ill-advised loneliness with a boyfriend will easily be manipulated, the resulting materials will be circulated as porn, and if necessary used in demeaning attacks.

So, it is again time to bring our attention to the telling testimony of Linda Lovelace; the "star" of the notorious 1970 porn movie that broke out of the sleazy peepshow into the mainstream movie theatres. For, once she escaped the control of the domineering, dangerous Chuck Traynor [who as her legal husband prostituted her and forced her into porn films at gunpoint and under the duress of blows and sexual torture], she exposed the sickening truth behind the movie and others like it; passing lie detector tests in the process.

For instance, before the Meese Commission on pornography in 1986, she stated:

“When you see the movie Deep Throat, you are watching me being raped. It is a crime that movie [which grossed US$ 600 millions in thratres, with Mr Traynor collecting the "fee" of $ 1,250 for the "star"] is still showing; there was a gun to my head the entire time.”

Of course, her claims were stridently disputed and dismissed, and she was tagged by "anti- censorship" activists as in effect a lying turncoat against the "liberation" of free sex and pornographic portrayals of sex and related acts.

So, again, we see the agenda:

1 --> Pornography is sold as being liberating, harmless "adult" entertainment.

2 --> Those who object or who escape and oppose it are smeared and attacked. (Indeed, the Meese Commission's members -- including Dr James Dobson of Focus on the Family -- were sued.)

3 --> And as the camel's nose of social acceptability gets under the tent, every means of widespread distribution from Cable TV to the Internet is used to make an addicting behaviour pattern with a known track record of feeding the twisted imaginations of molesters and serial killers instantly and easily accessible.

Kupelian gives another, perhaps even more revealing example.

As Paula Adamick summarises in her review of his work (which is cited herein under the fair use provision):

. . . homosexuality has been sold to the world as equal to heterosexuality, contravening the natural law and ushering in same-sex "marriage" as "fair" and "good" and a "right" which brooks no opposition and prosecutes it critics.

How were long-held views opposing homosexuality so easily transformed into "enlightened tolerance" and open support?

Easy, Kupelian argues: "The debate will be won by whoever conjures up the strongest emotions of sympathy in the audience." By skillfully attaching "positive" images and emotions to homosexuality, listeners begin to question their "assumptions" about it.

With doubts entering the mind like a camel's nose under a tent, it isn't long before the kind-hearted person abandons his moral beliefs and says to himself: "Who am I to interfere with a homosexual's happiness?"

We see here a clear pattern.

One that is all too reminiscent of Rom 1:18 - 32:

Rom 1: ¹⁸The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, ¹⁹since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. ²⁰For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

²¹For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. ²²Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools ²³and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.

²⁴Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. ²⁵They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.

²⁶Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. ²⁷In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.

²⁸Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. ²⁹They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, ³⁰slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; ³¹they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. ³²Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.

One that is now not only coming into our region from outside, but which is increasingly being used in our streets and opinion fora by advocates who are within the walls of our culture. indeed, in some cases, they are influential voices, or even our opinion and general social leaders.

One, that we must expose and resist, lest evil overwhelms us like a deceptive* but destructive tidal wave. END

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*Footnote: Quite often, the first marked sign of a tidal wave is the rapid withdrawal of the sea (termed a "drawback"), leaving fish and other bottom creatures flopping on the newly exposed sand. If the curious come closer to inspect or collect "free fish," they expose themselves to the overwhelming surge to follow. (Instead, as one simply cannot withstand the destructive force of a full scale tsunami, the wise course of action is to avoid the danger by heading as rapidly as possible for refuge on the highest ground one can reach; as soon as signs of danger emerge or a warning is issued. Then, after the immediate danger has passed, those who have educated, prepared and protected themselves can help victims and the community impacted by the disaster. Applications to the spiritual tidal waves that are now impacting our region are all too plain.)

1 Chron 12:32 Report, 61: Pioneering vehicle technology initiatives for a new Caribbean technological (and economic) order

Last time, we highlighted the potential of our region's Disaster/ Emergency Management Offices to lead the way in the sustainable renewal of our region's technology base.

As a part of that, we suggested that we should look at the resilient Community ideas of Marcin Jakubowski et al, and in particular the Life Trac Skid-loader- cum- Agricultural Tractor:



The Life Trac (cf Make Magazine article here) demonstrates (at initial prototype level currently) an alternative architecture for vehicles, that is potentially transformative:

1 --> The power system is based on first generating a transmissible, controllable power source, hydraulic power. (The engine drives a hydraulic fluid power system.)

2 --> Power is then conveyed through the flowing fluid to application points on a frame: wheels, attachment arms, power takeoff.

3 --> Such power flow is partly operator controlled, partly microprocessor controlled.

4 --> All this is built on a basic, welded rigid framework [4" square steel tubing]; designed to be articulating as well.

5 --> This modular framework allows for simplification of components, and for use of standard parts, thus for inherently low maintenance costs.

In addition, the Life Trac or the like would help rebalance the industrial base of the world, where as Jamaican Prime Minister Michael Manley classically complained in the 1970's, it took an obscene number of tons of agricultural production -- sugar, coffee, bananas -- to pay for the tractors that were needed for mechanisation to gain efficient cost scales for Caribbean agricultural production.

Such tractors and skid loaders are obviously highly useful machines, including for emergency offices, but other vehicles are also useful/needed. For instance, consider the Kubelwagen -- "bucket" -- military/utility car built around the original design of the VW "bug."

Such a basic design could be re-engineered around a similar controlled power takeoff and independently powered wheels, perhaps using electric drive for the wheels instead of hydraulic power. In addition, such an approach could facilitate the use of portal gear axles that offset the axle upwards, gaining ground clearance. With a standard frame base, various coach bodies could be built, probably with a bias towards fibreglass bodies. Thus, too, we see a lifespan car: once built it can be maintained at reasonable cost across a lifespan; sharply reducing demand on scare, energy intensive metals to purchase car after car. And since the architecture uses standard components and modular assembly, an economically efficient scale of operation will clearly be much, much lower than the typical 250,000 cars per year point that the mass production, assembly line automotive industry traditionally targets.

Similarly, a heavier duty version of the design could use some of the ideas of the Unimog utility truck system, for pickups and trucks generally. Minibuses would be a logical extension of this.

Thus, through collaboration between Disaster Management Offices and Engineering Schools, we have a plausible strategy to create a more modular vehicle industry in our region, first for disaster managmeent fleets, then more generally.

Such collaboration can be extended to the creation of robotic vehicles, such as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles -- useful for surveillance of disaster sites, for search and rescue and for security in general.

Beyond the creation of vehicles lies a shift to more sustainable fuels as well: biofuels, hydrogen and the like.

Of course, such vehicles will not be as "sexy" as the current mass produced and custom vehicles. But, they would be first steps towards a more sustainable technical base for vehicles for the job world, on the farm, in industry and in commerce. And as the unsustainability of current patterns becomes ever more evident, more and more private individuals and families will want to make the shift to more sustainable vehicles.

So, again, the bottomline question is whether our Disaster Management Offices are willing to pioneer such a development. END

1 Chron 12:32 report, 60: Towards Industrial Civilisation 2.0 -- the post scarcity, open source, sustainable, resilient village

In recent weeks I have been keeping an eye on the initiatives of Polish Physicist Marcin Jakubowski, of the Open Source Ecology initiative Factor e Farm outside Kansas City. (Blog.)

For, his Global, resilient Community/Village ideas have much to teach us about moving beyond the age of scarcity and mass production to a new, more resilient, light eco-footprint era.

For instance, we may ponder this vimeo video from OSE:

How to Build a Post-Scarcity Village from Marcin Jakubowski on Vimeo.

You will see Jakubowski starts with the Life Trac, which has become somewhat of a symbol of what he is doing.

Namely, pioneering a new industrial era in which open source industrial technologies form a base for small communities to build localised villages that can sustain themselves in the main through internal or easily accessible resources. And, because the core technologies are open source, once a cluster that is self-replicating -- including computerised modular, flexible fabrication machines [cf. here and here] -- is developed, this becomes an alternative to the current dependence on massive manufacturing centres and debt-riddled purchases of high maintenance cost major equipment.

The Life Trac machine you see cost US$ 4,000 to build, largely from junkyard parts and standard metal tubing etc. So far, its annual maintenance cost is US$ 100; and because it is highly modular, using a power plant, hydraulic power and a simple sturdy frame, it can be built in a local community. (They have developed a mini version, are working on a version 2 prototype of the full-sized tractor/ backhoe/ loader/ bulldozer/ earth tiller. They are also developing a similar open source utility vehicle -- UniMOS, modelled on Mercedes Benz's famous UniMOG -- and are looking at the open source car movement.)

The second major machine -- the Liberator compressed, stabilised earth block press -- is an update on the CINVA RAM type compressed earth brick machine. (I think we in the Caribbean should look at marrying that with the Auroville Earth Institute of India’s Auram, which makes a wide variety of bricks, blocks and tiles, including an interlocking range.)

In short, we are seeing the early phases of a potential industrial transformation. And while we may not want to buy into the full-bore Homebrew Industrial Revolution ideology -- I do confess to some heartfelt sympathies! -- we of the Caribbean should certainly look very carefully at clusters of technologies that would transform our region from being primarily consumers of technology to producers. (And of course, on the open source software model, e.g. Linux and Open Office, commercial enterprises would be refocussed on creating real value-added to the generic products coming from open source fabs. No gewgaws and gimcracks, thank you, just honest value added. [BTW, Open office is now my primary office productivity software. I am using the Go OO fork of version 3.2 of Open office.org , and highly recommend it.)

Then there is the potential of bamboo, especially the Guadua “vegetable steel” genus [angustifolia the starring member: up to 100 ft tall, 10 inches across at base, 5 - 7 years to grow, thorns to discourage praedial larceny; I believe 20 x the productivity of a similar acreage of pine forest . . . and the timber is harder than oak when properly processed], to transform the region's timber and construction industries. (Bamboo bahareque and related construction technologies seem to be highly promising. I have also not forgotten Moladi's rapid build foamed, reinforced concrete system and the Hebel type autoclaved aerated concrete modular "tilt-up" building construction system.)

And if you hear an echo of the Celtic Monasteries of the era just past the collapse of the Roman Empire in the West, yes, it is there: we have in this historic movement a proven survivable institution that became a cluster of resilient centres for preserving civilisation and upliftment of the local community, which we can then adapt to modern circumstances.

Now, think about integrating this with the work of our region's universities and Disaster/ Emergency Management Offices. The latter need reliable, capable machines, and the former need seed-plots to do pioneering research.

While I am at it, let me plug the astonishing grid beam modular furniture and mechanical prototyping system based on square section wood or metal members with a grid of drilled holes on a pitch equal to the side of the square:, e.g. 1 and a 1/2 inch square timber [officially 2 x 2] will use a 1 1/2 inch spaced hole system.

The latter also need to have off-grid energy systems, rapid build housing solutions, easily packed modular furniture, remotely piloted or semi- autonomous reconnaissance machines. [Think here robotic aircraft -- some of which (as the recent Montserrat Craig Cabey disappearance at sea on a jet ski case reminds me . . . ) need to have long range maritime search capacity; and snaking and/or crawling robots that can go into the sort of pancake collapsed environment we saw on our TVs since January, as well.]

Then we need C21 Schooners capable of both motor and wind driven travel across our region at reasonable cost, for robust regional trade. Nor have I forgotten the need for sealift and airlift that can move containerised modular equipment and people rapidly across our region and for linking regional hub ports to the wider world.

Moreover, we all need good solid ICTs and access to life-long high quality education that can exploit Internet technology and existing infrastructure to build the capacity we will need. Thus, there is an opportunity for a network of schools of hope that use Internet technologies and create lifelong learning opportunities though not only initial primary and secondary offerings, but lifelong learning through a vibrant community college movement.

In short, the recent Haiti Schools of Hope proposal is a step towards a much wider opportunity.

How does this all fit into the Biblical worldview and its central gospel message?

1 –> Ac 17 teaches us that nationhood is the creation of God, who desires per Gal 3:14 to bless us in Christ with the same promise given to Abraham.

2 –> This fits in with the biblical plot line: Creation, fall, restoration: redemption, conversion and transformation through the gospel, blessing, consummation and eternal felicity.

3 –> In this context, God comes to nations in times of kairos — hinges on which the course of history pivots — with his spokesmen [and women!] who bring the counsels of eternal wisdom that we must choose to listen to or reject.

4 –> Here is the wise counsel of king Jehoshaphat on this, as he spoke with 20-20 prophetic vision:

2 Chron 20:20“Listen to me, you people of Judah and residents of Jerusalem! Trust in the Lord your God and you will be safe! Trust in the message of his prophets and you will win.”

5 –> Those nations and generations that instead reject the wise and loving counsel of God walk in a path of self-chosen self-destruction, as Eph 4 cautions:

Eph 4:17 So I say this, and insist in the Lord, that you no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 4:18 They are darkened in their understanding, being alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardness of their hearts. 4:19 Because they are callous, they have given themselves over to indecency for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness.

5 --> By utter contrast, those who have come to know God in the face of Christ are called to live sensibly, in ways that will bring the blessing of God into their lives and communities:

Eph 4:20 But you did not learn about Christ like this, 4:21 if indeed you heard about him and were taught in him, just as the truth is in Jesus. 4:22 You were taught with reference to your former way of life to lay aside the old man who is being corrupted in accordance with deceitful desires, 4:23 to be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 4:24 and to put on the new man who has been created in God’s image – in righteousness and holiness that comes from truth.

In short, a call to godly, wise sustainable nationhood and community life under God in the face of an era of environmental and economic challenges is a part of the overall mandate of the church to disciple, nurture and prophetically counsel the nations to seek God-blessed reformation through the Word of God.

Why not now, why not here, why not us? END

1 Chron 12:32 Report, 59: Schools of Hope, responding to the Haiti Macedonian call

In response to the Macedonian call discussed in a previous post of Feb 9, 2010, below is the main framework of the Schools of Haiti discussion draft project concept paper. (PDF version here.)

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Schools of Hope, Haiti

TKI Feb 2010

SYNOPSIS: A proposal for creating a network of 25 digitally integrated community-transforming Schools of Hope in Haiti. These schools, from primary to Associate Degree level Community Colleges, would help create a digital age education system connected to business incubation, agriculture development, balanced rural-urban development, and sustainability initiatives, starting with demonstration of low-cost sustainable construction technologies.

[ . . . . ]

INTRODUCTION: After a devastating earthquake that shattered Port- au- Prince and surrounding areas, Haiti lost 230,000+ people and a large slice of its national infrastructure. As sister Caribbean nations, as people descended from slaves whose liberation was hastened by the sacrifices of the Haitian nation from 1791 on, and in response to the recent petition of request for assistance with education and business development placed before Caricom by the leaders of Haiti’s youth, we now propose a Schools of Hope Initiative for the capital city [5 schools] and for the towns and villages of Haiti [20 schools], as a long-term commitment to help in the reconstruction and transformation of Haiti; understood as a regional and global moral imperative and a down-payment on our debt of honour.

It is intended that the schools — at primary and secondary level as appropriate — should target the urban and rural poor, and that they should serve as centres of community upliftment and transformation, through partnering with or incorporating affiliated initiatives and components such as:

• attached agriculture extension/ urban allotment gardening projects,
• micro- financing and micro- business incubation projects,
• a programme for provision of annual scholarships to regional colleges and universities
• health clinics,
• trade evening schools,
• demonstration of key renewable energy technologies,
• demonstration of sustainable construction technologies,
• participation as pilots for the global One Laptop Per Child initiative,
• community upliftment micro-power radio,
• networking as an access points for secondary and tertiary level any distance education,
• etc. as further needs, challenges and opportunities are identified by our Haitian partners, and/or by other partners from across the world

We also invite participation of partners from across the world in this initiative.

1. Background and Rationale:

From even before 1791, our Caricom sister-state Haiti has had a turbulent, unstable and painful, complex history; with much blame that could be allocated to both external and internal actors. However, in the aftermath of a devastating earthquake – one that may have cost three hundred thousands their lives, and devastated perhaps half the buildings in Port au Prince; including an estimated up to seventy five percent of school buildings -- this is not the time for finger-pointing, but for rebuilding.
We the peoples of the Caribbean also have a historic debt of honour to the nation whose courageous uprising from 1791 helped to accelerate the abolition of slavery in our region by perhaps a generation. We are also ideally positioned to be bridging partners with our sister Caricom country as it sets about a rebuilding and redevelopment process; one where it will have to find a way to work with Great Powers that have historically exploited and abused the people of Haiti.

Moreover, as Haiti’s youth ambassadors made plain in a petition to the February Caricom heads of government meeting, Haiti is requesting our assistance with education and with support for economic empowerment through business formation. Thus, a Schools of Hope initiative – designed to provide education services and support for successful business formation, for a transition to sustainable construction, for sustainable agriculture, and for reforestation -- are key areas in which we can make a valuable contribution, and would be an appropriate down- payment on our debt of honour to Haiti.

The key to the proposed strategy would be to establish clustered schools in which a Community College core unit has associated High School(s) and primary school(s), with the teachers being the key links in the network. So, the Community College helps build education and technical capacity, supporting and researching on the work in the affiliated schools. All, backed up by an internet technology based network using key technologies such as Moodle educational content management system, wikis [good for writing learning resources], and blogs. EPUB format e-books and the like would provide online references constituting a reference library. OLPC family XO-1 PC’s — open hardware, open software, ruggedised, low power — would then serve as a common low cost adequate bang for the buck computing platform. (NB: Opening up hard and software is perfect for building technical skills for the C21 digital age. It is also suggested that we should approach OLPC to create a student/teacher version of the XO-1 and derivatives; for use in higher levels of education. Similarly, a Single Board Computer version set up for the CAN bus would be helpful for developing industrial and agricultural controllers.)

Networked, community based education and associated upliftment and agricultural and business formation would help to reverse urban drift, and create balanced urban and rural development In particular, given the growing digital age, there are many possibilities for using networked Internet and computer based digital resources and existing or restored or new physical infrastructure to help transform Haiti’s educational system and integrate it into widely distributed community upliftment and business and agricultural development.

Modular, rapid build low cost, sustainability oriented construction technologies also offer a capacity to put in required community based infrastructure at affordable rates. in addition, use of modular, rapid-build sustainable, quake and hurricane resistant construction technologies would demonstrate and build capacity for the urgently needed post-quake rebuilding.

Multiply such prospects by strategic cash crops, agricultural co-ops and competent marketing systems that turn small plots into mini cash cows. For, with “ethical” organic crops such as coffee, in an Internet age a farming coop can market straight to global ethical, fair trade and organic markets. (So, we ask: what if such a co-op hosts a node in a regional Internet marketing system for artistic handicrafts and for strategic cash crops?)

Blend in well managed credit unions and development banking. Take village churches, schools and community centres, and augment them to include micro-campus centres, supports for business formation and development, clinics and community micro-power radio. Add to these the proved power of the business incubator. Back all of this up by a long term, university research based programme of capacity development and transformation through education and renewal .

Nothing is going to be perfect, and nobody or nothing will have no detractors and critics, but we need to ask: what works? how can we build on strengths, address challenges and compensate for weaknesses or defects?

2. Goals and Objectives:

GOAL: Through a Caricom partnership with the Government and people of Haiti, to initially implement and support a network of community-transforming Schools of Hope in Haiti.

This may be achieved across a sixty-month period through:

a] Agreement across Caricom to initiate such an effort [D + 3 mos]

b] Agreement with Gov Haiti — a Caricom member — and selected target communities across Haiti [D + 6 months]

c] Contacts with partner development agencies and supportive governments [D + 6 months]

d] Contacts with OLPC and Sugar, etc towards production and distribution of XO-1’s for schools [D + 6 months]

e] Contact & agreement with OLPC etc on creation of a student and educator version of the OLPC XO-1 etc [D + 12 months]

f] Design, construction of pilot wave of schools at 10 – 20% of selected sites [including at least one primary, one secondary, one community college/ Associate degree level], using innovative sustainable, rapid build, relatively low cost construction technologies (e.g. Moladi would be a candidate for technology) [D + 18 months]

g] Implementation of integrated, associated community uplifting efforts in collaboration with communities and partners. [D + 30 months]

h] Initial evaluations [D + 9 - D + 33 months]

i] Wave 2: next 20 – 40 % [D + 36 months]

j] Wave 3: up to 90 % [D + 48 months]

k] Wave 4: final set of schools [D + 54 months]

l] Evaluation, scaling up and dissemination in concert with partners [D + 60 months on]

3. Proposed Implementation:

The key stakeholders and partners would be Caricom, UWI (and other regional universities . . . perhaps the ACTI group), the Government of Haiti, Haitian community leaders and members, and international partners that have already been involved in education transformation in Haiti.

An awareness and activation forum can be used to mobilise a provisional executive team and partnership based board of governors, with attached experts and partners forming a matrix type project team structure. This working group should report to Caricom, and the council of PMs, as a major regional project, indeed a Nehemiah project. In addition, the forum should meet regularly to discuss progress, and to communicate with the Haitan, regional and international publics.

The project will also require agreement with the Haitian Government on innovations in education at all three levels: primary, secondary, community college.

This initiative should be viewed as a launch project, with an onward sustained commitment from Caricom and other partners to keep the network of schools going and growing as a viable -- and in the end essentially Haitian -- concern.

4. Milestones and Deliverables:

The timelined objectives above indicate the envisioned milestones and deliverables in sufficient detail for a discussion draft concept note.

5. Inputs:

The key decision-maker, technical and financial inputs are implied in the above. Drawing them out slightly, a top level working group of educators, development specialists and other key technical people will need to put in a considerable effort to get the programme going, starting from an activation conference. This group should work in partnership with key stakeholders and especially the Haitian Government and Caricom, which should help resolve permit and regulatory obstacles.

The proposed OLPC and shift to sustainable construction technologies will require appropriate technical inputs.

Beyond that, on the initial crude budget estimate below, the envisioned launch phase project would reasonably require a financial and in-kind commitment of some US$ 4/ Caricom national across five years, other than those from disaster-struck Haiti.

The project is therefore feasible per required input resources, and onward sustained efforts should also be feasible on Caricom’s general resource base.

6. Estimated Budget

For a discussion draft like this, we will make a very simple estimate: on an average of US$ 1 mn/school to build and equip it, with primary schools expected to cost on the low side, and starter Community College mini campuses on the high side:

US$ 1 mn/school x 25 US$ 25 mn

For central and network expenses US$ 5 mn

TOTAL US$ 30 mn

Some can be in kind, but US$ 30 mn / 7.5 mn non-Haitian Caricomers is ~ US$ 4/ person, across five years.

7. Key Assumptions:

The project depends on political will and public support to make a major long term Caricom commitment to Haiti, and to its redevelopment and transformation. This will probably only be viable if the Haitian programme is a pilot for a regional transformation through education initiative. (Which is not a bad thing at all!)

Failing such a regional government level commitment, since the project is inherently modular and scalable, in a context where there is a long term commitment from churches, charitable organisations etc, a scaled down form would be viable through such agencies.

Thus, though regional political will is plainly a risky premise, the project concept is sufficiently viable that it will probably be adopted in some form by a cluster of partners.

8. Outcomes, Benefits and Impacts:

As the schools get in on the ground the direct beneficiaries would be students, families and communities, with long term beneficial outcomes for Haiti and the wider region. The associated agriculture, construction, business incubation and community health and radio outreaches would multiply community-level benefits. Modularity, the emergence of a growing network of centres of renewal and transformation, and associated digitalisation would enhance prospects for expansion that builds on success.

Beyond such direct benefits, the rise of an educated digitally productive generation in Haiti would have long term transformative effects on the Haitian economy and society. The participative partnership based approach will also help create a sounder governance culture for Haiti, fostering stability and sustainability. Also, as Haiti provides a demonstration and testbed, Caricom as a whole (and wider regions beyond) would also begin to benefit).

At secondary levels, a shift to sustainable construction would tend to reduce adverse environmental impacts of development, and the associated reforestation and sustainable farming initiatives would move us to an improved bio-physical environment in Haiti.

Finally, the stream of obvious benefits will begin rapidly, from the construction phase on. So, quick wins are built in, which will help silence critics and will build up support.
_______________________________

SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS: A Schools of Hope initiative is both credibly feasible and potentially decisively beneficial for Haiti and Caricom, a credible big win all around. Such an initiative is therefore highly desirable and urgently needed. As such, the participation of Caricom, individual Governments across the region, other key Caribbean organisations, charitable groups and institutions, as well as friendly external Governments and institutions, is respectfully invited.


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And so, we are at an Esther 4:12, Mordecai moment:

If not now, then when?

If not Haiti, then where?

If not us, then who?

So, again: why not now, why not here, why not us? END

Vegetable Steel in action

A YouTube video on constructions using Guadua angustifolia:



Again; Why not now, why not here, why not us? END

Bahareque housing video -- en Espanol!

An illustration of bahareque's potential, in Spanish:





Yet again: why not now, why not here, why not us? END

A Moladi-style vision of future construction . . . of medium rise buildings

This YouTube animation is worth the watching, for ideas on a fresh departure on housing technology:



Again: Why not now, why not here, why not us? END

Negroponte: an OLPC Introductory Video

Negroponte and others introduce the OLPC, which eventually became the XO-1:




Worth a look: why not now, why not here, why not us? END

A Macedonian call for help from the Youth of Haiti

Immediately below is the text of a petition from the Haitian Caricom Youth Ambassadors at a recent Caricom Heads of Government Special Summit on Youth, Paramaribo 2010. It is reproduced here by the permission of the Barbados Youth Development Council to circulate it. (HT: "David," Blog Owner Barbados Underground, Haiti reconstruction thread, February 4, 2010 at 5:48 PM.)

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RECOVERY RELIEF EFFORT TO SUPPORT YOUTH DEVELOPMENT THROUGH TERTIARY EDUCATION AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT IN HAITI AFTER JANUARY 12TH EARTHQUAKE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CARICOM MEMBERS

________________________

A petition of CARICOM YOUTH AMBASSADORS FROM HAITI

Addressed to: CARICOM COMMISSION ON YOUTH DEVELOPMENT WE THE UNDERSIGNED WOULD LIKE TO BRING YOUR ATTENTION TO THE FOLLOWING PROBLEM, WITH RECOMMENDATIONS:

__________________________

Good afternoon,

I wish to speak on the behalf of my brothers and sisters in Haiti who are desperate for almost 3 weeks. Those youths that woke up the morning of January 12 with a bunch of energy, vibes that were sharing with others, and had hopes that tomorrow will have been better! Those same youths, the one who survived obviously, were standing in the middle of a street at 5PM without any hope!

This is an appeal that the CARICOM Youth Ambassadors of Haiti; current and former are making on behalf of our peers.

Dear Heads

The January 12 earthquake left thousands of students without schools, universities, and teachers in Port-au-Prince and around Haiti. Current efforts are focusing on providing food, water, and shelter; but in the coming months and years, the most pressing issue will become the lack of qualified human resources to rebuild Haitian society, which will result from the generations of displaced students unable to access quality education during and following the crisis. The demand for quality education is, and will continue to be, very critical. In this time of crisis, HAITI needs the support of its partners, including members of the CARICOM community, to continue providing education to its current students to avoid creating a potentially detrimental gap in qualified human resources.

Haiti has little capacity and few facilities to offer tertiary education, and this disaster has further weakened the tertiary education system. The State University of Haiti has around 23,000 students; each year 18,000 youth seek attendance at an undergraduate school, but only 3000 are admitted. For example, the School for Nursing and the School of Human Sciences collapsed, and the other buildings are cracked. Most likely, the rescued students will lose the academic year, and the country will suffer from a lack of qualified personnel during the recovery and reconstruction periods following the immediate response.

As acting CARICOM Youth Ambassadors and with the support of the former ones, we appeal to the CARICOM Community to urge the Heads of Government to offer education support to Haiti in this humanitarian crisis.

First, we request that CARICOM dedicate money for 20 scholarships per year for the next five years (starting in Fall 2010) for Haitian students to attend the University of West Indies (UWI). In addition, we hope that UWI will be more flexible in enrolling Haitian students during this special disaster relief effort.

Second, we urge CARICOM to develop a mechanism that will help youth in Haiti access funding to develop businesses, for instance, through the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), while receiving support and mentoring from the State University of Haiti and the private sector.

Thank you for your attention.

_____________________________

AGREED UPON BY THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE:

1. Isnel PIERREVAL / former CYA for HAITI /

2. Frantz SEIDE / former CYA for HAITI/

3. Gyliane Anne-Leticia CADET/ CYA for HAITI/

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This petition rightly first and foremost underscores the central importance of education to rebuilding Haiti, and also calls for assistance with business formation and development. And while twenty scholarships per year to the UWI -- and a similar number to the other national, church based and independent universities, institutes, seminaries and colleges -- would be helpful, the scope of the need and want of functional campus facilities points strongly to the need for a regional open university campus movement.

Similarly, supportive efforts will be needed at secondary and primary levels.

This leads back to the earlier suggestions on education initiatives made on January 12, in response to the crisis, from point 25:

25 --> . . . the issue in hand is not merely one of grants and technical assistance towards capacity-building, important as these are.

26 --> Gospel-based liberation and transformation through discipleship and renewal of hearts, minds, lives and institutions are also necessary if Haiti is to find a truly sustainable breakthrough. (Just as is true for the rest of the world.)

27 --> I also believe that the harnessing of modern information and communication technologies is also a key component of such a transformation, as the bridging of the digital divide powerfully enables all of the above.

28 --> For this, I am especially impressed by the significance of the One Laptop Per Child pioneered by Nicholas Negroponte and others, and the now spun-off Sugar User Interface system. (As well, the Tutorius interactive tutoring system based on Sugar is worth monitoring.) [OLPC] initiative.

29 --> For, this system creates an educational learning system based on a rugged, low cost, low power consumption, low ecological footprint computer using an open source interface built on Red Hat's Fedora Linux, and is a system that is completely open source on both hardware and software, demonstrated here:

(Think, instead of a cut-down PC, of a rugged modification to the Blackberry or iPhone; but set up as a child's "instant-on" educational computer based on completely open source software, and with built in networking capability so that it can interact with the Internet and a neighbourhood of other users across the world. A world in which already over 1.6 million e-books books that will work with the XO series of computers are available online. The underlying hardware uses an extended X86 instruction set as well, so it is capable of working with Linux distributions such as Ubuntu, and with a suitably adapted Windows. [Indeed, through an arrangement with Microsoft, for a small additional fee [it seems ~US$3/unit] countries ordering large numbers of XO's may have XP installed.])

30 --> As just one illustration of potential beyond just education, one of the most distressing experiences of Haitians abroad has been inability to communicate with their loved ones back home, in the midst of the horrendous news reports. But, if OLPC XO-1's were on the ground, so soon as a wireless network could have been set up, families would have been able to be in instant contact through text, and if there were enough bandwidth, speech and video.

31 --> Since the OLPC Foundation is relatively small, as well, and is strongly technologically innovative, the extension of the concept from primary age children to a generally available educational device that not only is set up for primary education and as an eBook reader, but is capable of supporting education through secondary and tertiary levels. [Cf. concepts for the XO-3 "card computer" here, which the foundation is targetting for US$ 75/unit, though of course they have as yet been unable to bring the original XO below US$100/unit on truly large scale production.]

32 --> For instance, a classroom with a U-shaped set of Workstation plug-in points, and a central modular table system can fit into a 15' x 30 ' room. Put in some broadband access, multimedia, and wireless keyboard tech, mix in mentoring people as facilitators, and you have a viable micro-campus centre that could for instance be based in a church or a community centre etc.

33 --> The Moodle open source education content management software system, Wiki technologies (similar to the Wikipedia encyclopedia), blog technologies, video conferencing and other open source digital techniques can then facilitate hosting a rich educational resource that can be partly localised to on-site servers, partly accessible through the web.

34 --> A network of such microcampuses can tackle the keystone bridging Secondary-to-post secondary and Associate to first degree levels, with key short courses and targetted strategic technical areas. This would serve as he backbone to support the transformation of primary and secondary education, and would provide a steady stream of people with required capacity for the redevelopment effort.

35 --> At more advanced levels, a cluster of targetted MBAs, MPAs [Masters in Public Admin], M.Eds and the like would help greatly on building strategic level governance and managerial capacity side.

36 --> A good Associate Degree level Theology, Bible, Discipleship and technical empowerment programme designed to work with the general education system could be taken up by CETA or other groups. This last would help energise the spiritual reformation and renewal side.

37 --> Similarly, porting one or more of the open source Bible software initiatives -- Xiphos is already a Linux based system that has been ported to other environments, but eSWORD has now gone generic with version 9 [as with office version 2007 the original Access database format has been abandoned by Microsoft] -- to the platform would create a widely accessible Bible resource that could be used for supporting the work of the church and general "equipping of God's people for works of service." [This would help foster godly reformation.]

On the just as vital business (and agriculture) development side, an update to the same post, of January 24th, suggested:

1 –> One of the key blights of Haiti (and Kingston, Ja etc) is the problem of urban migration of rural people, as the countryside has been long starved of opportunity and attractions.

2 –> This, due to the problem of subsidising the town at the expense of the country that Adam Smith long ago analysed. For, urban concentrations draw the eye and the effort, while rural people, being dispersed, are easily overlooked; to the predictable detriment of both -- rural stagnation, loss of ability of a nation to feed itself from its own resources, and urban blight with high unemployment, poverty and crime.

3 –> But in our time of networked multimedia communications, there is no good reason why villages should not grow into small townships with quite good enough facilities and resources; creating a nation-wide network of distributed centres that avert the denudation, idling and depopulation of the countryside and the creation of overpopulated, overstressed, explosive and unsustainable urban concentrations. (I think here of SE St Elizabeth, Ja, and the astonishing development of the township of Junction as an informal model to study and learn from.)

4 –> A key step is the de-bureaucratisation of business formation and taxing systems. For, as De Soto showed convincingly for Peru [cf Institute for Liberty and Democracy here], a lingering mercantilist pattern of regulation, monopoly and cartel easily emerges that locks out the innovative small or micro entrepreneur through creating a bureaucratic maze backed up by blocking access to capital save by the already established.

5 –> The rise of capital starved informal micro enterprises, squatting on/"capture" of lands, inability to acquire lands, etc etc are all characteristic features of such, and are already depressingly familiar from a simple glance at Haiti (and of course Jamaica etc).

6 –> Instead, regulatory and taxing systems need to be greatly simplified, more comprehensible to the uninitiated, helping-oriented and less punitive. On this De Soto’s comparison that similar businesses took an afternoon to set up in Miami [no bribes] and a year or so in Peru [with bribes], is telling.

7 –> Similarly, his contrast of two neighbouring communites in Peru, one ghetto-like, the other showing obvious pride of ownership, is telling. When people can own their own land and homes, they have ownership and access to a capital base that can give collateral for prudent business investments [and if designed right, can often house the relevant cottage industry -- think of the old fashioned tailor shop fronting the house, or shop below, residence above etc].

8 –> Multiply by strategic cash crops [including the ever-growing list of nutraceuticals, especially superfruit tree crops -- reforestation!], agricultural co-ops and competent marketing systems that turn small plots into mini cash cows.

9 –> Blend in well managed credit unions and development banking. (And, CDB is a world class effort along these lines. The Basic Needs Trust Fund should get injections from all sorts of people, as a way to energise a known centre of excellence.)

10 –> Take village churches, schools and community centres, and augment them to include micro-campus centres, supports for business formation and development, clinics and community micro-power radio.

11 –> Add to these the proved power of the business incubator.

12 –> Back all up by a long term programme of capacity development and transformation through education and renewal . . .

Thus, there is a good match between these earlier proposals and what the youth of Haiti are asking for.

The challenge -- including the implicit spiritual dimension -- is therefore now in our hands, even as once before at the hinge of our Civilisation's history, we may read:

Acts 16:9 A vision appeared to Paul during the night: A Macedonian man was standing there urging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us!” 16:10 After Paul saw the vision, we attempted immediately to go over to Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to proclaim the good news to them.

So, again, let us ask: why not now, why not here, why not us? END

1 Chron 12:32 Report, no 58: On the possibilities of Bahareque construction technologies for Haitian reconstruction and for the wider region

An old optimist's saying is that every cloud has a silver lining, and it is now a commonplace that the Chinese character for "crisis" is built up from the components: danger PLUS opportunity. (Never mind the usual hair-splitting academic debate . . . !)

So it is no surprise that the horror of the recent Haiti Earthquake disaster opens up opportunities for a new and more sustainable approach to construction, especially for housing, agricultural buildings, and light commercial, industrial and institutional buildings in the Caribbean (and beyond).

To some extent, this blog has already remarked on this, in an earlier post of Jan 18 [at point no 40] wherein we may see that, first and foremost, we need to change the way buildings are being built. Thus, the first step is to look seriously at the breakthrough Moladi cast foamed concrete plastic former house building system, which is capable of delivering one hurricane and earthquake resistant house per day per mould, with the moulds rated at fifty house- castings apiece:



Going beyond that, I noted:

Possibilities -- in addition to the Moladi-type approach [cast, reinforced foamed concrete housing using prefabricated plastic moulds that can cast one house per day per mould, the mould having a working life of fifty castings] -- include:

a] The Classic CINVA Ram-type compressed earth brick or block presses (including the soil-cement block or brick variation, for which cement stabilises the blocks against moisture), with The Liberator being a faster production development. [The original is rather labour intensive, producing 50 bricks per hour per machine, with several thousand bricks being a typical requirement for a small house. But, we are dealing with a low labour cost environment in looking at Haiti's rural villages.]

b] The Auram modern development that can make a considerable variety of bricks and blocks, including Lego-style interlocking blocks

c] Modern clay, sand, and straw asphalted bricks (going all the way back to the Babylonians!)

d] Use of bamboo canes as a reinforcement medium for adobe type construction (as in "grow your own rebars").

e] The online World Housing Encyclopedia (and other sources) has many more ideas and even training manuals, e.g. this one on proper use of reinforced concrete.

But also, an updated form of the traditional Bamboo Hollow Bahareque construction technology from Columbia and Ecuador and related techniques (e.g. here and here) also offer significant potential, especially for situations where lower capital costs and use of indigenous materials and techniques accessible to ordinary relatively unskilled labour are important factors:

1 --> Traditional Bahareque construction took advantage of the fast-growing [ = "sustainable timber"], strong bamboo Guadua angustifolia (also known as "vegetable steel") and a development of wattle and daub construction, using bamboo strips as the wattles and a mud-horse dung [second use straw!] mortar as the daub.

2 --> Such buildings have proved to be surprisingly durable (lasting upwards of a century) and have also proved resilient in earthquakes; providing the structural bamboo is in good condition.

3 --> In recent years, Jorge Gutierrez, Engineer Professor and Chair, Structural Engineering Department, School of Civil Engineering, University of Costa Rica, has led an effort to develop this technology through application of engineering analysis, experiment and design techniques.

4 --> While aiming to do an ultimately all-bamboo timber design, initial housing was built using an interim timber framed version of the technique. These were at the epicentre of a Mag. 7.5 quake in Costa Rica, and survived without significant damage.

5 --> Similarly, as the modified technique creates an outer wall thickness of 5 cm [~ 2 inches] of bamboo strip reinforced concrete, it is credible that the walls will also be resistant to hurricane winds and most hurricane-carried projectiles.

6 --> Durability of bamboo is an issue in the tropics, with insect and fungus attack as significant challenges. The traditional treatment is to use borax solution to coat laths and creosote oil to coat bamboo columns and beams. Also, more modern treatment techniques now exist, for a prospective commercial trade in plantation-grown sustainable bamboo timber.

7 --> Such sustainable bamboo timber can also be made into bamboo composites such as a bamboo matting version of the traditional corrugated steel roofing sheet, into plywoods and laminated woods [which can in some cases be harder than oak].

8 --> Bamboo trusses can then support the roof, which can be of various types. (We should look at the use of stabilised compressed earth tiles, and at foamed cement tiles.)

9 --> A similar technique as tested in India is to use bamboo framing, and a network of laths, with attached chicken wire used as a basis for ferrocement construction of the same 2 inch thickness. Inthsi case, a timber ring beam was used to support the roof, and attachments were based on concrete infilling of up to 18" of the bamboo columns, then casting in rebars [to tie into a reinforced concrete foundation] or bolts that were passed through the timber ring beam serving as the base for the roof.

10 --> Plainly, the blending of bamboo lath and/or chicken wire concrete wattle and daub -- this last being a version of thin shell ferrocement construction used for sculptures, boats and buildings -- with bamboo, timber or steel framing holds many possibilities for creating an alternative, more sustainable, more affordable and yet disaster resistant construction technology for both Haiti and the wider region. (Similarly, compressed earth bricks, blocks and tiles and adobe with bamboo cane reinforcement can be blended in.)

11 --> However, resistance to novel and often perceived "inferior" technologies and materials is a challenge.

12 --> This is where churches, church-based aid and development groups, other non-government and/or community-based organisations and the like can step up to the plate and demonstrate through key pilot demonstration projects, the utility, aesthetics, sustainability, affordability and potential acceptable quality of such new approaches.

________________

So, again, let us ask: why not now, why not here, why not us? END