Orville W. Taylor, Contributor
ESSO, ESSO is that so so? We went on the verge of a national strike of petroleum distributors, fuelled by a disagreement between service station operators and Esso Jamaica Ltd., a subsidiary of U.S. oil giant Exxon Mobil, over a five-year-old pricing mechanism that put them at a disadvantage. Despite discussions led by the Jamaica Gasolene Retailers' Association (JGRA), it took a scramble to the pumps and a threat by other non-Esso members of the JGRA before Esso would publicly appear conciliatory.
Still, the chip can't fall too far from the block and parent company Exxon has been accused of price gouging. Compared tolast year, Exxon Mobil's net profit for the last quarter was 'pumped up' by 75 per cent. With profits of $9.92 billion, this was the most massive quarterly gain in history for an American corporation. The earnings have been so dramatic it has caused Exxon to run newspaper commercials declaring that their profits were not the result of price gouging but were "driven by the price of commodities we sell." Needless to say, refined oil and its by-products have reached ridiculously high levels. Clearly, the main concern is not about anything except the profit margins. A 'prophetic' lesson to be learnt here is that one cannot afford to ignore the less powerful without eventually getting resistance.
Speaking of margins and fuel, for two weeks without signs of ending, France has been getting an 'arson'. In fact, it is a sustained eruption of burning of mostly motor vehicles due to what appears to be racial and ethnic marginalisation. The 'shocking' state of affairs began in the Paris suburb of Clichy-sous-Bois on October 27 when two young men of North African descent were electrocuted while hiding from police in an electricity plant.
'SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION'
In a strange type of 'spontaneous combustion', thousands of mostly young men took to the streets, burning sports halls, nurseries and other public buildings, but mostly motor vehicles. With absolutely no reference to our 'Fire Man' entertainer from St. Mary, it has become a nightly nationwide uprising affecting at least 200 towns and cities across France. On Sunday last, more than 1,400 motor vehicles were torched. However, the average number of cars being burnt has been over 500 per night. In response, the government has mobilised close to 10,000 police personnel and more than 2,000 persons have been detained.
With the sustained eruptions, comparisons with our recent flare-ups in Spanish town are tempting. However, one noticeable difference is the absence of armed thugs engaging the police. Nonetheless, one can't help but remember the French Revolution between 1789 and 1793 which ended with the theme of 'liberté, égalité et fraternité' liberty, equality and fraternity. This motto, which strikes the same chord as our 'out of many one people,' stimulates deeper analysis.
The violence is concentrated in areas dominated by ethnic minorities. French statistics like ours do not reflect race or ethnicity. Yet, despite the 'colourful' football and track teams there is no black member of parliament. Quel dommage! (What a pity!) Most of the protesters are young, unemployed men whose parents were part of an immigrant labour force from North Africa. Having outlived their usefulness, these French-born and thus French citizens, live on the margins just like many of our own garrison residents whose parents were 'fed' by political patrons.
Although France's national unemployment rate is around 10 per cent, it is close to 40 per cent in the volatile areas. This is exactly the same ratio for unemployment among violent youths in Jamaica. A report from CNN suggests that these French 'misfits' are more than five times more likely to be rejected when seeking jobs than their white counterparts. Residents in Jamaican ghettoes have similar tales. Still, even more amazing, university graduates from this group are also five times more likely than whites to be unemployed. This is a set of youths who have no real reason to believe in the official French ideology and obviously have a different sense of national identity.
RIOTS PAUSED
Interestingly, the rioters paused their nightly assault to watch a football match between France and Costa Rica in Toulouse on Wednesday. According to one policeman, it shows their lack of political sophistry. I don't necessarily agree because it could demonstrate a curious fascination and loyalty to a country that has not truly integrated them. The real lesson to be learnt from all of this is that people cannot be socially, economically and politically marginalised forever without finally exploding. Take heed!
By the way, how long will the West Indies be marginalised?
Dangerous Australia has eight of the world's most lethal snakes, poisonous insects and arachnids, toxic plants and the only mammals with venom. Also, the Australians are very uncharitable. First of all, they beat the Reggae Boyz like Jamaicans and Nigerians beat a system. They beat us 5-1 and dare to call it "five love." If that is love then I really would not like to see hate. Then the netball teams performed a 'whitewash' of 3-0. Now the cricketers are about to give us another 'liquid paper' or white out. In the first Test match, they kept us out in the field for 'days' and when we went in to bat, we were in a 'daze' The only thing that may save us from a whitewash is if dark-skinned Andrew Symonds plays. With these performances, now I truly understand why Jamaicans will be even more unwilling to go 'Down Under.'
On another note, fisher folk received $2 million worth of equipment from the Government. Although thankful for small mercies, I wonder if this money is gross or 'net.'
Dr. Orville Taylor is senior lecturer in the Department of Sociology, Psychology and Social Work at the University of the West Indies, Mona.
