Once again, there is the 'shocked' and even angry reaction by some black Jamaicans at the 'white girl' who has walked off with the Miss Jamaica World crown and the rights to the benefits attached thereto, including the right to represent the majority black Jamaican nation. This is self-delusion of the highest order.

First, Kerry Bayliss, a charming and beautiful young girl, is not Caucasian. She is mixed, known popularly in Jamaica as a 'browning', but has more of a model's body than that of a topline contestant for a world crown, in my opinion. If she wins, or even places, therefore, I will personally contribute $5,000 to the charity of her choice.

But be that as it may, the storm in a teacup surrounding this coronation illustrates once again the lurking, or even immanent, disdain some black Jamaicans still have for their own genotype, and also shows that the adverse psychological effects of chattel slavery for so long a period still holds sway.

Kerry did not have her supporters 'stick up', or even threaten, the mostly black judges and audience in the judgment hall.

Negative perceptions

They voted, and/or cheered, what they saw and liked, based not only on objective, but also on subjective, private, mentally held, criteria. When I was a student at the University of the West Indies, I read several studies which confirmed the casual observation that blacks in Jamaica still had negative perceptions about themselves. The reasons cited are instructive: Maids preferred to work for white householders, as they complained of being treated as no better than sweated labour by blacks; graduates most often sought mates several shades of skin tone lighter than themselves, since they believed that children of lighter skin shade had better opportunities in Jamaica.

Also, professionals in the boardroom complained of newly arrived little black Hitlers who spew spit and rage if their opinions are challenged. Many, therefore, sit as quietly and as unobtrusively as possible, because they know the unwritten term of their employ-ment contract is that it has 'wings' attached, and that these wings can be agitated at any moment to fly into the stratosphere, taking their pay packages along.

These are the real root attitudes and behaviours we need to adjust in order to give meaning, rather than lip service, to the ambitious national motto.

I am, etc.,

PATRICK BLAKE

mysterymonpatrick@hotmail.com