Two spelling systems are used for the Jamaican language below. The first, ‘Chaka-Chaka,’ is based on English spelling, which is notoriously irregular. The second, ‘Prapa-Prapa,’ is the consistent, specialist system designed by the Jamaican linguist Frederic Cassidy. It has been updated by the Jamaican Language Unit at the University of the West Indies, Mona. After the two Jamaican versions, there’s an English translation.
CHAKA-CHAKA SPELLING
Ascorden to one Gleaner report weh come out Monday gone, prime minister Andrew Holness keep one big meeting pon Internet fi di Jamaican dem a farin. Im talk bout how money a run inna di country, crime, state a emergency, di highway weh a build inna St Thomas, COVID-19. All kind a ting. By di way, COVID nuh deh ya again?
Hear weh Gleaner seh di prime minister seh bout dat: “Pointing out that this Christmas season will be spent free from the shackles of the COVID-19 pandemic, Holness said that the expectation is that there will be an explosion of entertainment, commercial and other activities.” Same time, Chief Medical Officer Dr Bisasor-McKenzie a warn wi seh di whole heap a visitor dem from farin a go bring een different-different breed a COVID-19. So wi better tek vaccine an booster. A who wi fi listen to? Di left hand nuh know weh di right hand a do.
Pon top a dat, Holness seh, “Jamaica is the poster child for good fiscal management.” It look like seh di prime minister figet bout di whole heap a corruption inna di govament ministry dem an di agency dem. Mi google “Fiscal mismanagement in the Jamaican government.” Inna 0.42 second, 699, 000 answer come up. Di first one a one January 2021 Gleaner report wid dis ya headline, “BILLIONS AT RISK – Inefficient controls at ministries, agencies exposing public funds to fraud or abuse.”
an Jamaica Ambassador to di United States, Audrey Marks (Derrick Scott picture)
ANDREW HOLNESS JINALSHIP
Di prime minister nuh know seh di Jamaican dem a farin know wa a gwaan a yard? Nuff a dem come ya three, four time fi di year. Dem have fambily an friend weh tell dem wa a gwaan. Dem read newspaper an whole heap a report pon Internet; an watch all kind a video bout Jamaica. How Holness tink seh im could a fool dem up bout, “Jamaica is the poster child for good fiscal management”? Dat nuh mek nuh sense.
Di Britannica Dictionary website gi two meaning fi ‘poster child.’ Dis a di second one: “a person who represents or is identified with something (such as a cause or product).” Dat a mussi wa Andrew Holness mean wen im claims seh “Jamaica is the poster child for good fiscal management.” Wen im tink bout “fiscal management,” a Jamaica dat! Wi a top a top.
Di first meaning weh di dictionary gi fi ‘poster child’ a dis: “a child who has a particular disease and is shown in posters to raise money to help fight that disease.” Dat a real-real Jamaica. Wi a suffer from all kind a disease ya so. Wi body, soul an spirit under pressure. Wi need healing. Not Andrew Holness lyrics bout “good fiscal management.”
Di prime minister mussi tink seh im a BroGad fi true. Bible tell we seh God ‘spake’ an di whole world come outa im mout. So if God bredda ‘spake’ an tell wi seh Jamaica a run right, a so it go? Nutten nuh go so. Holness done mek wi know seh im a tink bout im legacy. Im better mind sharp im no turn inna di ‘poster child’ fi jinalship.
PRAPA-PRAPA SPELIN
Azkaadn tu wan Gleaner ripuot we kom out Monde gaan, praim minista Andrew Holness kip wan big miitn pan Intanet fi di Jamiekan dem a farin. Im taak bout ou moni a ron ina di konchri, kraim, stiet a imorjensi, di aiwie we a bil ina St Thomas, KUOVID-19. Aal kain a ting. Bai di wie, KUOVID no de ya agen?
Ier we Gleaner se di praim minista se bout dat: “Pointing out that this Christmas season will be spent free from the shackles of the COVID-19 pandemic, Holness said that the expectation is that there will be an explosion of entertainment, commercial and other activities.” Siem taim, Chiif Medikal Afisa Dr Bisasor-McKenzie a waan wi se di uol iip a visita dem fram farin a go bring iin difran-difran briid a KUOVID-19. So wi beta tek vaksiin an buusta. A uu wi fi lisn tu? Di lef an no nuo we di rait an a du.
Pan tap a dat, Holness se, “Jamaica is the poster child for good fiscal management.” It luk laik se di praim minista figet bout di uol iip a koropshan ina di govament minischri dem an di iejensi dem. Mi guugl “Fiscal mismanagement in the Jamaican government.” Ina 0.42 sekan, 699,000 ansa kom op. Di fos wan a wan Janieri 2021 Gleaner ripout wid dis ya edlain, “BILLIONS AT RISK – Inefficient controls at ministries, agencies exposing public funds to fraud or abuse.”
ANDREW HOLNESS JINALSHIP
Di praim minista no nuo se di Jamiekan dem a farin nuo wa a gwaan a yaad? Nof a dem kom ya chriI, fuor taim fi di ier. Dem av fambili an fren we tel dem wa a gwaan. Dem riid nyuuzpiepa an uol iip a ripuot pan Intanet; an wach aal kain a vidyo bout Jamieka. Ou Holness tingk se im kuda fuul dem op bout, “Jamaica is the poster child for good fiscal management”? Dat no mek no sens.
Di Britannica Dictionary websait gi tuu miinin fi ‘poster child.’ Dis a di sekan wan: “a person who represents or is identified with something (such as a cause or product).” Dat a mosi wa Andrew Holness miin wen im kliemz se “Jamaica is the poster child for good fiscal management.” Wen im tingk bout “fiscal management,” a Jamaica dat! Wi a tap a tap.
Di fos miinin we di dikshaneri gi fi ‘poster child’ a dis: “a child who has a particular disease and is shown in posters to raise money to help fight that disease.” Dat a riil-riil Jamieka. Wi a sofa fram aal kain a diziiz ya so. Wi badi, suol an spirit aanda presha. Wi niid iilin. Nat Andrew Holness liriks bout “good fiscal management.”
Di praim minista mosi tingk se im a BroGad fi chruu. Baibl tel wi se Gad ‘spake’ an di uol worl kom outa im mout. So if Gad breda ‘spake’ an tel wi se Jamieka a ron rait, a so it go? Notn no go so. Holness don mek wi nuo se im a tingk bout im legisi. Im beta main shaap im no ton ina di ‘poster child’ fi jinalship.
ENGLISH TRANSLATION
Jamaica Really Is a ‘Poster Child’
According to a Gleaner report published last Monday, prime minister Andrew Holness took part in a virtual meeting with Jamaicans abroad. He discussed the economy, the state of emergency, the highway that’s being built in St Thomas, COVID-19. All kinds of issues. By the way, COVID is no longer here?
The Gleaner reported what the prime minister said about that: “Pointing out that this Christmas season will be spent free from the shackles of the COVID-19 pandemic, Holness said that the expectation is that there will be an explosion of entertainment, commercial and other activities.” At the same time, Chief Medical Officer Dr Bisasor-McKenzie has warned us that all of those visitors from abroad will bring new strains of COVID-19. So we had better get vaccines and boosters. Who should we listen to? The left hand does not know what the right hand is doing.
In addition, Holness said, “Jamaica is the poster child for good fiscal management.” It seems as if the prime minister has forgotten all of the corruption in government ministries and agencies. I googled “Fiscal mismanagement in the Jamaican government.” In 0.42 seconds, there were 699,000 resujts. The first was a January 2021 Gleaner report with this headline, “BILLIONS AT RISK – Inefficient controls at ministries, agencies exposing public funds to fraud or abuse.”
ANDREW HOLNESS’ TRICKERY
Doesn’t the prime minister know that Jamaicans abroad are aware of what’s going on at home? Lots of them come here three, four times a year. They have family and friends who tell them what’s happening. They read newspapers and lots of articles online; and watch a wide range of videos about Jamaica. How on Earth could Holness think he can fool them with talk that, “Jamaica is the poster child for good fiscal management”? That makes no sense.
The Britannica Dictionary website gives two meanings for ‘poster child.’ This is the second one: “a person who represents or is identified with something (such as a cause or product).” That must be what Andrew Holness means when he claims that “Jamaica is the poster child for good fiscal management.” When he thinks about “fiscal management,” Jamaica comes to mind! We’re on top.
The first meaning the dictionary gives for ‘poster child’ is this: “a child who has a particular disease and is shown in posters to raise money to help fight that disease.” That’s the Jamaican reality. We are suffering from all kinds of diseases here. Our body, soul and spirit are under attack. We need healing. Not Andrew Holness’ sweet talk about “good fiscal management.”
The prime minister must think that he’s really BroGad. The Bible tells us that God ‘spake’ and the whole world came into being. So if God’s brother ‘spake’ and tells us that all is well in Jamaica, that’s a fact? Not at all. Holness has already let us know that he’s thinking about his legacy. He had better be careful he doesn’t become the ‘poster child’ for trickery.
Jamaica Woman Tongue 
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