Bees Colony Collapse Disorder and the Jamaican opportunity

A swarm of Honeybees in May is worth a ton of hay

A swarm of Honeybees in June is worth a silver spoon

A swarm of Honeybees in July ain’t worth a fly

Old Beekeepers adage

The scourge of Colony Collapse Disorder has not yet begun to affect our Jamaican beekeepers. It has been affecting beekeepers in the United States of America and Canada for the last four (4) years has now worsened.

This mysterious problem that has been affecting the Honeybees has serious implications for their Agriculture Sector as stated in the article " Bees in more trouble than ever after bad winter" published Wednesday March 24, 8:05 am ET By GARANCE BURKE and SETH BORENSTEIN, Associated Press Writers, Yahoo! News.

Without Honeybees to pollinate the numerous hundreds of fruit trees after such a harsh winter this year, the result will be a massive loss and a significant reduction in agricultural output. For the first time that the great United States of America will be unable to sufficiently feed it growing population.

The other main product of Honeybees, Honey, which the Americans mostly use as a sweetener in everything from Corn Flakes to Soft Drinks, will also be in short supply due to this problem suspected to be related to pesticides. Even HFCS (High Fructose Corn Syrup) another commercial sweetener will be in short supply, as Honeybees also pollinate the corn used to make this sweetener.

It is the hives in the southern part of the country that are largely unaffected by Colony Collapse Disorder. However, they do not have enough Honeybees to supply the colder north and their own farmers in their area.

Colony Collapse Disorder – Why Jamaica must help American Beekeepers

The timing could not be more opportune as it appears that we have inadvertently stumbled upon an opportunity as golden as the Logwood Honey our Honeybees, unaffected by the tragedy in the United States of America, present.

It seems too that fortune is playing into our hands, as no less than the Government of Japan, who have given the Ministry of Agriculture a US$8.5 million grant as stated in a news report in Local News Segment of Prime Time News, aired Wednesday 31^st March 2010 on Television Jamaica. This is to encourage the increase in the production of our unique Logwood Honey produced by our local Honeybees, which if more Jamaican had their qualities, would result in golden opportunities for our people.

So the connection to us Jamaicans beekeepers becomes obvious.

This potential shortage of these very essential six legged pollinators in the United States of America, the opportunity presents itself for the Government of Jamaica to make a push to export. We can not only export our beloved Logwood Honey but also Honeybees in order to aid the Americans and Canadians in having enough of these creatures to prevent their Agriculture Sector from collapse.

This is very important, as if the American and Canadian Agricultural Sector collapse, food prices would skyrocket. Coupled with the current rice shortage in Jamaica and our dependence on food exports from the United States of America, it is in our best interest to assist America!

Jamaican and USA - Christopher “Dudus” Coke Affair is over

Despite our current impasse with regards to the extradition of Christopher “Dudus” Coke and now the Manatt Phelps and Phillips Affair as stated in the article “Dudus vs USA”, published Friday June 25^th 2010 by Gary Spaulding, Senior Gleaner Writer, The Jamaica Gleaner.

This is also intertwined with the extradition affair and inextricably linked to the United States of America. This impasse has now been resolved, with Christopher “Dudus” Coke in the Custody of the people in the United States of America as noted in the article “‘Dudus’ in NY court today – Former Tivoli don’s extradition ends ten-month drama”, published Friday June 25^th 2010 by Paul Henry, Observer Staff Reporter, The Jamaica Observer.

Evidence is now emerging that indicates that he indeed had links to other organized crime criminals in the United States of America as stated in the article “'Dudus' had American admirers”,  published Friday June 25 2010 12:15:23, The Jamaica Gleaner.

Jamaican Honeybee Diplomacy – Better ambassadors than Chinese Pandas

Amusingly, Honeybees and their Honey supplied to the United States of America and Canada could be more effective ambassadors than even Audrey Marks. Her appointment was confirmed on Thursday March 25^th 2010 as stated in the article “Mark! Set! Go! - US says its' awaiting 'credentials'” published Thursday March 25^th 2010 by Desmond Allen, The Jamaica Observer.

This appears to be to the liking of the Americans, despite not yet having presented her credentials as yet to the Americans. Imagine just for some Honeybees, not only could Jamaican Farmers utilize the Government of Japan’s grant to boost production solely for export to the United States of America but the deal could help “sweeten” the currently bitter relations between us and our now increasingly aggressive Uncle Sam.

Their beekeepers are definitely going to be in need of importing Honeybees from Jamaica, not wanting to risk importing Honeybees from South America. Those Honeybees from that region had been cross bred with African Honeybees (Apis Meliffera Adansonii) in the 1960’s by Brazilian Apiculturist Warwick Kerr in a bid to improve the productivity of the European Honeybees.

Africans Honeybees produce 30% more Honey but are more aggressive that European Honeybees.  So my idea of Honeybee Diplomacy would be a hit with Americans, especially as they’re a lot more useful than Chinese Pandas!

Let us extradite – I mean export – some of our Honeybees to assist the Americans beekeepers or the Fourth of July fireworks will be a bittersweet celebration what with the shortage of the pollinators and their golden sweet!