The latest issue of FirstCuts is now available in a very new format.
Gone are my struggles with ASCII files that Microsoft Outlook would mangle into an unrecognizable melange.
Now, there’s a magazine-like interface that allows a user to read through the ezine much as they would a paper periodical.
Receiving FirstCuts on a regular basis is easy – -simply send email to firstcuts@aweber.com and click on the link in the confirmation email.
In the meantime, click on the icon below to be taken to this month’s issue of FirstCuts. The audio version can be heard by clicking here — Podcast of FirstCuts31
Here is a short excerpt. Also, I welcome any comments you may have here on the blog.
—————————–
Accepting the Plantation
One of the gifts that expats bring to a job in our region is a view of what it would be like to work in an environment that’s free of the tragic history that plagues the Caribbean workplace.
Expats remind those of us who work in the region that our workplace is a unique one that’s been unable to escape its past. It’s uniqueness comes from the fact that it’s the only workplace in the world that remains staffed by a majority of citizens whose ancestors were brought to the region as slaves or indentured servants.
—————————–
To continue reading, click on the icon below.
Perfect!
I read the issue on accepting the Plantation, it was great and very factual also the new Web design is is excellent and very professional. good work. I also wanted to add a comment to your article on accepting the Plantation, i know that caribbean people have to change our mentality to “work’ because of slavery and the plantation system we went through; however i worked with some expats a few years ago and the only problem i had working with them was their hours of work, they did not work 8-4 but 11a.m. to 4 a.m. in the morning and they said we had strange hours of work also they were not to particular with traditional working wear, they were more casual like shorts pants and jersey. This was in an Office environment.
Thanks much!
Your observation about how expats work is interesting — they sound like programmers!
I think the behaviours you described might have more to do with them being consultants than anything else — what do you think?
Thinking about your podcast and it occurred to me that you don’t have to be black to be gripped by the plantation mentality. All you have to do is be born or grow up surrounded by that historical conversation.
Francis that’s really a great podcast. What can we do to have it be heard by a larger audience, including outside Jamaica?
Peter, There is a great book going around written as a travelogue, by an English Author — called Dead Yard. It bears out your point, as the author interviews some family members of former plantation owners.
They sound quite stuck!
Not sure how to do what else to promote the ideas in the podcast — but keep writing! I am trying to gain a bigger audience… we’ll see. I have a feeling that my next big area of research will be “the plantation in today’s workplace” or something of the sort.