In the country, a cow thief [as a farmer myself, I feel little sympathy for the man] was caught by members of a farming community and chopped to bits. Tiny bits it would seem. The angry mob, when the cameras hit them, really didn't seem so angry at all, actually. They had a real sense of accomplishment and pride on their faces, whether they were witnesses or participants in the 'crime', the look on their faces spoke of a job well done.

Jamaica is not a civilised country.

But the chronicles of last week's news continued to dig deep into the depths of rational behaviour as reports surfaced of the alleged rape and murder of a woman by her brother! The woman was stabbed multiple times. The brother is believed to be mentally troubled and had recently been released from prison. If he is mad, at least there is an explanation for his deeds.

Jamaica is not a civilised country.

I can think that the fellow that decided to jump off one of the top floors of the Kingston Public Hospital might have heard one death report too many and decided that leaving this life was a good plan. But you know how in the movies when someone is on the ledge about to jump, how the crowd below is normally worried and concerned - oh no, Jamaica thought it was a cool spectacle and were egging the man on to "jump". Jump he did. So much for blaming cable for our callousness.

Jamaica is not a civilised country but ...

When we were all giving serious thought to what the hell is going to happen next - something else did. A 21-year-old, 6' 5'' boy from Trelawny went off to New York and rewrote the pages of history. Usain Bolt, like the flash of lightning that his name describes, completed the 100 metres in 9.72 seconds. The world was stunned. Jamaica was awed, happy, amazed, and just for a day we did not need to think about the people killed. I think even the murderers stopped and said, "good job Bolt".

Jamaica is an enigma. It is not a civilised country but there is hope, there has to be, or else we are all doomed.