Despite the Government’s efforts, there remains a critical shortage of jurors. Over the years, I have witnessed the reactions of many citizens who are called for jury duty. Except for the few who are easily able and very willing to serve as jurors...
There are times when one gets an extra ‘A’ and instead of it improving the quality of one’s degree, it actually drops them into deep hot water. Last week in Parliament it was once again a display of what was worst among us. I cannot speak for the...
In the time spent walking among the people I hope to represent, I have learned so much from their personal experiences that it gives me a new understanding on the subjectivity of “doing the right thing”. Not to say that I grew up privileged, or...
The countries of the Caribbean are not among the world’s big emitters of carbon dioxide (CO2) or other greenhouse gases that heat the earth and cause climate change. Indeed, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the economic group of the 15 countries...
Prime Minister Andrew Holness made an emotional public declaration last October. He was practically in tears. It was at the end of his speech at the handing over ceremony for the Roseneath Park housing development in St Catherine. He was no...
Three weeks ago, I like so many others read The Gleaner’s (March 6) report of the Don Anderson poll, “An Overwhelming Number of Jamaicans believe that both the Government and Opposition are Underperforming in their Respective Capacities”. The Blue...
Imagine India in the 19th century, a proud civilisation festered with the maggots of colonialism eating into its very spiritual and economic core. So great was the pain that Indians, even with the medieval religious taboo of crossing the high seas...
Jamaicans should be vigilant against an emerging political coalition at Gordon House to defang the Integrity Commission (IC), thus making it useless against marauding public officials. The first step in the IC’s weakening, it seems, is a cross-...
Remembering Evan Jones and my days watching the ships in many Caribbean islands being loaded at the wharves. Mr King, our Standard Three teacher and an actor from the far-off city of Port-of-Spain, tried very hard to teach us the English...
You will not be surprised if I take an interest in the environmental content in the recent marathon contribution of Prime Minister Holness to the 2023 Budget Debate. Our first prime minister born after Great Britain cut us loose has wanted a...
Angela Brown Burke, the shadow labour minister and member of parliament for St Andrew South West, must be appropriately reprimanded for her unparliamentary language and open defiance of Speaker Marisa Dalrymple-Philibert in the House on Tuesday. At...
Political apathy in Jamaica, like many other countries, is commonplace and widening. One can reasonably conclude that this is somewhat entrenched due, in part, to the lethargic way in which many politicians implement their responsibilities and the...
JAMAICA IS not a real place. Or so the popular meme says. But real or imagined, there is probably no place on earth like this small island, when it comes to drama, conflict and just sheer spectacle. Jitters in the investment sector, worry among...
THERE IS no doubt that water is a fundamental resource for everyone. It is essential for health, energy, food production, the development of healthy ecosystems, climate adaptation, and the reduction of poverty and inequalities. Water is central to...
It is hardly surprising that the Supreme Court rejected the Government’s claim against the right of the NGO, Southern Trelawny Environment Agency (STEA), to be a party in the constitutional challenge of its granting of a licence for the mining of...
Policy actions sometimes have unintended consequences. Which is what Chief Justice Bryan Sykes fears with the Government’s intention to dramatically increase jail sentences for murder, as part of its tough-on-crime posture. He worries that this...
China is responsible for only 12 per cent of the foreign debt owed by 49 African nations and yet American and other Western political leaders cowardly run away from a poverty-debt crisis they created. World Bank data reveals that the International...
Over the past four years, in this column, I have reviewed the productive, export sectors in Jamaica and other CARICOM countries. Last week, I looked at bauxite and alumina and, as with the other goods sectors, for the long term, especially for...
I’ve just about had enough of New Twitter. As the sole “social” media platform used by your not-so-humble, very anti-social scribe, I treasured its former guarantee of choice of who to read. I follow nineteen persons mainly family or friends....
It happened again last week. I clicked on a video in a WhatsApp group I am a member of and saw two schoolgirls fighting each other while other students looked on excitedly as if they were watching an action film. These videos have become too...
Pearnel Charles Jr’s disclosure last week of research into the development of new varieties of coffee is a development of which there needs to be more in Jamaica – across all industries. But Mr Charles’ remarks at a trade festival for Blue...
The target agreed by both our parties is that by 2030, Jamaica will be a place where we will be happy to live in. Both parties have promised to make this a reality so, once again, there is no policy disagreement. The only question is which party...
Last week, the health minister, Christopher Tufton, unveiled his ministry’s latest programme to help Jamaicans cope with the mental stresses that are part of their lives. Initiatives of the kind are needed by all Jamaicans, but especially young...
Let’s start with happenings in the mining sector. Please reread Esther Figueroa’s recent op-ed piece in this paper. The future of bauxite and all strip mining will be decided very soon. For if the Supreme Court extends the injunction which is now...
At this time of the year, Jamaica’s economic status and plans are made public. Only a minuscule number of citizens understands what is being said, some have a passing acquaintance with the narrative, and most have absolutely no idea about what the...
