One of the axioms of international relations of which Russia’s war on Ukraine has reminded, and Jamaica and its partners in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) would do well to internalise, is that the great powers have no permanent friends....
“Argentina’s government says it will investigate claims that the previous Mauricio Macri administration deployed armed forces for a 2019 military exercise that ‘contemplated’ a potential ‘invasion’ of Venezuela,” Buenos Aires Times has reported. ‘...
The crises are overlapping. In November 2021, just days before the World Trade Organization’s 12th Ministerial Conference (WTO MC12) was scheduled to commence on November 30, it was postponed due to an outbreak of the COVID-19 Omicron variant and...
So Our Candidate says it’s normal for political donations to be made secretly. Really? Seriously? In which Democracy? In whose concept of governance? Where is it okay to keep a THIRTY-ONE-MILLION DOLLAR political contribution from a government...
I have a sister and a niece who are lawyers. I also have many friends and patients who are lawyers. I am not disparaging lawyers in general, but some of them are getting away with playing games, disrespecting the judicial system, using the system...
Discussions about the impact on Jamaica of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine tend to focus primarily on the rise in the price of oil and its knock-on effect on the island’s economy, including its impact as an indirect driver of food inflation. But the...
In the context of the current conflict in Ukraine, I would like to refer to the articles posted across international media, and also published in Jamaica. On March 10, there was a news item in The Gleaner about a Russian airstrike on a maternity...
That the Government, as reported by Finance Minister Nigel Clarke, has completed substantial studies on the possibility of introducing unemployment insurance (UI) in Jamaica is an important and welcome development. This newspaper is nonetheless...
I thought fake news was an essential ingredient of Trumpian dystopia. Apparently not so. Our own examples are evident for all to see – and feel. We are still lied to that the “$1.5” tax concession was revenue-neutral. Now, we are to accept that...
Centrally collected sewage is piped to the Soapberry Treatment Plant in St Catherine and undergoes tertiary conversion for environmental discharge into the Kingston Harbour. This fulfils national determination to prevent pollution of ground water...
At first blush, and without the benefit of the hard details, the ideas floated last week by Nigel Clarke for reforming Jamaica’s private pension market are attractive and likely to win support. However, there are questions of whether the finance...
“I have no live rounds or spent shells in my possession, sir!” Major Bob Allen walked the entire line demanding that the boys make such a declaration. Mid-1970s, Jamaica was in the middle of an undeclared civil war. Illegal weapons were flowing...
A bad-mind dog ferociously guarded a manger filled with hay. The dog didn’t eat hay but it refused to let the cattle into the stable to feed after a hard day’s work. The dog acted as if the hay was meat, which it wanted to keep all for itself....
The US Government is giving out free early treatment kits for COVID-19. This at the tail end of the pandemic. In Jamaica, like most countries, we largely ignored early treatment options in favour of a large spend on boosting hospital capacity....
Discussions about crime and violence tend to centre on the role of the police – specifically, what are they doing to drive down crime? This focus is understandable, since the prime mission of the police is to control crime and keep a nation safe....
The Commonwealth, made up of 54 nations of which 32 are small states, should be deeply concerned at the grave threat to the international legal order caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and should act together to show strong disapproval. This...
“This is a catastrophe,” Vladimir, the leader, growled. He had summoned the entire council of ministers to discuss and take action against what he considered a catalogue of crimes against them. Attending the meeting were Boris, a known fighter,...
The ancient philosopher Aristotle (384-322 BC) wrote that “It is more proper that law should govern than any one of the citizens” (Politics 3:16). Aristotle was one of the earliest advocates of the “rule of law”. His teacher Plato (ca. 428-347 BC...
Wartimes teach us where our priorities lie and help to reveal the truest versions of who we are and what we believe, besides the picture-perfect philosophies we try to project. The Russian invasion of Ukraine, as unfortunate as it is, has managed...
When Prime Minister Andrew Holness speaks in the Budget Debate next week, we expect that he will correct what is likely to have been an error by Finance Minister Nigel Clarke about the policy on electric vehicles (EVs). The PM will probably confirm...
HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS ) have been around for well over 50 years and continue to infect and affect the lives of millions of people around the world. Next to sub-Saharan Africa, the Caribbean...
I WILL be the first to admit that I was not particularly enthusiastic about going to university after high school. I had enjoyed my time at Jamaica College (JC) and wished for at least another year to create more lifelong memories of carefree days...
HOPEFULLY, THE debate that Finance Minister Dr Nigel Clarke opened this week on the Government’s Budget for the new fiscal year will catalyse serious policy discourse, especially on matters consequential to Jamaica’s future. The times and the...
A half a year is usually long enough to get a good sense of how someone will perform in a job, including whether the person has it within them to be a transformational leader. Dr Carla Barnett has been the secretary general of the Caribbean...
“Raise a son, and you will raise a man, raise a girl and you will raise a nation”. A World Bank report underlines the truth of this adage. It shows that increasing female labour market income contributed to a 30 per cent reduction in extreme...
