My interest was piqued when I noticed the articles by Tarik ‘Zawdie’ Kiddoe, motorcyclist and founder of the Back To Basics Mission, and medical doctor Lucien Jones, vice-chairman of the National Road Safety Council (NRSC). Mr Kiddoe was passionate...
The Gleaner editorial puts it well in this weekend’s edition. “..There was a time when deep religious values formed the underpinning of Jamaican society... .” The remark was made in the context of the criminal distortion of ‘religious’ practice by...
What is the difference in the destinies of sheep tended by a ‘Good Shepherd’ and those who roam wild, trusting only the leaders from their own herd? Wolves are known predators whose prey escapes 86 per cent of the time. However, almost 100 per cent...
CHAKA-CHAKA SPELLING Di politician dem a gwaan like seh dem no know how it go. Election time, wen dem a look vote, dem find money fi pay people. One time, di politician dem could a buy vote fi $5000. Dat done. Pon June 3, 2021, Gleaner buss dis...
Listen to the hummingbird Whose wings you cannot see… Listen to the mind of God Don’t listen to me Leonard Cohen (2019) “What’s purple and hums?” asked Marshall McLuhan, author of The Medium is the Message. This was his way of forcing...
Jamaica is reputed to have more churches per capita – 1,600 and growing – than any other country in the world. Even though that statistical claim has been challenged by sceptics, the fact is that churches exist in every nook and cranny of the...
In a virtual meeting recently over bulldozing activities in San San, Portland, which are apparently taking place at nights, removing lands from private properties and damaging fencing, the discussion led to Jamaica being a signer of the global...
On August 6 this year, the 59th anniversary of Jamaica’s independence, Delroy Williams was named among more than 200 Jamaicans to receive national awards – in his case an Order of Distinction, Commander class (CD). On Monday of this week, National...
Describing a religious formation as a cult is not helpful, as modern use of the term is really a form of hate speech rather than a technical description. Originally the word ‘cult’ was related to ‘culture’, and referred to a set of religious...
We previously highlighted how socio-economic status affects early detection of breast cancer, prompt treatment, and overall survival among ‘lower-class’ women. An important realisation was that women from less affluent regions suffered higher...
This month marks 156 years since the massacre of Stony Gut. While the wickedness of the British and their Maroon collaborators was unleashed in places as far apart as Manchioneal and Coley, it was always clear to them that Stony Gut had to be...
No one, insofar as we are aware, has asked for running commentaries on the investigations being done by the Integrity Commission (IC), Jamaica’s premier anti-corruption agency. What people want is to know that the commission is actually doing its...
The prime minister and the current administration boast about the expansion of Jamaica’s road network, and have stated on several occasions that they have made the most road improvements that this country has ever seen. I often wonder if the...
On Monday, we learned about the passing of Colin Powell from “COVID-19 complications,” according to reports from his family. They also revealed that he was fully vaccinated. But it appeared that he had some comorbidities, or underlying health...
Everald Warmington’s case for why the auditor general, Pamela Monroe Ellis, shouldn’t be a member of the Integrity Commission (IC) deserves serious attention and a response from policymakers and legal drafters of its merit, and whether a critical...
Last week, following UNCTAD XV, the first segment of the 15th UN Conference on Biodiversity (COP15) was held virtually hosted by China, October 11-15. The second segment, which, it is hoped, will be in-person, is scheduled to be held in Kunming,...
The surprise of the Bank of Jamaica’s move this month to increase its policy rate by 100 basis points, to 1.5 per cent, is that the decision was unanimous. Which means that the two ‘independent’, or non-staff, members of the central bank’s Monetary...
The death of Retired General and former United States Secretary of State Colin Powell on Jamaica’s National Heroes Day 2021 is very poignant. Each year on National Heroes Day, we celebrate six Jamaican sons and one daughter of the soil whose lives...
Across the galaxies, in our favourite Fantasyland, Apocrypha, National Security Minister Harris Ch’iang found himself on the horns of a dilemma. Murders were on the rise; gangs were the real governments in too many communities; a court had...
The Holness administration should indeed cut the pussyfooting and table legislation to allow for the confiscation of unexplained wealth, so that the bill can be properly, but expeditiously, reviewed and passed into law. At the same time, as we have...
At some stage in a man’s life, he will become ready for a long-term relationship or to become married. He looks forward to the day when he will have his own family and be responsible to lead, protect, provide and teach them. It is in his nature to...
Today is National Heroes Day. Our heroes, with all their shortcomings, sacrificed comfort, wealth, self- preservation, and many their lives, in the service of human dignity, and the building of a nation. Principle, not market forces, self-care or...
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I am avoiding quotations, statistics, figures and percentages because they might detract from the message. Please keep these basic things in mind. AWARENESS: Knowledge is power. Breast cancer is the most...
Jimmy Cliff’s classic Many Rivers To Cross was released in 1969, the year National Heroes Day was first celebrated. The song could well be the anthem for National Heritage Month. Its theme is our ongoing struggle for survival: “Many rivers to...
Urgent, decisive action is needed to slow the rate of accelerated self-destruction facing the world, says Ronald Jackson, former head of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management. Mr Jackson’s warning comes as the world prepares...
