Make sure you go and put your ‘X’ on the ballot paper. Never mind the dissent from some of my Rastafarian ‘bredren’, that both parties represent King Charles’ government, in this ‘judgment.’ The most Honourable Marcus Mosiah Garvey just four years...
The date for the upcoming general election, Wednesday September 3, is almost upon us. As usual, expensive and furious competition ensued. At the end of all the excitement, there will be a victor; either the incumbent [Jamaica labour Party, JLP]...
Perhaps it is the distraction of the campaign for next week’s parliamentary elections that has caused Jamaicans, and their government, to be seemingly oblivious to geo-political developments in the southern Caribbean that could upend the region’s...
I am a diplomat with over 40 years of experience. My first instinct is always dialogue: bringing adversaries to a table and building mechanisms that find compromises with which everyone can live. But there are moments when “dialogue” is...
Jean and Dinah, Rosita, and Clementina Round de corner posin’ Bet your life is something dey sellin’ But when you catch them broken, you could get dem all for nuttin’ Doh make no row De Yankee gone and Sparrow take over now. – The...
When the new administration takes office after next week’s election, it must, along with economic issues, make good governance and efficient government urgent matters it attends to. For not only do Jamaicans doubt the integrity of their leaders and...
“In war, truth is the first casualty.” – Aeschylus (525-455 BC) It is discouraging that in this supposedly Christian country, with (allegedly) the most church buildings per square mile in the world, the received wisdom is that political...
In recent times, an interesting philosophy seems to have emerged, especially amongst the working and upper economic classes regarding our national minimum wage. The thinking goes like this: “Minimum wage was never intended for people who have...
There have been recent suggestions from JOA boss Chris Samuda, economist Keenan Falconer among others for the government of the day to work with a stand-alone sport ministry, rather than tie this to another ministry or ministries as has been the...
Whichever party wins next week’s general election, one of its first tasks in government should be the tabling of a revised fiscal policy paper, allowing the new Fiscal Commission an opportunity to assess its spending plans in the context of Jamaica...
The likely turnout of just over 50 per cent of Jamaica’s voting population on September 3, as indicated by a recent RJRGLEANER Don Anderson poll, is encouraging, even if it is not where we would want it to be. As Don Anderson himself conjectured,...
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) – including heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and chronic respiratory illnesses – have become the leading cause of death and disability in Jamaica. These conditions account for approximately 70 per cent of all deaths...
General elections are due to be held in Guyana on September 1 and in Jamaica on September 3. Attention is focused on the election campaigns, not so much on foreign policy issues. Barbados is hosting the Caribbean Festival of Arts (CARIFESTA),...
Jamaica’s economy is significantly changed from 2016 when the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) decidedly altered the tone and trajectory of the election campaign with a promise to hike the personal income tax threshold to J$1.5 million – a jump of over...
Apocrypha, that beloved fantasyland beyond the galaxies where all politicians are friends, was abuzz as general elections drew near. Governing Just Lazy People (JLP) and Opposition Promises Not Performance (PNP) were giddy with excitement. Each...
Corruption is endemic in Jamaica. Whenever there is an election, as soon as the dust settles and the smoke clears, it is only a matter of time before a scandal rears its ugly head, and then another and then another. Neither of our two major...
In the din of the election campaign, the report of a small, but significant, development for accountability and good governance might have escaped attention. Last week, Kasan Troupe, the top civil servant at the education ministry, announced that...
Cardiac arrest is a sudden, catastrophic medical emergency which occurs when the heart suddenly stops beating and blood is no longer pumping around the body effectively. This is usually manifested by the patient falling to the ground and becoming...
The Gleaner applauds the University of Technology’s (UTech’s) recent graduation of its first batch of students from a pilot values and attitudes course, and hopes that it is quickly refined and becomes mandatory in all of the university’s degree...
We should express respect, not disdain, for the nearly 200 Jamaican men and women who have put themselves forward to seek election as representatives of the people. I wonder if we or they appreciate the sacrifice they are making if they want to do...
Jamaica was still recovering from the 2008 global crisis when it slid into near economic meltdown in 2009. Interest rates skyrocketed from four to 13 per cent, making borrowing difficult. I remember Finance Minister Audley Shaw in a June 2011...
In perspective, good news: world hunger is beginning to decline. The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2025 (SOFI 2025) reported a drop in the proportion of people suffering from hunger, from 8.5 per cent in 2023 to 8.2 per cent in...
As this newspaper is wont to point out, the fiscal discipline that Jamaican administrations have displayed for nearly a decade and half helped to push debt below 70 per cent of GDP, and otherwise stabilised the macroeconomy. These gains, of...
Jamaica has recognised that it has an ageing population, but the current discussion seem focused on labour force concerns. However, consideration of an ageing population needs a much broader multisectoral approach as ageing has profound...
The Office of the Political Ombudsman has played a crucial role in protecting citizens’ rights, promoting good governance, and strengthening democratic principles for over two decades. Transparency, impartiality, and fairness underlie its purpose...
