Last Wednesday, 66 students graduated from Kingston High School. As I observed the animated faces of the graduates, I instinctively knew that they all believed they were "destined for greatness". That was the theme for this year's graduation. It...
No doubt the reduction in Minister Andrew Wheatley's portfolio will be trumpeted by the People's National Party (PNP) as a huge victory.It might be seen as a PNP win. It shouldn't be. Whether or not it's a PNP triumph, the plain truth is that...
Nothing is perfect, and that definitely includes healthcare. On the 70th anniversary of the first full-coverage national healthcare system that is 'free at the point of delivery', Britain's National Health Service, English people have been marching...
Prime Minister Andrew Holness, despite his carefully parsed words and a valiant effort at ambiguity, would, at least to himself, acknowledge the irony of presiding at Adrian Saunders' oath-taking as president of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ)....
It pains me to say it, but there cannot be a more eloquent testimonial to the PM's low estimation of so many of his Cabinet colleagues than that he has kept so much of the Government at OPM. The energy ministry will join works, housing, water,...
It is becoming more apparent that some of the skills adjustments required to achieve Jamaica's growth goals are yet to be tackled. Indeed, it's an issue that has not received the requisite national attention.Yes, there has been a great debate about...
The obvious under-estimation, by the Jamaica Stock Exchange (JSE), of its capacity for mass appeal was again in evidence when it recently announced its pending introduction of 'apex ventures' to provide more options for its investors.It intends soon...
When Indranie asked me what my column today was about, I answered, "Old jokes," and seeing her meaningful look, I added very quickly, "They much older than me. In fact, the first one we know about was from 1900 BC."She still grinned and I quickly...
The United States could probably extract major concessions from China in a carefully managed confrontation on trading issues because the Chinese don't want a trade war with their best export customer. But the US can't win the trade war that Donald...
With unusual frankness for CARICOM, Gaston Browne, Antigua and Barbuda's premier, placed firmly on the table an issue around which regional leaders usually tiptoe, yet many in the Eastern Caribbean consider a constraint to implementing an element...
The Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (Petrojam) is a very profitable publicly owned monopoly; it sets the prices for its products, and so its bottom line is guaranteed to be always in the black.Company policy seems to be to set gas prices high...
Unless the commissioning of the Golding Report, and its recent debate by Parliament, were mere posturing, institutional reform of CARICOM will be Prime Minister Andrew Holness' priority during his six-month chairmanship of the group, which began...
A child is 12 years old and attending high school. She is on the PATH programme (Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education) designed to help the poorest children and their parents navigate the basic needs in educating the child.At lunch...
Recently, the Rev Fr Patrick Conroy, US Congress Chamber Chaplain, resigned after outgoing Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan demanded his termination.Seven years ago, Conroy was appointed by then Speaker of the House John Boehner as the first...
The recent announcement by the Minister of Labour that the national minimum wage for security guards would be increased effective August this year is a small but welcome respite. However, readers should not lose sight of the minister's comments that...
The prime minister has finally taken belated action on the Petrojam problem. I often wonder why such an obviously bright man consistently allows his critics to take several pounds of flesh out of him before he does what he clearly needs to do. The...
On May 24, Mia Mottley's Barbados Labour Party stunned the region, when it swept the general election in a historic and crushing victory. Three weeks later, the new administration made history again when it declared that it had abolished the illegal...
I write with reference to an article carried by the Jamaica STAR on Thursday, June 28, 2018, with the headline 'Small financial returns for recycling plastic bottles'.The article is a critique of what the writer considers to be the low price being...
Prime Minister Andrew Holness' partial firing of Andrew Wheatley is likely to be seen as an illusionist's trick that has fallen flat.For even if he has unloaded a bit of his portfolio, Dr Wheatley, people will perceive, continues to sit among his...
Stacey Reynolds clearly has a point. Examination results are not the measure by which to judge schools.But she must know that it is an important part of the matrices by which to judge educational outcomes. Unless, the principal of Mount Alvernia...
Recently, a personal ad made the social-media rounds. Long story short, a seemingly normal, retired man in Montego Bay was in search of love for the third time around. His last two relationships tragically ended in death and divorce, as...
Everybody knows my favourite author is Jamaica's Rachel Manley.Considering her poetic beginnings, it's unsurprising her prose often reads like poetry or that her facility with metaphor is amazing. There's a riveting chapter in Horses in Her Hair...
While I was being indoctrinated as a youngster, I was told that the Bible was the Word of God, and that everything in it was true. The veracity of the Bible was not to be challenged. I was led to believe that questioning the Bible meant questioning...
I fear that the Speaker of the House of Representatives has lost the confidence of many members to fairly conduct the affairs of Parliament. Last Tuesday and Wednesday were really bad.For the main intent of the Government last week was to protect...
Thanks to the Public Administration and Appropriations Committee (PAAC) of Parliament, many irregularities were uncovered at Petrojam, Jamaica's only petroleum refinery.Petrojam is a statutory body, a limited liability company partly owned (51 per...
