Commentary

THE VISION of a paper plane sailing menacingly in the air is something most students can associate with their early school days.I, certainly, recall more than one crafty classmate tearing a leaf from an exercise book...

A JAMAICAN has yet to meet a bandwagon he didn't like: Brazil football; Hennessy and Hypnotiq; Prince Harry.The latest fad we've hopped onto with the dexterity of a minibus conductor is a movement by American charitable organisation, Invisible Children....

Again, royalty visited and the 'reparations' debate resurfaced. An uncomfortable prime minister announced Jamaica won't seek reparations. Mike Henry offered none for his mishandling of the Jamaica Infrastructure Development Programme...

South Africa's ruling ANC faces a rebellion inside its youth wing.The key players may not have the noblest of motives, but the issues over which they are fighting deserve an airing.

It is imperative that citizens trust the police if we are to effectively fight crime.The constabulary is already engaged in tackling 42 (organised and recognised) criminal gangs, innumerable and varied spontaneous crimes...

In order to create more jobs, reduce poverty and give small businesses the opportunity to grow and be effective we need to look seriously at regulatory agencies.Many times, regulatory agencies have been set up with a mandate...

There is none, of whom this newspaper is aware, who would question the legal acumen or courtroom skills of Paula Llewellyn, the head of Jamaica's prosecution services. We are, however, increasingly sympathetic to those, domestic and abroad, who complain of an apparent lack of energy and organisational malaise at the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and Ms Llewellyn's efficacy as DPP.

Mr Palmer, I just can't take the chance of greeting you in this letter with the usual salutation, 'dear'. Crazy readers of our correspondence would immediately conclude that you're my bosom buddy.

It is said that two things are certain: death and taxes. Not certain, however, are the forms in which either death or taxation will be visited on an individual.
Prior to 1991, Jamaica's tax system was, in the main, based on income rather than consumption.

There's an impossible-to-ignore paradox in the history of feminist activism. It is what I term the masculinity of power. I believe some of the more extreme campaigners and ostensible natural constituents (only by their sex) exemplify this by their 'breakthrough' conduct.

Too often our police force, especially our traffic cops, have failed to collar lawlessness, giving it free rein. Sure, the cops talk a good talk, but they generally fail to sustain patrols and disincentivise lawbreaking. A case in point is the disorder that takes place at Ellesmere Road, off Constant Spring Road.

From time to time, we have acknowledged the contribution of private-sector foundations to nation-building, especially their investment in education. Reference is drawn to the recent donation of computers by the Digicel Foundation to the Ministry of Education's Alternative Secondary Transition Education Programme (ASTEP).