In Focus

This is an edited presentation by Professor Trevor Munroe, executive director of the National Integrity Action, at the launch of Ian Boyne's compilation of In Focus columns, Ideas Matter.

Just when we were getting over the shock of being ranked third behind North Korea and South Sudan in the Red Tape, Not Red Carpet World Survey for how difficult it is to invest in a country, we now learn that Grenada will pass legislation making it...

As if the spectre of disorder and horrific incidents of violence were not enough, the scourge of corruption and perceptions regarding same is looming large in our society and remains a serious cause for concern.

The legendary insularity that has long marred relationships in sections of the Caribbean conspired last week with the monumental lunacy of some of our leaders to sabotage the valiant efforts of two ministers from Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago to stave...

Slavery exists in Jamaica, and it is not of the mental type only. If that were so, the problem would be a humongous one, because hundreds of thousands of party faithful, wrapped incessantly in green and orange cloth, can't liberate themselves enough to realise that our leaders have kept them like sheep.

Police Week and Journalism Week ran together last week. Both groups chose downtown churches to launch their week - the cops at the East Queen Street Baptist Church and the Press Association of Jamaica at the Pentecostal Tabernacle, Wildman Street.

A situation of serious balance of payments and external financial difficulties is one of the few circumstances in which a CARICOM member state may unilaterally adopt or maintain restrictions on trade.

The breakthrough with that deal on the Iranian nuclear programme represents a triumph for diplomacy and negotiation. If certain interests had their way, we would be contemplating American strikes in both Syria and Iran. In both cases, diplomacy (so far) has won over death.

In a report in The Gleaner of October 9, 2011, Jamaica was ranked among the worst in the Americas for poverty, unemployment and inequality.

So we have seen the tip of the iceberg and all of the inflammatory adjectives are being released.

Jamaica is one of the four founding member states of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

What if you woke up today and were told that you, your parents and your grandparents were no longer citizens of Jamaica? What if you were made to suddenly apply for permanent residency in order to remain in Jamaica and were told that your birth certificate was now invalid? This means that you would no longer be a citizen, you would lose your right to vote, to education, and to freedom of movement.