Last June, Hurricane Beryl, a powerful Category 5 storm, left a trail of destruction in its wake, underscoring the extreme vulnerability of Caribbean Small Island Developing States (SIDS) to climate change. Although these nations contribute little...
Too many Jamaicans may recall hearing the chilling phrase, “Always remember I have the handle, and you have the blade.” At first, it commands fear and obedience. But with age and reflection, one begins to question the message it gives. Why should a...
Mental health is one of the most important aspects of well-being. Yet this arena of safety and identity comfort is as fragile as it is maligned. The minute that someone is diagnosed as deficient in the arena of psychosocial health, the stigma of “...
I know it’s political silly season but the rabid counting of trees surrounding a recent Financial Investigations Division (FID) appointment whilst being blinded by the forest is just plain sad. It was announced recently that Dennis Chung, former...
The rule of law and human rights form the cornerstone of democratic governance. In Jamaica, persistent extrajudicial killings and the growing culture of impunity pose a serious threat to these democratic principles. We hold no briefs for criminals...
Last Sunday’s compelling Gleaner editorial reflecting on MAGA’s coercing impact on American academic freedom prompted me to revisit and refine my original plan. With A-QuEST having mentored/coached 11 Rhodes Scholars and over 1,300 PhDs and other...
In April, Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) ministers Edmund Bartlett and Kamina Johnson Smith wrote to Integrity Commission (IC) chairman Carol Lawrence Beswick, expressing concern about the appointment of Roneiph Lawrence as acting director of...
There is a real opportunity for reparatory justice, which is being resisted by leaders of successive political administrations in the Caribbean. What will it take to decriminalise obia in Jamaica? Throwing off the mantle of colonial legacies such...
The recent announcement by the Government to review and potentially reduce duties on imported food raises significant concerns for our local farmers, particularly my farmers of South West St Ann. While the prime minister insists that these...
On Tuesday, May 20, during an historic sitting of Parliament, Peter David Phillips made his final contribution to that eminent institution. It was advertised as a Sectoral Debate contribution but, in reality, it became a rallying cry to Jamaicans...
The education system in Jamaica has long been a subject of scrutiny, particularly regarding the quality of its teachers. The Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) and various political figures often point to the recruitment of Jamaican educators by...
Judas used a kiss. Jamaica uses deportation. For 30 pieces of silver — filthy lucre in our time — we have betrayed Haitians seeking refuge, dignity, and kinship among us. We bave uncharacteristically turned them back into the hands of their...
“My friend Mark. Good morning. How are things on your end?” My friend was plainly in the mood to lay out a reality as he saw it. “Here in upside down America it is quite interesting and more than complex. As an attorney who practices immigration...
Once again, the Jamaican government — under the leadership of the Holness/Chang and Jamaica Labour Party — has turned away desperate Haitian refugees. This time, 42 souls: children, women, and men, including an expectant mother. Their sailboat...
To the short-sighted analysts among the political class, the media and the police service, I am very happy, and always will be, for any decline in the homicide rate in Jamaica. However, their myopic analysis of the homicide rate is bounded in the...
Prohibitions restricting citizens’ access to public spaces of leisure in Jamaica is a notorious violation of human rights. For several years, advocates have agitated against the shrinking access to public beaches as more and more tourist-serving...
It is more the norm than the unexceptional that words with depth come to us as bigger than what the moment demanded. Usually, those words are delivered to us via the wisdom of a veteran politician/statesman. In this instance, it is none other than...
I know. This’ll be the last time (for now) I write about Government’s crude attempt to disguise a gluttonous grab for more power as a constitutional reform process. I promise! It’s just too annoying to watch quietly while we’re taken for fools as...
On May 13, the Fourth Ministerial Meeting of the China-CELAC Forum was successfully held in Beijing. Foreign ministers, representatives of member states of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), as well as heads of regional...
Justice is the foundation of a fair and equitable society, and ensuring the protection of vulnerable children is a fundamental aspect of justice. The United Nations International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (UNICESCR) affirms...
The global demand for healthcare workers is increasing, and with it, the need to enhance international collaboration in health, including through South-South cooperation. My recent trip to India and the Philippines provided just such an opportunity...
The political discussion in Jamaica today is boring me to tears. We continue a futile finger pointing game instead of focusing on the one necessity that stands out like a sore thumb which is the welfare of We the People. If we haven’t learned over...
The 2021 Patterson Commission Report on education reform in Jamaica was a well-meaning and long-overdue initiative. It offered broad recommendations on governance, teacher training, early childhood education, and funding. However, it overlooked a...
I knew him from way back. It would be in 1995, at the same time that he adopted the 13-inch ficus. Shut didn’t have much. He lived with a few hill folks, and they cultivated a few ganja plants for sale later on the flat. If Shut and his woman had a...
Traditionally, much of Jamaica’s tourism has been concentrated on the north coast, with the emphasis on sun, sand, and sea, but the island’s south coast is increasingly asserting itself as a very desirable alternative to the traditional tourism...
