Back in 2012/13, an intriguing discussion arose in Parliament and the wider society surrounding Obeah, which remains illegal although it is widely practised and is indeed embedded in Jamaican culture.

Back then, the discussion flowed from the successful initiative by then Justice Minister Mr Mark Golding to abolish whipping as a form of punishment in the Jamaican correctional system.

As part of his approach, Mr Golding had to initiate amendment to the Obeah Act which was among legislation allowing flogging.

Senators from opposing sides, Mr Lambert Brown (People’s National Party) and Mr Tom Tavares-Finson (Jamaica Labour Party), suggested that the designation of Obeah as a crime should be removed from the law books. They argued, with justification, that the Obeah Act is a relic of colonialism, dating back well in excess of 100 years to a time when the Jamaican ruling classes found it useful to suppress the cultural identity of the black underclass.

Both senators said back then that they would join forces in bringing a Bill to Parliament aimed at removing Obeah from the law books. We are not aware that the promise was ever carried out.

We are, however, reminded of all of that by the story ‘Obeah or Astrology’ in yesterday’s Sunday Observer which focused on concerns that so-called astrologists from India are widely advertising their supposed abilities to solve people’s problems, be they physical, spiritual and otherwise.

Lawyer Mr Linton Gordon points out that, “The way they (astrologists) advertise themselves and the services they offer is an assertion of superior capabilities. In other words, they are saying that they are capable of doing things that a doctor cannot do, a lawyer cannot do, and other persons cannot do, but somehow, were you to visit them, they can do it.”

Mr Gordon argues that as they are currently operating, the astrologists may well be in breach of laws against Obeah. They could also be breaching the Medical Act and the Pharmacy Act, according to Mr Gordon.

We understand Mr Gordon to be saying that those putting themselves forward as capable of carrying out supernatural acts can be charged under the Obeah Act. Similarly, people who are not qualified and registered medical practitioners are not eligible to practise medicine and are breaking the law if they do so, and under the Pharmacy Act only registered pharmacists should be distributing medication.

Inevitably, since legislators, and indeed the Jamaican State, have so far done nothing to arrest activities by so-called astrologers, the always thorny issue of race, class and culture arises.

University of the West Indies lecturer Dr Ajamu Nangwaya wonders why Obeah is criminalised while other similar practices from elsewhere are ignored.

“That’s something that is very troubling in our country, where the tendency in our culture [is that] anything too black not too good, and Obeah is one of the blackest religions,” said he.

It seems to this newspaper that Messrs Brown and Tavares-Finson need to follow through on that pledge they made in 2013 and spur debate so that Jamaicans can come to a proper conclusion on Obeah and other practices that profess to operate in the supernatural.