Columns

We are a nation at war �– all hands needed

The war against the dreaded novel coronavirus pandemic and the perennial monster of crime will be the two determining factors as to whether Jamaica ends up being a failed State or a success story, even as this troubled nation approaches its 60th anniversary of having gained political...

Remembering the struggles, celebrating the successes

On August 31, we joined with our brothers and sisters on the continent of Mother Africa and the millions of her children throughout the Diaspora in commemorating the inaugural International Day for People of African Descent.

The church and COVID-19

In a 2006 The Gleaner /Bill Johnson poll, 65 per cent of Jamaicans said they take the Bible seriously, and 80 per cent said they attended church regularly or occasionally.

President Biden, you must do more to protect voting rights

I was proud to work hard for the election of President Joe Biden. And, I was proud to protest outside the Biden White House on August 24, 2021. Along with other voting rights activists, including our co-organisers at the League of Women Voters, I called on President Biden to do more to...

We can do better for our nurses

The latest surge in novel coronavirus cases is like a California wildfire burning across the length and breadth of Jamaica.

Commemorating International Day against Nuclear Tests

Nuclear tests have caused enormous environmental damage and terrible consequences on the health of people living in affected areas. It's time to outlaw all nuclear tests, by anyone, anywhere. There is no excuse to delay achieving this goal. — Ant�nio Guterres

Preparing trainee teachers for the education system

It may seem ironic that although the nature of the teaching profession demands teachers engage in reflection and research, many of the nation's educators are unaware of their rights and, to a lesser extent, their responsibilities. However, is this totally their...

China and Africa relations should not be viewed in silos

I was happy to watch a snippet of an interview that has recently gone viral with Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Mottley that was done with the British Broadcasting Corporation ( BBC), perfectly contextualising the relationship with China and the developing...

Freedom awaits — the vaccines are here

The COVID-19 vaccines are arriving thick and fast — courtesy of international donors. Soon, no one who wants a vaccine will be denied.

What you need to know about the COVID-19 vaccines

Vaccines have been in development since 1796 when a small boy was vaccinated with cowpox bacteria and developed immunity to smallpox. Vaccines have made smallpox and polio diseases of the past, while measles is not as devastating due to the rare incidences of the...

Drop the hubris!

Recently I watched a very interesting documentary on the rise and fall of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. It was aired on British Broadcasting Corporation, the BBC. In it, political scholars, pollsters, and politicians delivered their verdict on why...

O, my Diaspora

A brief exchange with a friend some months ago sparked a few thoughts I've had for a long time: They concern Jamaica's Diaspora.

Lessons from Jamaica's pioneering immunisation success — Part 2

It is often said that the day you plant the seed is not the day you eat the fruit. Former public health specialist and head of hospital services in Jamaica Dr Deanna Ashley says her work in the Jamaica public health system over many decades taught her that behaviour-change does not occur...

What if Newland was Norbrook

For the unexposed to Portmore, Newland is a large informal settlement located to the rear of the Portmore Pines housing scheme. It is one of a few informal settlements in Portmore that predates Jamaica's Independence.