‘Don’t give up on yourself, you are more resilient than you think — asking for help is nothing to be ashamed of’.’ I came across this quote recently and it gave me pause as I considered the recent deaths of Jamaicans because of suicide. Anyone can...
“Ladies and gentlemen, put your hands together for the best live shows from the funniest stand-up comedians, ranging from witty and irrelevant to deeply raunchy.” Well, I look for that in both ways - firstly, because I loved humour almost from...
According to the Oxford Dictionary, the word “exonerate” means “to absolve from blame for fault or wrongdoing”. The Merriam-Webster dictionary from the other side of the pond defines it as “to clear from accusation or blame”. On neither side of...
What exactly constitutes political activities? Dr Aujae Dixon, a Jamaican junior doctor, who participated in the September 3 general election as the People’s National Party (PNP) candidate for the Clarendon North Central constituency, has been...
This week’s special report by the Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) on fatal shootings by the police during planned police operations (PPO) is probably discomfiting reading for the brass of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF). Not...
THE CURTAINS had barely come down on last Sunday’s Crime Stop 36th Anniversary Gala event at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel, when news came of Jamaica’s latest mass shooting, this time in Linstead, St Catherine where five people were killed, including a...
Even as this newspaper shares the national outrage over the murder of five people – including a four-year-old child – in Sunday’s mass shooting in the community of Commodore, Linstead, St. Catherine it is not our sense that the incident meets the...
On October 2, the world commemorates the life of Mahatma Gandhi as the International Day of Non-Violence, which was declared by the United Nations in 2007. Mahatma Gandhi’s voice emerged from India, yet his message was universal: that justice and...
This newspaper may have misread Prime Minister Andrew Holness’ posture on constitutional reform in the immediate aftermath of last month’s general election. As we indicated in our October 2 comment in these columns, The Gleaner assumed that it was...
ILLEGAL TRADE is one of the reasons why Jamaica’s 2018 national trade policy promoted the mainstreaming of trade, ensuring that trade, legal and illegal, are reflected in the policies of the relevant ministries, department and agencies, and are...
“Money is a factor. But poor operational controls and weak leadership are at the heart of the sport’s problems. I’ve watched too many teammates struggle to compete in a sport they love without the support they need ... I am done pretending this...
In Apocrypha, our favourite fantasyland where all politicians are friends and Oma D’unn solves political problems by parable, a spotlight was on lawyers. Chief Prosecutor Pauline Broadback decided to consult Oma after a contentious interview by...
The recent report of big losses being sustained by Jamaica’s government-run aerodromes highlights both the collapse of internal airline travel and the government’s struggle to breathe life into a limping domestic aviation sector. That, however, is...
Perhaps it’s a case of the maxim that no news is good news. Which, of course, is not always that case. That is why The Gleaner expects from the Office of the Political Ombudsman a full report and analysis of its activities during the recent...
Why is the Caribbean suddenly the focus of lobbying by groups like the World Vapers’ Alliance, Smoke Free Sweden and We Are Innovation? The answer is clear; our region is being targeted as an entry point for industry-driven narratives designed...
Sickle cell disease (SCD) results from the inheritance of a sickle cell gene from both parents or a sickle gene from one parent and another abnormal haemoglobin gene from the other parent. This causes abnormalities in haemoglobin, which is a...
By now, most of us have heard of all the classic climate change solutions. But, after hearing the same things over and over again, it would be nice to mix it up a little. So, let’s explore some of the more outlandish ideas that the human...
There is no society which has prospered without the foundation of stable families. Nikki is 30, petite and pretty. Looks like she’s slightly spaced out but denies any drug use other than cigarettes. (How does she or anyone afford them anyway?)....
I am honoured to come to this beautiful “land of wood and water” and serve as the 17th Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Jamaica. Reputed as the “Pearl of the Caribbean”, Jamaica is uniquely charming with its beautiful natural scenery...
Sometimes, it is unimportant who one is; but more significant is the ‘where’, because external statuses can clash and one must be sensible enough to know where the respective lines end or begin. To enter every situation in the same frock makes a...
The Gleaner notes, and welcomes, the undertaking by the Government and the Opposition that their members will be regular, and punctual, at meetings of the legislature, including its committees, during the life of the current Parliament. “We know...
Several years ago, our two dogs went missing for a while. We went from a state of shock and confusion to stark panic, dismay, gut wrenching distress, emotional pain, and then elation when they were finally back home. I therefore cannot even begin...
On September 19, Kingston’s urban corridors and transport hubs uptown were flooded in just ninety minutes of intense rain, and resulted in probably over a billion dollars in damages. Flooding in Kingston due to aged and shoddy infrastructure works...
Last week my gardener used a piece of wire and began pulling out a variety of empty banana, potato, cheesy wrappers, etc., from the underside of my vehicle. I was caught in the flooding of September 19. The drive home, which usually takes half-hour...
