The Intersection of Gender, Culture and Education: Jamaica: The Next 50 Years!

Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord , and He will reward them for what they have done.

Your agonizing face tells your story, Our story, A nation’s story. Its a familiar script, with changing characters and setting. I feel your pain. Your inaudible groans speaks to us, piercing the silence of the night You will never be whole again Your baby boy is gone Gone but forgotten The healing properties of time will soothe your pain Together we stand in your moment of grief. A travesty of justice. © November 2014 Wayne Campbell

He who speaks truth tells what is right, But a false witness, deceit. There is one who speaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword, But the tongue of the wise brings healing. Truthful lips will be established forever, But a lying tongue is only for a moment.

Ephesians 3:20-21 20 Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, 21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

All LIME customers would have by now seen an accompanying letter with their November bill from the CEO of LIME Caribbean informing them of an additional monthly fee of $262 inclusive of taxes as of January 1, 2015. According to LIME customers who do not sign up for ebilling will have to pay this additional cost to have their bill printed and sent to them by traditional mail. This decision by LIME is unfair since the company has given their customers less than 2 months notice of their intended action to impose this added charge on monthly bills. There are many customers who do not have access to a computer. What about the older LIME customers who might not be as computer savvy as others? Will there be any provisions made at the LIME branches to assist customers in signing up? The November dated letter by the CEO did not mention anything to this effect. According to LIME their decision to go ebilling is more convenient and cost-effective, however, I humbly ask is this decision more con

Have you ever questioned the purpose of your being? If you have, what are the answers that have come your way? Are you living solely for yourself? Do you find time to reach out and help that someone who is in need? Do you find the time to enquire about the welfare of someone else? We can be selfish at times. However, make a difference in the life of someone this week. Never be too busy or too taken up with your issues to reach out to someone. Life is too short.

The Jamaican state is urgently in need of reform in terms of governance. There is much that is wrong in the society regarding how we appoint individuals to serve on boards of state entities. The cavalier and political divisive manner in which appointments to state board is done has manifested itself in the ongoing debacle now facing the remaining board members of the National Housing Trust who have refused to resign.   Despite being a ppointed by the Prime Minister; it is clear that they have failed to understand that they are servants of the people of Jamaica. Such arrogance and rudeness is most unbecoming and does not inspire much hope for the future of Jamaica. Then again this is nothing new since the interest of the country is always a distant second to the interest of the two main political parties, yet we speak of national development. The time has come for us to remove from having our politicians appoint members to state boards. Successive governments over the years have done

It is time for men to take center stage. International Men’s Day (IMD) is an annual global event celebrated on November 19. The day was conceptualized by Jerome Teelucksingh in 1999. There are six pillars of International Men’s Day (IMD). These are: working together to promote positive role models, to celebrate men’s positive contributions, to focus on men’s health and well being, to highlight discrimination against males, to improve gender relations and gender equality and finally to work together to create a safer and better world. For far too long this very significant day has not found the buzz it deserves in the Jamaican landscape. However, this year the Institute of Gender and Development Studies (IGDS), Mona Unit, commemorated International Men’s Day under the theme: ‘Boys at risk in the Education System’ by having a  silent march around the Ring Road of the University of the West Indies as well as hosting an interactive public education session. T his is most timely given th

“If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor”.-Bishop Desmond Tutu Bigotry is at the root of all cases of bullying. Bullying in all its forms and manifestations is wrong and has no place in a modern day society.   Research has shown a co- relation between bullying and suicide. Bully-related suicide can be connected to any type of bullying, including physical bullying, emotional bullying, cyber bullying, and sexting, or circulating suggestive or nude photos and/or messages about a person. Sexual bullying involves comments, jokes, actions, or attention that is intended to hurt, offend, or intimidate another person.   It is more common than we think, and it affects pupils in both single sex high schools and co-educational high schools alike. As with any form of bullying, the perpetrator seeks out that individual who is considered the weakest among the pack. Sexually bullying is no different. This form of harassment is usually seen more often

The recent news by the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) that customers will see a reduction of approximately 8.4% in their November light bill is welcome news for the Jamaican consumer. This pending reduction in electricity bill is made possible due to the fall of world oil prices. The collapse of world oil prices is a result of an oversupply of the community due largely in part that supply from the United States of America unconventional fields is rising faster than global demand. Additionally, increase in output mainly from Saudi Arabia and Kuwait both members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) have contributed to a glut on the market. According to some reports, both Kuwait and Saudi Arabia have indicated an unwillingness to reduce output. It is therefore, possible to see even further reduction of world oil prices.   While the news from the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) is most timely, coming just in time for Christmas,we must ask ourselves wh

As more and more Jamaicans continue to be infected and impacted by the chikungunya virus the news emerging from the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is not very encouraging. According to the Center for Disease Control the chikungunya outbreak in the Caribbean will continue to spread with no sign of slowing down. With all fourteen parishes now reporting cases of this painful and debilitating mosquito borne disease Jamaicans from all section of the society have been turning to non traditional forms of medical care. As the medical fraternity struggles to arrive at a vaccine or cure for the chikungunya virus infection many Jamaicans have sought relief from those who proclaim themselves as herbalists. The relapse of chikungunya virus is as severe or in some instances more severe than being first infected.   The sad reality is that many Jamaicans risk drug poisoning since a lot of these natural herbs have properties which may pose serious problems to those pa

The 2014 Global Gender Gap Index Report by the World Economic Forum has been published and Jamaica has dropped 5 places with a global ranking of 52 out of 142 countries. In 2013 Jamaica was ranked at 47. This is very much disturbing and speaks to the lack of attention the society pays to gender based issues. The Global Gender Gap Index Report examines countries around the globe regarding gender equality. Gender equality is the measurable equal representation of women and men. Gender equality does not mean that both sexes are the same; however, gender equality   speaks to having equal value, opportunities and treatment for both men and women. The Global Gender Index Report measures the relative gaps between men and women across four key indicators: health, education, economy and politics. The United Nations and rightly so regards gender equality as a human right. A number of Caribbean islands have fared much better than Jamaica in the latest Global Gender Report regarding the gender eq

Dear little butterfly why are your wings no longer moving? Dear little butterfly are you sleeping? Tell me, please tell me little butterfly what has happened to you? So beautiful, yet motionless on the car porch I thought you were resting on the cold ground But clearly I was wrong Braking just in time Dear beautiful butterfly, Move your wings one last time Fly to nearest flower So I can see your beauty Grant me this one last wish.  © 2014 Wayne Campbell

Make a joyful noise unto the Lord , all ye lands. 2  Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing. 3  Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. 4  Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. 5  For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.