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

Why am I constantly being overlooked? Why am I being sidelined? The system has failed us! Crafted by those who have schemed and undermined others and have rewarded their corrupt cronies with positions of influence and power! Where did we go wrong as a society? Our silence mistaken for consent,   It was not always like this. In a bygone time, one’s level of professionalism was enough. Truth, commitment to task and respect for all were valued principles, sufficient to move one up the ranks Even with their power and position they are like empty shells Void of any sense of decency and principle Waiting to be cracked, exposing the rottenness within They are the products of their own dysfunctional upbringing They are perplexed and burden with a sense of guilt that cannot be masked forever If only they would look in the mirror And see what is looking back at them! Shame! A most putrid state of affairs Should I abandon those principles which my mother taught me? Sh...

When A.L Hendricks penned the words to the song “Jamaica Land of Beauty”, he must have foreseen the potential that this beautiful island had in this vast and increasingly complex world. Hendricks went on to seal his commitment to a new nation with the words. “We promise faithfully, to serve thee with our talents and bring our gifts to thee. Jamaica we will always in honour of thy name, work steadfastly and wisely and never bring thee shame”. The potential would have required such commitment to national development has been railroaded by consistent social indiscipline and political corruption. This genesis of corrupt practices in Jamaica is rooted in every aspect of society and its tentacles have no new ground to cover. On a daily basis, the vicious consequences of these illegal activities are being plastered in our minds through conventional and social media. Our nation is covered in the blood of victims, innocent or not, taken by the brute callousness of hardened criminals. Corruption...

                                                                    Poem- You B lurred lines The envelope has been shattered Psycho analyzing and deconstructing this new frontier Boldness Perhaps Hello miss, pardon me sir May I have this dance? It was unintentional or was it? Have my excuse please Unisex clothing allowing for freedom of space and bodies Bleached skin- a currency for social mobility in a society steep in colour prejudice, Parading in the hot afternoon sun wrapped with cellophane, Without a care in the world. Chased! Beaten! Stabbed to death! Good riddance! Where is your humanity? Deafening ...

We live in a society and indeed a world where fatherhood is often downplayed, particularly, in the black community where many men have abandoned or relinquish their roles as fathers. Notwithstanding this there are many outstanding, caring and industrious fathers who take their role as fathers and the accompanying responsibilities very seriously. Fatherhood goes beyond a biological act; fatherhood is a self-sacrificing commitment to see to the welfare and wellbeing of another human being. The coaching, mentoring and oversight of a good father can never be counted in monetary terms. We often equate good fatherhood solely in terms of how much money the man comes home with. However, a child needs more than money, after all money cannot buy the affection and the unconditional love of a child. Many men are lacking, and to those men, it’s time to step up and be that father to your child and to your children. To those men who are doing what is required of a good father we encourage you to con...

The complex issue of any relationship is rather fluid and filled with dynamism. A relationship is not like a Bugatti Veyron 16.4 sports car which can hit 60 mph in 2.5 seconds, or a Porsche 918 which can race to 60 mph in 2.2 seconds. Each society has norms steeped in cultural expectation and history which often serves as a guide or social control regarding the ‘dos and don’ts’ of relationships. One of the relational matters which always get strong opinions from both sexes is the perennial question: Would you invite your ex to your wedding? A wedding is supposed to be a happy and family orientated event in which the bride and groom take center stage. A colleague of mine, Alberto, not his real name, age 42, is of the belief that it is ok to invite one’s ex to one’s wedding. “I believe too many people have hang-ups about this person and that person. He added that if the ex is a great person, and we have a great friendship, I don’t see why not”. Alberto clearly takes a mature approach to ...

We are all at risk of being poisoned by lead, however, our most vulnerable in the society, our children are at a greater risk of being exposed and affected by lead poisoning. The curious and free spirited sense of adventure in children put them at the fore for exposure to lead poisoning. Disturbingly, in many instances our children are not adequately supervised and they are left to explore, touch and taste all that they come into contact with including lead-coated objects. Lead is a naturally occurring toxic metal found in the Earth’s crust. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the widespread use of lead has resulted in extensive environmental contamination and significant public health problems in many parts of the world.   Once lead enters the body, it is distributed to organs such as the brain, kidneys, liver and bones. Interestingly, the body stores lead in teeth and bones where it accumulates over time. The WHO states that undernourished children are more suscepti...

The average Jamaican is seemingly not concerned about issues relating to Pan-Africanism. This was evident in the low turnout at a recently held Pan-African public symposium at the University of the West Indies. Despite, a population of more than 90 per cent African ancestry, a significant percentage of the populace do not view themselves as descendants of Africans or Afro-Jamaicans. This separation and arguably denial of our history is largely due to how the society has been cultured and schooled. To a large extent the society pays little attention to our historical grounding and this lack of historical significance is demonstrated in the in the growing number of our young men and women who bleach their skin.   It bears thought that for many of us a sense of self and personhood is the missing link between believing in our own sense of self and how we fit into and contribute productively to the society. Additionally, the issue of poor self-esteem exhibit by some of our students’ ste...