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

Prime Minister Andrew Holness recently stated that no decision has yet been made regarding possible compensation to business owners who have been affected and impacted by lost revenues due to the ongoing road improvement projects across the Corporate Area. As the conversation continues and expands regarding possible redress for lost business in light of the ongoing road enhancement projects across the Kingston Metropolitan Area, especially Hagley Park Road/Three Miles areas, it is very much timely to add to the discourse the possible redress to property owners for the temporary, suspended aesthetic appeal amidst the unusual volume of dirt and dust which have invaded homes as the government’s Legacy Programme moves ahead in earnest. The Prime Minister in the said interview commented that Cabinet would need to consider such a proposal surrounding compensation for property owners. Recently, the President of the Private Sector Organization (PSOJ) Howard Mitchell expressed that some busines...

It is important that issues affecting men are not only highlighted but are discussed with the aim of finding solutions in order to achieve harmonious gender relations and sustainable development. Most societies operate on a patriarchal paradigm; however, there are those of us who fail to admit that not all men benefit from the male privilege afforded by being born male.   Each year International Men’s Day (IMD) is commemorated on November 19. Some might argue that the day is far from international since only approximately eighty (80) countries globally observe this very important day.   Unfortunately, International Men’s Day lacks the United Nations (UN) ‘international’ backing. The blessings of the UN would certainly go a far way in giving IMD more power.   Regardless, IMD has been around since the late 1960’S particularly with observances in the United States of America, parts of Europe and Australia. It was not until 1999 however that International Men’s Day was reva...

“This is not about retribution and anger, it’s about atonement; it’s about the building of bridges across lines of moral justice.”- Sir Hilary Beckles There can be no middle ground regarding the issue of reparation. Once you have a drop of African blood running through your veins, once your DNA can be traced to the continent of Africa where our fore parents were rounded up like cattle and transported in inhumane conditions across the Atlantic, then you are obliged to be concerned about the topic of reparation. I strongly suspect that many in the society do not have an understanding of reparation and therefore this lack of basic understanding underpins the lack of interest in the matter. Historically, reparation was confined to the realm of war crimes and viewed solely through compensation through financial means, however, reparation as a movement has evolved, and indeed reparation is much more than financial compensation. Those of us who choose not to support the cause for reparatory ...

“Everyone is crying out for peace, Yes! None is crying out for justice Everyone is crying out for peace, Yes! None is crying out for justice I don’t want no peace. I need equal rights and justice                                   I need equal rights and justice. I need equal rights and justice Got to get it. Equal rights and justice.” I still remember that Friday night, September 11, 1987 when Radio Jamaica (RJR) interrupted their regular programming with breaking news. I was a teenager at the time. The announcer came on and within a few seconds the nation was plunged into grief upon hearing that internationally acclaimed Reggae superstar, Winston “Peter Tosh” McIntosh was murdered in his St. Andrew home. Immediately, Tosh’s music began to play on radio almost non-stop as the nation tried to come to grips with the ...