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

"And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David :)   To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.   And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.   And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid...

There is a special place in hell for the promoters of night noise, as well as for those who facilitate them in creating havoc on the lives of law abiding citizens. We live in a lawless country rife with corruption and indiscipline. The concerns of the average, unconnected individuals are rarely addressed. It is the concerns of the powerful and political connected which takes precedence. Our priorities have gone berserk. Those who advocate for promoters to have more hours to torture residents within earshot of the music are selfish and inconsiderate. They live in safe communities in which they can enjoy the comfort of their homes. While the others of us are subjected to the nastiness and derogatory lyrics of this genre of music called dancehall. It is now 2:04 am, Sunday, December 22 and the music across our home has awakened me. I have a pounding headache which has elevated my blood pressure. Research indicates that noise pollution may cause sleeping disorders and heart problems....

On Saturday, December 14, 2019, a native of St. Thomas, Jamaica, Toni- Ann Singh, stunned the world by capturing the coveted Miss World held in London. The 69th edition of the Miss World Beauty Pageant had 115 contestants. We all knew Toni-Ann was special. There was a buzz of excitement and anticipation leading up to her going to London for the Miss World.   She was a popular winner of the Miss Jamaica World beauty pageant earlier this year. Toni- Ann mesmerized the judges with her amazing voice after doing a rendition of Whitney Houston’s classic song “I Have Nothing”. The Jamaican beauty was stunning in her silver gown and walked away with the bejeweled blue crown which epitomizes beauty at the highest level. Toni- Ann's victory makes her the fourth Jamaican to have won the Miss World. Carole Joan Crawford in 1963, Cindy Breakspeare in 1976 and Lisa Hanna in 1993 are the others. Jamaica with a population of fewer than 3 million can now boast of having four Miss Worlds. This is an...

Every 24 seconds, a fire department in the United States responds to a fire somewhere in the nation. How many of us pay attention to safety regulations when we enter a place of amusement? Do you ask the proprietor or operators to show you their Certificate of Compliance regarding fire safety standards?   The truth is many of us do not care to know how safe the venue is, especially since the primary focus of going to a place of amusement is to have fun. Noting is wrong with having fun or being entertained. It is a desire in every human being to let down our hair occasionally. This issue becomes problematic given the low percentage of the places of amusement in Jamaica which are compliant with fire safety regulations. According to Stewart Beckford, commissioner of the Jamaica Fire Brigade, only one in every eight places of amusement in the Corporate Area is compliant with fire safety regulations. He added that there are fears that members of the Jamaican public are unknowingly putt...

“Christmas is a season not only of rejoicing but of reflection.”- Winston Churchill Christmas is and has always been my favourite time of the year. I enjoy listening to and singing the Carols. I look forward to attending the Christmas Carol Service at the University Chapel located at the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus. It’s a joy to hear the University Singers. I like the decorations in the stores and in the homes. The cool December breeze we call Christmas breeze is another look forward to Christmas event. There is a sense of peace, hope and goodwill around Christmas. Do you find that people tend to be more generous during the Yuletide Season? It is such a pity this is short lived, only for us return to our normal life. I am not sure if normal is the most appropriate word since have normalized the abnormal in the society. As a youngster I looked forward especially to Christmas Eve. My dad would come home early. Mom would get us ready and then we would all drive uptown in ...

“I grew up in a world where a woman who looks like me — with my kind of skin and my kind of hair   was never considered to be beautiful."- Zozibini Tunzi Miss Universe 2019 is history. However, the miseducation of Jamaicans continues amidst the controversy which has dogged this year’s contestant from Jamaica.   Jamaica has had a rich history in international beauty pageants.   Many socially conscious Jamaicans are upset with the choice of the national costume. To say most of us are furious perhaps would suffice. We are disappointed that our contestant, Iana Tickle Garcia did not place among the top 20 girls at the recently held Miss Universe. However, the nation’s disappointment is more rooted in what she wore as the national costume and not so much that Miss Jamaica did not advance to the top 20 girls.   It matters not where you source the meaning, the word 'national' suggests a broader representation than that which exists at the parish level. Miss Garcia hails f...

“There are only four kinds of people in the world. Those who have been caregivers. Those who are currently caregivers. Those who will be caregivers, and those who will need a caregiver.”- Rosalyn Carter One of the characteristics of being a Jamaican is that we have an opinion on every issue even those far-removed from our experiences. We are not ashamed to give advice, and we give our suggestions unreservedly on all matters. One issue which has become important for me over the last year and half is that of being a caregiver. Since my dad’s diagnosis in August of 2018 with Stage 4 Kidney Disease I was baptized in the world of a caregiver. Unfortunately, we live in a society which does not give much support to the ageing population. There is not much State assistance for caring and providing care for the elderly.   Yes, there are old age homes, commonly referred to infirmaries but even those are not properly operated and monitored. Additionally, there is the stigma which i...

“Freedom of the press is not just important to democracy, it is democracy.” - Walter Cronkite For the most part Jamaica has had a relatively high ranking regarding press freedom. The most recent ranking for Jamaica places the island at number 8 of more than 180 countries.   This achievement is to not to be taken lightly. In some jurisdictions journalists are imprisoned, attacked or even killed as they try to cover the news whether it is negative or positive. The month of November is observed for many important events; one of which is National Journalism Week in Jamaica. The topic for discussion this year was “Is the News Too Negative”?   The Press Association of Jamaica forum was held at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in New Kingston. Among the sponsors were the National Integrity Action (NIA), Jamaica Broilers, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Canada and Jamaica Partnership. Ambassador Laurie Peters from Canada brought greetings. In her prese...

I knew nothing about this movie until my sister; Susan told me 21 Bridges has the potential to be a good movie. She told me that she has plans to watch it; we were pleasantly surprised that the movie opened in Jamaica before it did in New York. It is safe to say that 21 Bridges is another cop movie. However, it’s more than that. It is a fast paced American action thriller set primarily in Manhattan and Brooklyn. Having visited New York I could readily identify with a few landmarks such as Grand Central Station, 42 nd Street and the subway system. If you have ever visited New York you too will make some connections to some of landmarks in the Big Apple. The movie 21 Bridges explores various themes. The most readily are those of law and order, politics, corruption, greed, ethics, homicide, deception all pinned in a highly charged emotional environment of the New York Police Department (NYPD).   Boseman’s character, Andre Davis is the son of police who was murdered in the line of du...

"There is no trust more sacred than the one the world holds with children. There is no duty more important than ensuring that their rights are respected, that their welfare is protected, that their lives are free from fear and want and that they can grow up in peace."- Kofi Annan The practice of school administrators in Jamaica to lock students out of school for being late or for wearing the incorrect uniform is nothing new.   What is perhaps new is the fact that social media is alive and well and everything now goes viral once it goes on the internet. By now most of us would have seen the video clip of a group of high school students who were locked out of school at a well known co-educational institution in East Kingston. In addition to being locked out of school for arriving late the students were caught in an afternoon torrential rain forcing them to shelter under umbrellas. This video went viral and prompted the Education Ministry to issue directives to school administr...

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”- Edmund Burke Let’s talk about the issues facing men. There are some in the society who continue to question why we celebrate International Men’s Day, given the patriarchal society and indeed world in which we live. There are those who would quickly add isn’t every day International Men’s Day. Obviously, this is not so, hence International Men’s Day is set aside to highlight the achievements of men in all sphere of their lives, as well as to identify the link with men’s issues and that of   sustainable development of our societies. We should not disregard the concerns impacting and affecting men. We ought to take every given opportunity to improve the relationship between both sexes, instead of perpetuating a climate of gender inequality.   Commemorated annually on November 19th, International Men’s Day facilitates a space in which issues surrounding men and boys can be interrogated and discusse...