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

Porridge has its genesis from Northern Europe; it was traditionally mostly enjoyed as a savoury. Prior to the introduction of baking ovens and unleavened bread, porridge was one of the most important staples in the British diet.   Porridge is a one pot meal.   Some places consider porridge food for the poor. The British prison system, for instance, used it as a prison food for inmates. Today porridge is considered very healthy. It is used as a food for the ill because it is easy to digest and it is often eaten by athletes in training.   Cooking porridge allows for some flexibility as one can experiment and create one’s twist to one's favourite porridge. We all have had some memory of eating porridge whether good, bad or perhaps one of indifference. Historically, the word is also spelt porage, porrige or parritch. Porridge is customarily served as breakfast; however, it can be had at anytime of the day.   This food is usually made from some wheat; grain and...

“The potential benefits of artificial intelligence are huge, so are the dangers.” Dave Waters    “We have had numerous lessons from this pandemic. The lessons are ongoing. We have been forced to think outside the box as a new world order has been ushered in. The flexi work week, once scoffed at has become an attractive option for many employers. Schools have changed gears to virtual teaching and learning; meetings and church are now done via different online platforms. A number of Jamaicans have found themselves in various situations for which they did not plan. Many Jamaicans travel yearly to work on cruise ships as well as in search of overseas employment. As a result of the closure of our ports of entry many Jamaicans have found themselves requiring repatriation. The government has had to develop a set of protocols to facilitate the controlled re-entry of Jamaicans overseas. To date the largest group of Jamaicans to be repatriated arrived home on Tuesday, May 19 on ...

The calendar year 2020 has been rather challenging to say the least. The world has literally come to a crawl. The repercussions of this global pandemic and recession are being felt across all continents, borders, race, religions, and any other indicator you can think of. Recently, a colleague and I had a discussion regarding politics. He is a Jehovah's Witness. The discussion emerged from my statement; all human beings are political beings. We are all born into a family through which political socialization occurs. This is true even if we are adopted. Every society is politically divided, some more than others. We choose political sides consciously or unconsciously. The fact that an individual chooses not to vote does not mean that he/she is apolitical. The idea of someone being apolitical is theory based and has no place in the real world. Those of us who attended the University of the West Indies and did the course: Introduction to Political Institutions (GT12A) will re...

“A dog: companion, friend, protector, playmate and life-changer. Dogs add a dimension to our lives that otherwise would be just a vacant spot. They work for us, guard us, play with us, entertain us, love us, keep us company and change our lives.”- H. Norman Wright Our canine friends have always come to our assistance in times of crisis. Over the years dogs have become inseparable with human beings. Dogs have been used over the years to sniff out contraband, especially among travellers; it has become commonplace to see dogs at airports. Dogs have also been trained to sniff out certain types of cancers.   It comes as no surprise that our canine friends are once again being called upon to come to the aid of the human race. It is often said that dogs are man’s best friend. As the world approaches 4.2 million cases of the novel coronavirus researchers are attempting to train dogs to detect the pandemic. This possible detection by dogs could assist in the mass uncovering of people with ...

“Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding.”- Albert Einstein The world has been misled time and time again to believe the arms race is over. We should not for a moment think that the absence of war means peace. The absence of war oftentimes means that governments are sourcing weaponry to fight another day. The reality is we live in a world where the threat of war is always lurking. In Biblical times we read about nations fighting nations; the Assyrians, the Babylonians, the Amalekites, the Hittites, the Moabites, the Jebusites and the Egyptians are some of the nations which readily come to mind. In this age of modernity with all the trappings of civilization, our inability to settle disputes has been found wanting. Sadly, many nations prefer to go to war rather than to seek a peaceful settlement to long standing issues. Those who supply arms to belligerent nations are making a killing off the sales of such weaponry. These multibillion corporations ar...

Searching amidst the rubble; obsessed with the search.    Hoping to find, not sure what treasure lies beneath. Tempestuous! Argumentative! No longer silenced. Who speaks for the mute, the vulnerable, those beneath the fringes of society? The privileged minority seeks to control the narrative. Where is the justice? Is there a price? Reclaim your voice. Speak up! No one else will. Oh, that silver spoon. Detested? Admired? Do not be swayed by those cloaked in their positions of opportunity; as they moved about like princes of a forgotten kingdom. Do not be jealous of the ‘haves’. The ‘have nots’ are just as worthy, perhaps more so.    Success is classless, colourless. The half is untold. Look around you, what do you see? Jealous of the night.   Awash with sweat. Daybreak is upon us. Replicating that which you abhor. Grinding, gritting, complacent.      It’s within your power to change; Genes. Jealous of the day. Oppo...