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

“Politics is like a stage. Each politician plays his part according to the lines that are given to him.”-Ashwin Sanghi. Women’s Leadership and Political Participation . The phrase 'glass ceiling' refers to an invisible barrier that prevents someone from achieving further success. It is most often observed in the workplace. It is covert and cannot be seen. The term was first printed in a 1984 book by Gay Bryant. 'Cracking the glass ceiling' is the phrase used when women or people in minority groups have made gains or achieved some success in the workplace. In the United States of America women have occupied all offices except that of president. Harris is on the cusp of history. A Harris presidency will break the ‘glass ceiling’ and send a strong signal to girls that they are worthy of holding any office in the land. Globally, only 7.2 per cent of Heads of State and 5.7 per cent of Heads of Government are women, only 19.1 per cent of Speakers of parliament are women, an...

“The prosperity Gospel has no concept of the sovereignty of God. I’ll even go so far to say the god of the prosperity gospel is not the God of the Bible.”- Patrick Higgins. The church over the years has moved away from focusing on the teachings of the kingdom of God. The church has become a multimillion industry rooted in a prosperity gospel theology leading to the enrichment of self styled bishops and apostles. Regrettably, the Holy Spirit is just a back seat visitor in many of these churches while the congregants ‘worship’ these self appointed men of the cloth. What does the Bible says about this? Let us turn the pages of our Bibles to 1 Timothy 3:1-13, "this is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; one who...

On the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, let us reaffirm the inherent dignity of all men, women and children. And let us redouble our efforts so that the words of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights -– “no one shall be held in slavery or servitude”.-Kofi Annan. The transatlantic trade in enslaved Africans remains one of the most horrific and traumatizing periods in human history. The International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition is commemorated on 23 August each year. The transatlantic trade in enslaved Africans, which operated between the fifteenth and late nineteenth centuries, involved the horrific trafficking of over 15 million women, men and children, mostly from West Africa to the Americas. This forced displacement enriched imperial and other powers. The observance of this important day is critical as it pays homage to the resilience and courage of those who were enslaved in the Americas. Interestingly, while slavery as in the ...

“We live in a time of such confusion and rancor, with a culture that puts a premium on things that don’t last: money, fame, status, likes.”- Barack Obama. Let us not fool ourselves. We live in a world that caters to the rich and powerful. It is not asking too much to expect some amount of peace in our homes and communities. Unfortunately, this is not the situation for countless Jamaicans. Is it too much to expect that one’s home should be free from noise pollution as well as from other environmental factors? Sadly, noise pollution has become normalized in many parts of our country. The social problem is particularly chronic in urban spaces where there is an intersection of noise and entertainment leading to the nightmare of many well- thinking citizens. This state of lawlessness is pervasive throughout the society. It has become commonplace for many Jamaicans to experience daily loud, lewd and vulgar music bombarding their personal space. But on the other hand, we have all but abando...

Many of us were shocked at the death of actor Matthew Perry. This was especially true if you belong to that generation who watched the sitcom ‘Friends’ religiously on NBC. Perry played the character Chandler Bing on the much beloved series, which aired from 1994 to 2024. According to the medical examiner, Perry, who had been undergoing “ketamine infusion therapy” for depression, had levels of the drug in his body in the range used for general anesthesia during surgery. Perry was was found dead, face down, in his Jacuzzi on October. 28, 2023. An autopsy revealed that the 54-year-old's cause of his death was determined to be "acute effects of ketamine," In August of 2024 California prosecutors announced that five people had been charged in connection with Perry's death. The defendants are Jasveen Sangha, 41; Dr. Salvador Plasencia, 42; Dr. Mark Chavez, 54; Eric Fleming, 54; and Kenneth Iwamasa, 59. At the time of his death, Perry was receiving ketamine infusion ther...

“The youth of today are the leaders of tomorrow.”- Nelson Mandela. Today there are around 1.2 billion young people between the ages of 15 and 24 in the world, representing approximately 16% of the world population. The active engagement of youth in sustainable development efforts is central to achieving inclusive and fair societies, as well as to averting the worst threats and challenges to sustainable development, such as the impacts of climate change, unemployment, poverty, gender inequality, warfare and migration. Globally, only 2.6% of parliamentarians are under 30 years old, and less than 1% of these young MPs are women. International Youth Day is celebrated annually on 12 August to bring youth issues to the attention of the international community and celebrate the potential of youth as partners in today’s global society. This important day gives an opportunity to celebrate and mainstream young peoples’ voices, actions, and initiatives, as well as their meaningful, universal, ...

“Pan music transcends even Carnival itself. Born out of struggle and resistance against continual attempts to quell African expression, the steel pan is a light that has determinedly found its way through the cracks of deep pain.”- Janine Mendes- Franco. Without a doubt culture and creativity are the heartbeat of our societies. With so many global crises around the world people need moments to connect and music has that magical power to unite. The steelpan (also known as a pan, steel drum, and sometimes, collectively with other musicians, as a steelband or steel orchestra) is a musical instrument originating in Trinidad and Tobago. It is played using a pair of straight sticks tipped with rubber; the size and type of rubber tip varies according to the class of pan being played. Some musicians use four pansticks, holding two in each hand. This grew out of Trinidad and Tobago's early 20th-century Carnival percussion groups. Acknowledging that the steelpan promotes inclusive societie...

“The indigenous understanding has its basis of spirituality in a recognition of the interconnectedness and interdependence of all living things, a holistic and balanced view of the world.”- Rebecca Adamson. Indigenous Peoples are distinct social and cultural groups that share collective ancestral ties to the lands and natural resources where they live, occupy or from which they have been displaced. The land and natural resources on which they depend are inextricably linked to their identities, cultures, livelihoods, as well as their physical and spiritual well-being. They often subscribe to their customary leaders and organizations for representation that is distinct or separate from those of the mainstream society or culture. The World Bank adds that many Indigenous Peoples still maintain a language distinct from the official language or languages of the country or region in which they reside; however, many have also lost their languages or are on the precipice of extinction due to ev...

“The secular state is the guarantee of religious pluralism. This apparent paradox, again, is the simplest and most elegant of political truths.”- Christopher Hitchens. Oftentimes when we speak of the separation of Church and State we look to the United States of America as the shining example. The Separation of Church and State is a phrase that refers to the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. The phrase dates back to the early days of U.S. history, and Thomas Jefferson referred to the First Amendment as creating a “wall of separation” between church and state as the third president of the U.S.A. The separation of church and state means that the government cannot tell religious organizations how to act. It also means that religious organization cannot tell the government what to do. While the words "separation of church and state" do not appear in the U.S. Constitution, the concept is enshrined in the very first freedom guaranteed by the First Amendment: "Co...

“Emancipation wasn't a gift bestowed on the slaves; it was something they took for themselves, the culmination of their long struggle for freedom.”- Jamelle Bouie. To wish everyone happy emancipation day is considered polite and acceptable. To what extent are we happy and emancipated? It is rather unfortunate that over the years the meaning of emancipation has changed. This change has accompanied each generation. This current generation for the most part does not have that loyal and passionate association with our enslaved forefathers. Perhaps, this is a well planned and calculated ploy by those who now are the new masters of the plantation. Our students are not aware of their rich history. The teaching of history education is optional at the secondary level. As a result a significant number of students graduate yearly without immersing themselves in the study of their history. While much has changed since 1838, a lot has remained the same for the masses. The masses with their str...