JCDT Celebrates the Fifth Anniversary of the Blue and John Crow Mountains World Heritage Site

July 5, 2020

A small ceremony took place on Friday, July 3 at Holywell, in the Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park, to celebrate the fifth anniversary of its inscription as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. I am not sure how many people realize what an achievement it was to have the site recognized for both its … More JCDT Celebrates the Fifth Anniversary of the Blue and John Crow Mountains World Heritage Site

JFJ Delivers Open Letter with 2,730 Signatures to Parliament Demanding Legal Reform on Sexual Harassment Bill

July 3, 2020

A wave of anger surged on social media recently, after Minister of Justice Delroy Chuck made a casual (and at the same time pointed) remark regarding the #MeToo movement at a parliamentary committee meeting examining proposed Sexual Harassment legislation. Minister Chuck’s observations, captured on a television news report, were: “We don’t want the situation that now happens … More JFJ Delivers Open Letter with 2,730 Signatures to Parliament Demanding Legal Reform on Sexual Harassment Bill

COVID-19 in Jamaica: Another Community Under Surveillance

June 29, 2020

On Friday afternoon (June 26) the Western Regional Health Authority began surveillance for COVID-19 in the community of Norwood, St. James, just outside Montego Bay. The Ministry of Health and Wellness reported: The Western Regional Health Authority (WRHA) this afternoon began community surveillance activity in Norwood, St. James. This comes on the heels of confirmation … More COVID-19 in Jamaica: Another Community Under Surveillance

International Fisherman’s Day, Miss May and the Blue Economy: Challenges There Are

June 27, 2020

On our weekly visits to Hellshire Beach in St. Catherine during the 1980s and early 1990s,     a stop at Miss May’s restaurant was a must. Her escoveitch fish was mouth-watering, her festivals melted in the mouth. We sat at the simple board tables in her restaurant shack, our feet in the cool sand, … More International Fisherman’s Day, Miss May and the Blue Economy: Challenges There Are

COVID-19 Surveillance Begins in West Kingston, Jamaica, To Continue Tomorrow

June 26, 2020

How is the COVID-19 situation in Jamaica? I am not sure what to say. I have heard a few disturbing anecdotes and reports of returning nationals not quite obeying the home quarantine rules. There have been a few “import-related” cases in recent days – in other words, people coming in, who have infected others. I … More COVID-19 Surveillance Begins in West Kingston, Jamaica, To Continue Tomorrow

High Dependency Units at Victoria Jubilee to Reduce Maternal and New-Born Deaths

June 25, 2020

At the official opening of a new neonatal facility at Kingston’s Victoria Jubilee Hospital, Minister of Health and Wellness pointed out one “lesson from COVID”: That no economic development can be achieved without an investment in public health. Ah, perhaps our political leaders are beginning to connect the dots now. The event this morning was … More High Dependency Units at Victoria Jubilee to Reduce Maternal and New-Born Deaths

Under the Saharan Dust

June 23, 2020

We couldn’t see the mountains very well this afternoon, from Kingston. They faded into a creeping mist – the thick, concentrated dust from the West African coastline, which is expected to get thicker and deeper tomorrow (Tuesday) and Wednesday. Our Meteorological Service explained that the “plume” of dust from the Saharan Air Layer is not … More Under the Saharan Dust

Happy Summer Solstice

June 21, 2020

Tonight is the Summer Solstice. It is the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere and the time when the Earth is tilted most closely to the Sun (23.4 degrees, to be precise). At the same time, it is the Winter Solstice in the Southern Hemisphere, where everything is the other way round. The … More Happy Summer Solstice

JFJ Now Providing Legal Services for Victims of Gender-Based Violence

June 21, 2020

The strictures of COVID-19, as explained below, has resulted in the fact that family members are spending much more time at home, together. That should be a good thing, right? Not if a family member is abusive. Women and girls are particularly at risk – so, too, are children. The human rights lobby group Jamaicans … More JFJ Now Providing Legal Services for Victims of Gender-Based Violence