I retired as Public Affairs Specialist/Information Adviser at the U.S. Embassy in Kingston, Jamaica in 2012. I am British by birth, married to a Jamaican, with one son. I have lived on this amazing island for 33 years. I am currently a Board Member of the Natural History Museum of Jamaica, Vice President of the Farquharson Institute for Public Affairs and Board Member/Secretary of at BirdsCaribbean. My interests and pursuits are creative writing, reading (especially international fiction), environmental issues (bird-watching is a real passion), art, music (I am "wired" for rock but also love jazz and classical), and indie films from around the world. And Arsenal Football Club.
Now, many Jamaicans seem to feel that fires start all by themselves; unless, that is, it’s a building that is on fire, in which case there is always the possibility of it being deliberately set. Truth be told, many fires are started by us humans, whether vengefully or not. … More The burning hills and the Kingston chain saw massacre
Jamaican Margarette May Macaulay has been elected President of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights for the 2nd time. Congratulations to her! But why is the Jamaican Government so unresponsive to the Commission’s concerns about environmental and LGBTQIA+ rights? … More Congratulations to Jamaica’s Margarette May Macaulay, elected President of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
Is the attitude of the Jamaican and other Caribbean governments “Let’s keep fingers crossed”? We are forging ahead with infrastructure development, but we need to build our defences and ensure accountability. … More Building resilient Caribbean infrastructure: What about earthquakes, asks Jamaica’s Advocates Network?
The Book Industry Association of Jamaica is about to present its inaugural Literacy Hero Awards to a sustainable community library project in Rose Town, a social media reading campaign led by a mother and son duo, a Pan-African mobile bookstore, and a foundation for children with intellectual disabilities to honour the memory of a beloved “bookworm” sister. APPLAUSE! … More Meet the Book Industry Association of Jamaica’s inaugural Literacy Heroes
In my last post, I wrote about the protests at Blue Lagoon in Portland today; the dust-laden chaos that prevails over the area due to road works; and most importantly, about the lack of information on the Blue Lagoon’s fate, since its closure last August. As it was declared a National Monument in 2018, this … More JNHT working towards reopening Blue Lagoon in shortest possible time
I hope the eastern side of Portland will eventually recover. Six years ago, I wrote an article about the “slow decay” in the parish of Portland, on the eastern end of the island. The eastern side of the parish is regularly described as green, lush, peaceful, off the beaten track, etc. Back in the 1980s … More Why is Portland, Jamaica, in such a mess?
The Caribbean Climate-Smart Accelerator has nominated several island initiatives – including Jamaica’s Kee Farms – for the prestigious Earshot Prize. And don’t forget the virtual Island Finance Forum 2023, coming up in April. … More Caribbean Climate-Smart Accelerator nominates regional initiatives for Earthshot Prize
This time, it’s got to work. Our oceans are facing an unbelievable array of challenges, and I think we know them by now: pollution, over-fishing, the many manifestations of climate change, and now the threat of deep sea mining. It’s urgent. So, the final negotiations for a UN Ocean Treaty resumed on Monday, February 20, 2023 in … More We need an Ocean Treaty – like, yesterday
Global Voices often focuses on our uncertain, fragile world. This letter from a journalist in Turkey, reeling from the social and political aftershocks of the earthquakes, may resonate for Jamaica in more ways than one… … More Exhausted, but no longer silent: A letter from Istanbul, Turkey
Anniversaries are happy occasions, and I wish I had been there to celebrate the Fifth Anniversary of the White River Fish Sanctuary (WRFS) in Ocho Rios, St. Ann, on February 8. I heard it was a joyous affair, with the theme “Protect, Restore, Engage.” It was as much a celebration of the future as a … More White River, Jamaica: Protect, Restore, Engage
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