Category: Africa

Living in the Gyre

October 19, 2020

These are treacherous times. We have to put one foot in front of the other, and try not to slip. These are anxious times. We have to close our eyes, count to ten, pray, meditate, take deep breaths. These are angry times. We have to hold onto our reason; some people have abandoned theirs, and … More Living in the Gyre

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

More COVID Reflections: The Sweet Sadness of Life Online

June 13, 2020

I wrote recently about my new obsession with housework (except for the cooking, regrettably, since I am culinarily challenged) during the Time of COVID. Another aspect of life at home is online life. Everything that we did before has expanded, and then some. The WhatsApp platform, which had already become a bit of a fixture … More More COVID Reflections: The Sweet Sadness of Life Online

Statement to the Senate by Minister of Foreign Affairs with an Update on the Ministry’s Support of Jamaicans Overseas During COVID-19 Pandemic

May 26, 2020

The news has been dominated recently by stories of returning Jamaican cruise ship workers – sometimes complaining, sometimes happy to be home – with another cruise ship arriving today carrying around 174 workers. Then there are the deportees, a monthly delivery of Jamaicans – a separate issue altogether, but all have to go into quarantine … More Statement to the Senate by Minister of Foreign Affairs with an Update on the Ministry’s Support of Jamaicans Overseas During COVID-19 Pandemic

Earth Day 2020 in the Time of COVID-19: Lessons We Are Learning

April 22, 2020

It is the eve of Earth Day 2020 (Wednesday, April 22) and its fiftieth anniversary. Last year, I collected a bunch of inspirational quotes and did some philosophizing. 2020 is a historic occasion, which we will celebrate online while something else – something almost beyond our imagination – is unfolding in our lives. Like most periods … More Earth Day 2020 in the Time of COVID-19: Lessons We Are Learning

The Forest Factor: Millions of Trees Planted, Too Many Lost

February 8, 2020

You may have missed this (as I almost did in the horrendous month of January) – but the Forestry Department has been busy. You may recall that last October Prime Minister Andrew Holness announced a “Three Million Trees in Three Years” project. The numbers are great, but the devil is in the details. Does the … More The Forest Factor: Millions of Trees Planted, Too Many Lost

Losing Our Fellow Creatures: UN Environment Programme Launches International Poster Biennial on Biodiversity

January 24, 2020

I feel that the issue of our loss of biodiversity – the millions of species of animals, birds, plants, insects that we have the honor of sharing this Planet with – has been somewhat sidelined in the discussions on climate change.  And yet – news stories appear almost daily that fill my heart with deep sadness. … More Losing Our Fellow Creatures: UN Environment Programme Launches International Poster Biennial on Biodiversity

A New Year Message from CARICOM’s Chairwoman

January 8, 2020

I am not particularly enchanted by Caribbean politicians on the whole, but I do like the new Chair of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Amor Mottley. She has a deep, rather soothing voice and a straight-forward manner. She is refreshingly lacking in pomposity. I also like the scarves she drapes … More A New Year Message from CARICOM’s Chairwoman