Independent Commission of Investigations

Why is it taking so long to investigate the cutting of a Rastafarian’s dreadlocks by the police?

October 3, 2021

The alleged cutting of a Rastafarian woman’s dreadlocks by the police on July 22, 2021 caused a huge wave of outrage on Jamaican social media. I wrote about the case here for Global Voices. Well, once the storm of outrage had died down – and other news items and new “things to be shocked about” … More Why is it taking so long to investigate the cutting of a Rastafarian’s dreadlocks by the police?

September 21, 2021 in Jamaica: The car that broke down, the toast that burnt, and the polls that flopped

September 22, 2021

With tropical storms pottering around in the Atlantic (two are called Peter and Rose, the names of our nephew and niece, respectively), it has been warm and muggy in Kingston. Clouds appear and do not bring rain. It has been a week of surprising developments – not least that of the toast to “No Movement … More September 21, 2021 in Jamaica: The car that broke down, the toast that burnt, and the polls that flopped

Jamaica Update, September 13, 2021: Putting that awful August well behind us

September 14, 2021

It was an awful August, truly. Ten days in, the month had already got the thumbs down from me on many counts. The predictable but still shocking report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was one thing. Then there are the relentlessly soaring COVID-19 numbers, reflected in the tired faces of Minister Christopher … More Jamaica Update, September 13, 2021: Putting that awful August well behind us

Jamaica Update, July 19, 2021: An abandoned bicycle, a lifeboat, and a bulk resignation letter

July 21, 2021

It has been two weeks since I wrote my last update. However, I will try to ensure there is no “stale” news here. I have been what millennials would call “super busy” – with a bumper crop of mangoes, and the Caribbean Tree Planting Week (read more here!) We are also living in some kind … More Jamaica Update, July 19, 2021: An abandoned bicycle, a lifeboat, and a bulk resignation letter

Armadale remembered: a Jamaican tragedy

May 23, 2021

When something like the Armadale fire happens, where seven young women were burned to death, there is always the anxiety that a similar incident could happen again in the future. The issue is always whether the organisation responsible has learned from the terrible experience and put in place everything that they possibly can to stop … More Armadale remembered: a Jamaican tragedy

ICYMI in Jamaica, December 21, 2020: The “Does It Feel Like Christmas” Edition

December 22, 2020

I get the feeling that Jamaicans are anxious to get to the Christmas holidays, so that we can clear our heads and try to get over this horrible year. The past week has been filled with dramas, sadness, and some sweetness and light. The weather continues to be quite deliciously soothing. I am looking forward … More ICYMI in Jamaica, December 21, 2020: The “Does It Feel Like Christmas” Edition

ICYMI in Jamaica, October 13, 2020: The Kindness Edition

October 14, 2020

Well, Hurricane Delta went away (taking most of Bluefields Beach in Westmoreland away with it) and we are left to reflect, once more, on our own human fragility in the face of climate change and COVID-19. Some of us would rather pretend, however, and sip on Bacardi or whatever their favorite drink is, without a … More ICYMI in Jamaica, October 13, 2020: The Kindness Edition

ICYMI in Jamaica: Much Ado About Dreadlocks, INDECOM Chief Steps Down, and JUTC Needs to Shape Up: August 2, 2020

August 3, 2020

August 1 – Emancipation Day – is as good a day as any to restart writing my weekly news posts. I have missed doing them, actually. They help me (and hopefully you) keep a finger on the pulse of things. So, it’s a humid evening, an hour to go before curfew kicks in at 11. … More ICYMI in Jamaica: Much Ado About Dreadlocks, INDECOM Chief Steps Down, and JUTC Needs to Shape Up: August 2, 2020

Jamaicans for Justice Statement on the Killing of Two Policemen by Criminals in St. Catherine

June 12, 2020

What terrible times we are living in. We woke up this morning to the news that two policemen were shot dead and two others are battling for life in hospital, after an encounter with gunmen on the outskirts of Spanish Town. Human rights group Jamaicans for Justice has just issued a statement on the matter. … More Jamaicans for Justice Statement on the Killing of Two Policemen by Criminals in St. Catherine

Jamaica Psychiatric Association Responds to INDECOM Report on Prisoners “Detained at Pleasure”

June 7, 2020

The Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) press briefing last week, as usual, highlighted the Commission’s Quarterly Report. The January – March, 2020 Report focused on Jamaicans who are “detained at pleasure” in our prisons. Persons in this category are either children found guilty of a capital offense; persons found unfit to plead by the Court; or persons … More Jamaica Psychiatric Association Responds to INDECOM Report on Prisoners “Detained at Pleasure”