Jamaica has not (yet) signed some key environmental agreements. Why not?

“May the seas help us see healing and hope; May we sing out the ocean’s survival and revival.” Amanda Gorman On the evening of Saturday, March 4, 2023, the High Seas Treaty was agreed on at the United Nations headquarters in New York, after many years of negotiations. There is a good breakdown of the … More Jamaica has not (yet) signed some key environmental agreements. Why not?

Congratulations to Jamaica’s Margarette May Macaulay, elected President of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights

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

As International Seabed Authority meeting winds up, more countries seek a pause on deep sea mining

The past week has been quite intense, with the critical and long-anticipated COP27 opening in Egypt and the equally crucial International Seabed Authority (ISA) Council Meeting in Kingston, Jamaica wrapping up. It’s difficult to assimilate and sort out all the different threads, but there are some positives, at least regarding the latter meeting. Some brave … More As International Seabed Authority meeting winds up, more countries seek a pause on deep sea mining

More than a glimmer of hope at deep sea mining talks in Jamaica, and perhaps a sea change in the making

As the 27th Conference of Parties (signatory countries) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) – COP27 for short – gets under way in Egypt, another important meeting is taking place in downtown Kingston, Jamaica: Part III of the 27th Session of the International Seabed Authority (ISA). The session opened on October … More More than a glimmer of hope at deep sea mining talks in Jamaica, and perhaps a sea change in the making

Broken societies put people and planet on collision course, says UNDP

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Human Development Report 2020 was just launched globally at lunchtime today (December 15). It is headlined “The Next Frontier: Human Development and the Anthropocene.” Unfortunately there were technical problems, so we were unable to watch a live stream. The UNDP notes: An experimental global index offers a new measurement … More Broken societies put people and planet on collision course, says UNDP

Crowdfunding Campaign to Publish Biographies of Marcus Garvey and Mary Seacole

Jamaican entrepreneur and publisher Tanya Batson-Savage, not in the least intimidated by the current COVID-related economic uncertainties, has come up with a great way to move forward with a new project aimed at Jamaican young people through her company, Blue Banyan Books. She is that kind of determined entrepreneurial woman. I agree with Tanya: children … More Crowdfunding Campaign to Publish Biographies of Marcus Garvey and Mary Seacole

Revitalizing the Caribbean Tourism Sector: The IDB’s Innovation Challenge

Our tourism sector has not yet emerged from the doldrums. In Jamaica, while battling COVID-19 with what appear to be depleting resources, we “opened up” to tourism on June 15. Now, close to one month later, we seem to be just feeling our way. Nevertheless, our ever-upbeat Minister of Tourism Ed Bartlett told us a few … More Revitalizing the Caribbean Tourism Sector: The IDB’s Innovation Challenge

Jamaica to Receive State of the Art Coastal Erosion Monitoring Tower

Well, it’s probably far too late for our beloved and once popular Hellshire Beach, but the Sandy Shorelines of the Caribbean Project is a welcome development for the region. Coastal erosion, especially on the south coast of Jamaica, remains a huge problem. There are several factors, including rising sea levels, and more storms, due to … More Jamaica to Receive State of the Art Coastal Erosion Monitoring Tower

There Are No Cases of Yellow Fever in Jamaica

This week is Caribbean Mosquito Awareness Week. We never used to worry too much about these dangerous little creatures (of which the female is, in fact, deadlier than the male) – until the Chikungunya virus (Chik V) and the Zika virus came along, riding on the climate change wave. Dengue fever has always been around, … More There Are No Cases of Yellow Fever in Jamaica

IDB Launches Call for Artists Interested in Development Challenges in Latin America and the Caribbean

IDB launches call for artists interested in development challenges in Latin America and the Caribbean The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) opens a call for artists who want to offer new perspectives on the development challenges of the region, as well as to demonstrate the immense artistic creativity of Latin America and the Caribbean. Artists from … More IDB Launches Call for Artists Interested in Development Challenges in Latin America and the Caribbean