Black River is one of our oldest towns of elegance, enterprise, science, and firsts: electrification, motor vehicles, cinema, trade, and progressive civic life. It carries a legacy of outward-looking innovation that must not be allowed to fade. Its river, coastline, mangroves, and wetlands form a priceless natural defence system and ecological treasure—one which Melissa has reminded us is fragile. To rebuild Black River in the same way it was before would be a national mis

For decades, our health system benefited from physicians trained in Burma, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, Egypt, Ghana, Hungary, India, Latin America, Nigeria, Russia, the UK, and the United States. Their children sat in our classrooms and their parents were among the most trusted doctors of our families. No one questioned their competence. Why then the sudden disdain for Jamaican youngsters graduating with Chinese diplomas? Is it because they did not enter medical school with enough

A hypothetical government programme to install a minimum capacity of 150 Mbps download and 50 Mbps upload speeds in every Jamaican household would not be a mere infrastructure upgrade; it would be the foundational act of a profound national transformation, catalysing economic growth, social equity, and democratic renewal. High-speed, reliable internet is the central nervous system of modern commerce. For Jamaica, this would unlock several tiers of economic potential...

We are faced with a dilemma: The Integrity Commission had gone on record saying that there are at least eight current parliamentarians whose statutory declarations have not been certified. How, then, can the electorate go to the polls to vote intelligently and with a clear conscience on current members on both political sides without knowing their honesty and financial status? It’s like “ buying puss in bag!” Such a dilemma could be one of the reasons for apathy among most of

Wayne joined the T&T Police Service, graduating at the very top of his class, and serving faithfully in some of the most dangerous zones of North Trinidad. Roughly 30 years ago, he heeded God’s call to full-time ministry and took up the pastorate of a Nazarene congregation in Laventille, one of the most crime-plagued, drug-ravaged, gang-controlled, and economically underprivileged districts in the country. There was no fanfare or applause.Yet for 30 years, Wayne gave his

Last Sunday's  compelling Gleaner editorial reflecting on MAGA's coercing impact on American academic freedom prompted me to revisit and refine my original proposal. With A-QuEST having mentored/coached 11 Rhodes Scholars and over 1,300 PhDs and other doctorates (overwhelmingly drawn from my A-QuEST International Students educated in the USA) over the past 45 years, and, significantly, with Jamaica and CARICOM facing Haiti's urgent capacity-rebuilding needs, now humbly offer

Accountability must be swift. As with a surgeon lancing a wound, credible allegations- whether nepotism, enrichment, or abuse-must trigger immediate action. Delay breeds suspicion, silence breeds cynicism. Reports from the Auditor General and Integrity Commission must not be ignored. Consequences must follow, or investigative institutions become ceremonial, and public faith withers.

Published: Sunday | January 19, 2025 | 12:11 AM Contributed to Jamaica Gleaner Author: Trevor Blair In a move that has left many energy...

/the former, when students ascended tothe heights of innovation and excellence; the latter when their potential is siphoned..[BPO machinery]