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A Rare Gem in Puerto Bueno: The Endangered Blue Kite Swallowtail
Let’s take a pause. As the debate over Puerto Bueno Mountain appears to be becoming more rancorous (at least on social media), I would like to point to what I consider a critical aspect of what has...
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National Integrity Action (NIA) Calls on Prime Minister to Withdraw Approval...
National Integrity Action (NIA) has added its voice to the call to withdraw approval for the mining project in Puerto Bueno Mountain (the area is also called Dry Harbour). Here are more cogent...
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Justice Delayed, Denied for Domestic Violence Victims
I have not mentioned the recent case of a woman who, after suffering violence at the hands of her spouse, went to a police station and was turned away because she was violating the COVID-19 curfew....
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Open Letter to the Prime Minister of Jamaica: Youth Request Greater...
Nine youth groups, headed by the Jamaica Climate Change Youth Council, have sent an Open Letter to the Prime Minister of Jamaica, Most Hon. Andrew Holness. Here is the text, which they shared online...
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IDB urges Caribbean economies to invest in infrastructure to secure...
The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has just released its latest Quarterly Bulletin, which you can download at this link. The analysis for Jamaica can be found at pages 58 – 63. The IDB notes:...
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ICYMI in Jamaica: November 21, 2020, The Bad Dog Edition
It has been quite a week. The debate over the threatened mining operation in Puerto Bueno Mountain (Dry Harbour Mountain) dominated much of the local media (including social media), with many radio...
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Public Consultation on Proposed Bauxite Mining in Cockpit Country: December 8
With the controversy over the proposed limestone quarrying and other developments at Puerto Bueno Mountain rattling on, many have asked: “What about Cockpit Country? Is that all over and done with?”...
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Health Minister Calls for Review of Blood Bank Operations
As I mentioned in my latest news update, disconcerting news came in a few days ago of alleged irregularities at the National Blood Transfusion Service (Blood Bank). Here is the latest release from the...
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The Birds of Puerto Bueno, Jamaica: Including the First Bird to be Protected...
As part of my “Listen to the Scientists” campaign (bowing deeply to Wendy Lee), I would like to tell you a little bit about the birds that call Puerto Bueno Mountain (and the area, also called Dry...
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Sunset at the Palms: Our Chill Spot in Negril
The baby goats waggled their tails and bleated after their mother, who obliged them with some milk. A bananaquit alighted on the hanging ornamental banana flower, only to be chased off by a Jamaican...
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ICYMI in Jamaica, November 29, 2020: The “Call Out the Reserves” Edition
The past ten days or so have been very difficult. Although murders are down between two and five percent, according to National Security Minister Horace Chang, there have been some terrible incidents...
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Make Peace With Nature: a Ground-Breaking Speech by the UN Secretary-General
What has been said about the deteriorating state of our Planet that hasn’t been said before? Well, there have been many words spoken (and less action). Moreover, many of our governments around the...
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“Rebecca”: One Book, Two Films
Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again. It seemed to me I stood by the iron gate leading to the drive, and for a while I could not enter for the way was barred to me. There was a padlock and a...
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Yoga Comes In Various Shapes and Forms
As a university student, many moons ago, I did yoga. Back in the seventies, it was seen as an odd, eccentric thing to do (and perhaps vaguely subversive). After that, I completely lapsed for years. It...
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ICYMI in Jamaica, December 8, 2020: The Opposition Implosion Edition
Jamaicans do love political dramas, and the past week or so they have been riveted by the steadily building saga of the People’s National Party, our parliamentary Opposition that seems to be...
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Health and Wellness Ministry Names Vaccine Commission
There is plenty of excitement over the COVID-19 vaccine. In Parliament today, Minister of Health and Wellness Christopher Tufton said 16 percent of the population will be vaccinated next year: One per...
View ArticleSt. Catherine Health Department Managing a Cluster at Police Academy
This is not good news. The parish of St. Catherine has consistently had high numbers of COVID-19 cases – earlier this year there was the large cluster at a call centre. Here is the press release from...
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A Love Letter to Mother Earth
As the Christmas and New Year season approaches, everyone is dashing up and down doing last-minute shopping, dropping off gifts (and hopefully avoiding in-person parties and family gatherings – do it...
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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...
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Public health team works to contain COVID-19 spread at Bellevue Hospital
It’s an anxious time. In addition to the increase in cases of COVID-19 in western Jamaica (where I heard on the television news this evening that the four public hospital serving the region are now 80...
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