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WHAT’S “NEW”?
I’m sharing this delightful New Year blog post from Gordon Robinson (the “Terrible Tout”) whose sharp and witty writing I always enjoy. New Year’s Day is my father’s birthday (he passed away on January...
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The Jamaica Cancer Care and Research Institute: A Much-Needed Focus on People...
One humid afternoon just before Christmas, we drove down the hillside from the busy junction of Papine, descending into the valley of Elletson Flats, just where the hills meet the city. Smoke curled...
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The Spirit of Budo: An Upcoming Exhibition on the History of Japanese Martial...
Well, as a former student of Japanese, who lived in Japan for a while, I am always excited when this kind of cultural exhibit comes up. It refreshes my memory – and I suppose I will be forever “hooked”...
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Taming Godzilla, A Telecoms Drama and A Visit from Garvey’s Son: Jamaica,...
This is my first news update of the year, and the weather is bright and breezy. After a rather long, lazy Christmas and New Year break (for most) it is time for our island to confront some pressing...
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The “Communities of Fate” Keep Getting It Wrong, Says Eve for Life’s Joy...
In my last blog post, I mentioned the case of a 64 year-old church pastor, Rupert Clarke, who was recently discovered in flagrant delicto by the police, raping a fifteen year-old girl in a parked car....
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Jam Habitat’s “BRACED II” To Be Launched on January 16
The Mighty Diamonds’ song “I Need a Roof” is a roots reggae classic, and certainly one of my all-time favorites. It’s a sweetly plaintive tune. Indeed, what could be more important for a human being...
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East Portland: A Picture of Long, Slow Decay With a Few Glimmers of Hope
I am very fond of the eastern parish of Portland. It is always described as “lush and green,” and so it is. It has the lowest crime rate on the island; it is quiet, sleepy almost. It has some lovely...
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Weekly Photo Challenge: Names (of a few Arsenal Fans)
As some of my readers (and all my friends) may know, I am a huge fan of Arsenal Football Club, the greatest club in North London and possibly the world. We “Gooners” (as we call ourselves, after...
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Free Ebook Shares Stories of Caribbean Waterbirds
Here’s a vibrant new online publication from BirdsCaribbean! Great weekend reading. Do enjoy, and share the link widely. And don’t forget… World Wetlands Day is coming up soon (February 2)… January 13,...
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Eight Jamaican Women Share Their Wishes and Hopes for Jamaica in 2017
2017 is well under way now, and so far it is looking challenging. You could say, however, that each year presents us with new challenges (and many old ones, hung over from the previous year). I asked...
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Weekly Photo Challenge: Ambience – in Jamaica
Jamaica is an island with plenty of “ambience” – it’s an oddly vague word that means a “feel,” an atmosphere, a quality. When we talk about “vibes” in Jamaica, that is what we are really talking about...
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A Stormy Start to the Year: Jamaica, January 18, 2017
First: I promise to bring lots of happy, hopeful news in my next post! It truly has been a tempestuous couple of weeks to start off 2017. Even the weather went a little strange; one night we had...
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Thank God! The Secret Is Out: A Statement from WROC on the Alleged Sexual...
Since the year began, the issue has rocked the Jamaican media and public. There are some secrets, in a small society like ours, that everyone knows about but refuses to talk about. However, the time...
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Public Sector Transformation Oversight Committee Moves Ahead
Public sector rationalization (“transformation” sounds a little softer) is firmly on the 2017 agenda for Prime Minister Andrew Holness. If you may recall, last year’s Three-Year Precautionary Stand-By...
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Achieving Peace and Reconciliation: Is Religion a Bridge, or a Barrier?
The world seems a very troubled place in 2017. People are shouting loudly, and not always listening to each other. Can religion help, or is it just making matters worse? I consider myself a spiritual...
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Weekly Photo Challenge: Graceful – Dancers, Brides and Trees
I love the Weekly Photo Challenge, as it gives me an excuse to dig into my photo archives and revisit some moments that I had half-forgotten. One of these times was the visit of the Dance Theater of...
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Seven Jamaican Men Share Their Thoughts on 2017: What Do They Want to See?
A week or so ago I shared the thoughts of eight Jamaican women on their priorities, hopes and plans for Jamaica in 2017. Now it’s the men’s turn! I hope you find the comments interesting, and I think...
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BRACED II: All About Strengthening Homes and Empowering People
The Municipality of Portmore in St. Catherine is the second largest city in Jamaica after Kingston. The dormitory town’s population was officially 182,000 in 2011, but many say it is now closer to...
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Kingston Book Festival Is On for March 2018
Last year’s Kingston Book Festival (KBF) was a blast. You may remember some of my posts and the photographs. Now, the Book Industry Association of Jamaica has taken the decision to hold the next KBF in...
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Jamaica (Predictably) Slips in 2016 Corruption Perceptions Index
After a good rise in the rankings last year, it is disappointing to see that Jamaica has slipped in Transparency International’s 2016 Corruption Perceptions Index. National Integrity Action (NIA)...
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