Jamaica Gleaner In Focus

Published: Monday Sunday | October 4, 2009

PM's back against the wall
Some would say the driver had a false start early Wednesday morning, despite widespread expectations of a ride along a new course. What was billed as a make-or-break political speech for Prime Minister Bruce Golding turned out, in the words of arch-critic Ralston Hyman, as a "damp squib". Read More...

Whatever happened to change?
Ever since the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) squeaked home ahead of the 18 and a half year-old People's National Party (PNP) administration in the elections of 2007 the country has waited with increasingly dimming hope for the change which many had expected to come, with a new pair of hands at the wheel. Read More...

The shame of the 'Shearer'
It is utterly ironic that the recently released $5,000 note bears the image of Hugh Lawson Shearer, who as prime minister (1967-1972) presided over the last sustained period of robust economic performance. The $5,000 bill is not a note to be proud of. Read More...

Defamation reform in Jamaica
The following is an extract from the presentation made by Barbadian attorney-at-law, Jeff Cumberbatch, at a Media Association of Jamaica seminar held on September 28 at the Terra Nova Hotel, St Andrew, on the recommendations made in the Justice Hugh Small report, 'Review of Jamaica's Defamation Laws'. Read More...

The reputation of the Jamaican state
The Jamaican Government is facing many issues that are of the magnitude of international controversies, having consequences for the reputation of the state. There is the extradition matter of Christopher Coke between the United States and the Government of Jamaica (GOJ), the bribery/corruption allegations between the UK and a company ... Read More...

The demise of Maurice Bishop
The release of Bernard Coard and his fellow inmates from prison after 26 years behind bars has put on the table once again the question of what happened in October 1983 in Grenada. In a previous column, I examined the role played by Bernard Coard in that extraordinary course of events. Read More...

Not completely black and white
Only tourist board pollyannas could pretend skin colour does not matter in Jamaica. One glance through the social pages shows the still existing inequities - itself a topic for another day. Yet, imperfect as they are, race relations here are still better than in most places. Read More...