Stories about Jamaica
‘Seh Yu Sorry!’ Royal visit to Jamaica sparks protests and calls for slavery reparations
"[Queen Elizabeth II] has done nothing to redress the suffering that took place during her reign [and] the entire period of British trafficking of Africans, enslavement, indentureship and colonialization."
Politicians flout COVID-19 protocols before restrictions are lifted: One Jamaica for the rich and another for the poor?
Three days before restrictions were officially lifted, photographs of six senior government ministers were released: only two of the six were wearing masks as they partied, hugged and took selfies.
Youth advocates say a proper nutrition policy is critical for Jamaica's future
The government's planned divestment of the state-owned company that prepares and distributes meals to school children nationwide has youth activists pressing for a proper nutrition and wellness policy.
‘I can still hear their voice': Three women who worked for Jamaica's most vulnerable
Paying tribute to three trailblazers who stood up for the rights of fellow women and other vulnerable people, both in Jamaica and the wider Caribbean.
Jamaicans anxious as the government attempts to get nationals out of Ukraine
"My soul is in joy and peace despite all the pain and sadness I have encountered here in Ukraine."
The police officer who allegedly cut a young Jamaican's dreadlocks faces no criminal charges, and nobody bats an eye
"It is a worrying trend, as victims are blamed for their own trauma."
The invasive Cuban Tree Frog gives Jamaicans the jitters, but it's a serious problem
Described as a “voracious nocturnal predator that eats any prey that it can grab,” the invasive Osteopilus septentrionalis is a threat to native tree frogs in Jamaica and the Caribbean.
In honour of World Wetlands Day, Caribbean wetlands in photos
In Small Island Developing States like the Caribbean, which are at the receiving end of the worst impacts of climate change, wetlands are integral to the fight against global warming.
The national debate over Jamaican Maroons’ claim to be a sovereign state
One Maroon community leader maintains that “Maroons are an Indigenous People with a sovereign republic”; the Jamaican government insists the island is “a unitary sovereign state”.
The issue of the Jamaican police allegedly cutting a young woman's dreadlocks remains unresolved
"Ms. King is symbolic of the ‘have nots;’ in Jamaica, who continue to be neglected and whose human rights are so often disregarded and abused."
Out of darkness, hope: A New Year chat with Jamaican artist Richard Nattoo
From graffiti-type designs for Jamaican buses to paintings of figures that wrestle with despair, young artist Richard Nattoo is interested in pushing boundaries to learn more about the human condition.
2021 in review, from a Caribbean point of view
While the Caribbean was primarily focused on rising COVID-19 infection rates, a steady stream of variants, and strong vaccine hesitancy, the pandemic wasn't the only story affecting the region in 2021.
St Lucia announces it will host a ‘vaxxed’ Carnival in 2022, but is it realistic?
"We have to ensure that we preserve the health of St. Lucia while creating an economic activity for our people to benefit from.”
In photos: Could the mountains of the Caribbean be an opportunity for sustainable tourism?
"Sustainable tourism in mountains can contribute to creating additional and alternative livelihood options and promoting poverty alleviation, social inclusion, as well as landscape and biodiversity conservation."
‘Unmatched’ and ‘irreplaceable': Jamaica’s iconic bassist, Robbie Shakespeare, has died
"Rest in Power, Robbie Shakespeare. No one— I mean no one—held it down like you did."
High infection, low vaccination—could mandatory COVID-19 vaccines be the answer for Caribbean nations?
"Having demonstrated that mandatory vaccination is constitutionally appropriate given the leeway granted in favour of public health imperatives, [...] employers could justify a requirement in a pandemic context."
Post-COP26, a Caribbean view on climate injustice and ‘1.5 to stay alive’
What has the Caribbean, on the frontline of the climate crisis, gained now that COP26 is over? We speak with Yves Renard of Panos Caribbean, who shares some fascinating insights.
Artist Jasmine Thomas-Girvan taps into the ‘eternal connections’ of Black Caribbean ancestry
"There are many deeply entrenched attitudes from our colonial past that continue to poison how we view ourselves and our citizenry."
Jamaicans mourn the passing of human rights defender Nancy Anderson, who worked to assist the island's most vulnerable citizens
As "a very proud advocate for human rights," one of Anderson’s key achievements was to help make legal services more widely available to the poor in Jamaica.
Jamaica officially recognises the life and legacy of iconic wartime nurse, Mary Seacole
"[Especially during the] COVID-19 outbreak, when healthcare professionals have been similarly challenged by a pandemic, it is an appropriate time to mark her birth, life, legacy and example.”
Could Jamaica's ‘wickedest city’ become a UNESCO World Heritage Site?
Jamaica hopes to get World Heritage status for Port Royal, one of only three sunken sites in the world and the only one in the Western hemisphere.
