Featured stories about Jamaica
Stories about Jamaica
‘What a Bam Bam!’ Jamaicans celebrate Biden/Harris victory
Prime Minister Andrew Holness’ congratulatory tweet emphasised Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris’ Jamaican heritage and called her historic achievement a “monumental accomplishment for women all over the world.”
Dancehall star Buju Banton’s rejection of mask-wearing stymies Jamaican government’s efforts to stem ‘COVID-19 fatigue’
"Please do not listen to Buju Banton [...] in this case, he is 110% wrong. Wear your mask, wash your hands and socially distance."
The Caribbean's case for reparations: Part II
"We transformed these broken colonies into functional democracies without any support […] and now we have this debt crisis because we were abandoned by those who plundered our wealth."
The Caribbean's case for reparations: Part I
"When a wrong has been committed, it must be repaired. If you recognise that colonization has been a source of massive crimes against humanity, then reparations are legitimate."
The Caribbean's ‘double standard’ on the enforcement of COVID-19 protocols
Some social media users are convinced that when it comes to COVID-19 regulation enforcement, police officers come down harder on residents of disenfranchised communities.
Fans mourn the passing of energetic Jamaican reggae icon, ‘Toots’ Hibbert
Often credited with inventing the term "reggae," the legendary "Toots" Hibbert will be remembered for his upbeat, energetic, positive music.
World Shorebirds Day in the Caribbean: The beauty of wetlands and the birds that visit them
World Shorebirds Day, marked this year on September 6, saw “citizen scientists” across the region document the presence and the movements of various island bird species.
Jamaica Labour Party wins decisive second term in office amidst low voter turnout and COVID-19 fears
The government lifted quarantine restrictions for several communities so that even those who had tested positive for the virus – and thousands in home quarantine – could exercise their right...
Jamaicans at home and abroad express shock at ‘outrageous and offensive’ BBC comedy sketch
"This is a harmful piece of work, and its release seems to have completely ignored the current state of the world in which people are tirelessly campaigning for racial equality."
From dubplates to debates: Election campaigning in Jamaica during a pandemic
With rising numbers of COVID-19 cases limiting the ways in which political candidates can campaign, many are producing dubplates — short music videos promoting themselves — to reach the electorate.
The historic selection of Kamala Harris as the Democrats’ vice-presidential candidate resonates in the Caribbean
Could Kamala Harris, daughter of immigrants and the first Black/South Asian woman vice-presidential candidate for a major U.S. political party, be "great for diversity"?
‘Invisible hands': How millions of domestic workers fare under COVID-19
"We are the invisible hands. Our work is not valued. We don’t exist for the families we serve nor do we exist for the state."
Could reform be on the cards for Jamaica's prison system?
Prime Minister Holness called the death of an inmate who had spent decades behind bars without trial "among the most dreadful inheritances of a system in urgent need of reform."
Jamaica wakes up to the plight of prisoners with mental illness
Noel Chambers, 81, had been in Jamaica's prison system for 40 years without a trial when he died in horrible conditions. Now, his case is being used to help other...
Jamaica’s Brian Heap, Caribbean regional winner of the 2020 Commonwealth Short Story Prize, talks storytelling
"Jamaican language [...] is designed to subvert the English language. I love its frequent juxtaposition of archaic English words and African expressions and syntax, [...] used to sometimes devastating effect."
Speaking with Jamaica’s Brian Heap, Caribbean regional winner of the 2020 Commonwealth Short Story Prize
"Jamaica is so rich in stories [...] It’s so important for us to delve into the inner life of Jamaican subjects."
Black Lives Matter in Jamaica, too
"Some of you outraged at the people in America demonizing victims of police brutality and don't realise you do the same thing here."
Restarting Caribbean economies under threat of COVID-19
As a major source of foreign exchange and employment for most of the region, safely opening up borders to overseas visitors has become ever more pressing.
Is the Caribbean winning the fight against COVID-19?
Could the region be past the worst — or simply enjoying a quieter period before the much-feared second wave?
‘Born fi dead': The Caribbean looks at the George Floyd protests and sees itself
"This Minneapolis fight was Marcus Garvey’s fight; it was Martin’s fight; it was Malcolm’s fight; it was Marley’s fight. It’s a Caribbean fight and it’s a global fight."
