Featured stories about Jamaica
Stories about Jamaica
Jamaica's Barbara Gloudon, a giant of journalism and theatre, passes away at 87
Gloudon developed a huge following, empathising with callers to her popular radio show and delivering a mix of “rootsy” wisdom, laced with humour and social commentary.
What does Jamaican politician Kamina Johnson Smith's bid for Commonwealth secretary-general say about Caribbean political solidarity?
The post of Commonwealth secretary-general is currently held by Patricia Scotland, who is Dominican by birth, and whose re-election the Caribbean community publicly supported ... until Jamaica announced its own candidate.
Why hasn't Jamaica made Bob Marley a national hero yet?
Marley's shaping of Black consciousness, “lyrical activism,” representation of reggae and Rastafari, and his “One Love” philosophy were cited as part of the bid to make him a national hero.
As international negotiations end in Jamaica, the threat of deep-sea mining hangs over the world's oceans
From the impact on global fisheries to destruction of carbon storage on the seabed, environmentalists say deep-seabed mining could herald even more catastrophic effects for climate change.
‘Legendary’ voice silenced as lead singer of Jamaican reggae group Mighty Diamonds is murdered
"Tabby’s killing is as senseless as it is tragic and leaves an awful void in the Jamaican music landscape."
Podcast: A crisis, a royal tour, and the pandemic's impact on disabled Latinas
Today we visit Jamaica and Sri Lanka, and then heard about Latinas in different parts of the world.
‘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."
