Jamaica continues to celebrate 50 years of Independence. We have achieved a lot. However, there is much work left to be done if we are to progress as a country. We must begin to tackle Jamaica’s chronic problems in a targeted and sustained way to make this country a better place to live, work and grow families. The Next 50 Years, a special Gleaner series, will spotlight some of the challenges we must fix in the coming years. We want to hear from you. Comment below or email The Gleaner at editor@gleanerjm.com and join the debate.
See below the articles in the series with a sentence or two to get you started:
January 10: Let Us Protect Our Forests by Peter Espeut
And so, while we can disagree on the rate of deforestation we perpetrate in Jamaica, there is no disagreement that deforestation takes place in Jamaica – and that it is too high…more
January 5: Moving Towards Greater Road Safety by Parris Lyew-Ayee Jr.
Blanket policies should be discouraged, and new, smart educational and enforcement policies developed, accounting for the wide variability of vehicle types, road conditions, and the realities of geography and locations across Jamaica…more
December 29: Communities, Local Government and Development by Horace Levy
Can communities, through their collaboration with parish councils, be brought to occupy their rightful democratic place in national governance and economic prosperity?…more
December 23: Improving Our Education System A Must by Grace Camille Munroe
I believe as we go forward, we need to face some realities: improving the education system is not an event, but a process; it is also challenging, but not impossible…[more]
December 23: A Better Flow – Improvement To Jamaica’s Water Supply Needed by Basil Fernandez
The management of the island’s water resources will become critical in the near future with the full onset of the impact of climate change…[more]
December 23: Guilty – Jamaica’s Courts Need a Makeover by Vaughn Graham
It is not rocket science to surmise, then, that if it is a policy of the MOJ to improve court infrastructure over this period, Jamaica may be in for an episode of policy failure owing to lack of funding. So…[more]
December 20: Push For Cheaper, More Efficient Sources Of Energy
Changes are clearly needed. An integrated portfolio of initiatives will be required, including 1) A more aggressive posture towards renewables and greater incentives and facilitation for… [more]
December 19: Towards A Lawful, Neutral Society by Bert Samuels
The independence of the judiciary is the single most important feature of the doctrine of the separation of powers. We now boast a system of governance that…[more]
December 19: Empower The Youth by Henley Morgan
…we must accept that though there are some to blame for the wrong political and social choices of the last 50 years that created the problem, we are…[more]
December 19: Make Jamaica Business Friendly by Densil Williams
Produce managers that are emotionally intelligent and technically sound in the various disciplines of management. Rethink the…[more]
December 17: Restore Law And Order
The abolition of the ‘dock’ in criminal trials must be a priority. The dock, in which a person who is presumed innocent is isolated, must be…[more]
December 16: Build The Education System We Need by Patrick R. Smith
No housing development of over 500 units should be approved without provision for a school. Ensure that…[more]
December 16: Innovate To Create by Rosalea Hamilton
In the context of scarce resources, paying special attention to strengthening the capacity of MSME entrepreneurs in the creative, copyright industries – such as entertainment, education, sports, among others – that can facilitate Jamaica’s transformational growth by…[more]
December 16: In Search Of Real Men by Glenda Simms
In collaboration with the Church, the State, and civil society, we must, in the next 50 years, redefine masculinity and femininity in less phallic terms and help our boys and girls to…[more]
December 16: The Nation Must Meet Housing Challenges by Peter Espeut
Solving the increasing problems of Jamaica’s inner cities in large measure requires economic and social progress to take place in…[more]
December 14: Better Protection For Minimum Wage Earners
The Government must increase its campaign to inform workers of their rights and force employers to register their household workers and…[more]
December 14: Create A Highly Skilled Workforce by Ruel B. Reid
Areas in ICT, hospitality, health care, renewable energy, maritime, aviation, agro-industry, and social media are now in high demand. As a small economy, we should also train to export our excess skilled labour to countries like…[more]
December 14: The Price Of Garbage by Peter Espeut
In the next 50 years, I would like to see this damaging practice of the burning of household garbage reduced to the point of non-existence. And I would like to see all…[more]
December 10: Build More Schools
To this end, all schools must be equipped to world-class standards and teachers adequately trained to address…[more]
December 9: Examining Our Financial Growth by Colin Bullock
Efficient design and delivery of public service are essential to Government’s role as a catalyst of enhanced economic activity. It is, therefore, imperative to…[more]
December 6: Grow The Economy
Tax incentives need to be reduced in scope and targeted more productively. The massive loss of revenue without any…[more]
December 3: Fix The Garbage Problem
Much of the waste can be recycled. Almost no glass bottles or scrap metal (both of which can be converted into cash) are…[more]
November 29: Promote Positive Parenting
If the child is doing well, we embrace ownership; if the child is doing badly, we play the blame game. Parenting requires…[more]
November 26: Take Better Care Of The Elderly
As we move into the next 50 years, more is needed to ensure that older persons are viewed as important in the development process of the country. Jamaica, unlike many developing countries, does have a… [more]
November 25: Let’s End This 50 Year Relationship With Crime by Bernard Headley
One crime reduction proposal I have on the table envisions engaging in a nation-building project a pilot group of jobless deported migrants (‘deportees’) all with…[more]
November 25: Reduce Corruption, Spur Growth by Professor Trevor Munroe
Renew and strengthen a national programme, at all levels of the formal and informal educational system, including the media, to combat values from top to bottom that facilitate corruption and…[more]
November 25: Save Our Boys by Ruel B. Reid
It will also require major investments in time and effort in working with families, non-school organisations and the wider community in eliminating the deficits that…[more]
November 25: A Cry For Justice by Bert Samuels
But it is not a quick fix; rather, it is a work in progress – and the transformational programme being undertaken is expected to be implemented by…[more]
November 22: Fix The Justice System
Going forward, a system should be established where the…[more]
November 16: Clean Up Kingston Harbour
Kingston Harbour can be cleaned up if the pollution dumped into it is substantially reduced. It will be necessary to…[more]
November 12: Fix Basic Schools
For accelerated improvement in ECD over the next 50 years, there must be significant investment. This investment must be… [more]
November 8: Break The Cycle Of Poverty
Investment in early-childhood education will guide the way forward. Illiteracy woes bedevilling some at… [more]
November 5: Unemployment – Reduce It!
Unemployment strategies have to be predicated on an overall approach to expand the macro-economic framework. Therefore, Government must prioritize…[more]
October 29: Protect Our Children
Programmes, plans and legislation to improve the experiences of children in the…[more]
