New Year’s wishes

Challenge injustice in 2023

As we welcome the New Year, we celebrate the successes of 2022, lessons learnt, and we look with hope to 2023 that we will move forward as a country in unison.

Some of the key priority areas that require our collective efforts and attention include citizen security, to push back and dismantle the operations of gangs and criminal groups waging war against our communities, but never sacrificing the rights and liberty of the poor and marginalised in our efforts; an education system that assures equality of opportunity, focuses on critical thinking, values and attitudes as key components to learning, rather than the measurement of skirt lengths and practices, such as hair ‘grooming’ that border on racial and religious discrimination; to maintain and building economic growth that supports the goal of food security, increased use of local talents and skills, and respect for culture, heritage and environment; strengthened anti-corruption frameworks that ensure equal application of laws and accountability at the highest levels; and legislative reform that achieves intended goals and purposes without undermining judicial authority or threaten citizens’ fundamental rights and freedoms.

In making those New Year’s resolutions, I urge my fellow Jamaicans not to be silent bystanders to injustice or a loud advocate for said injustice. Instead, I challenge us to promote peace, justice, freedom and the protection of human dignity. Let us commit to the principle of treating everyone as equal, to check our biases and discard our prejudices, and to remind ourselves that injustice to one by any authority is an injustice to all.

It is important for citizens to play an active role in various issues facing our country, whether issues affecting persons with disabilities, child rights, gender-based violence or some need in your communities. Get involved!

For the new year, it is important that we are civic minded in our pursuit of state accountability, removing political blinders and motivations to ensure that we get the best representation of those elected and nominated to serve. May 2023 be a year where we have increased civic participation and celebrate human rights and dignity for all.

MICKEL JACKSON

Executive director

Jamaicans for Justice

Let’s push towards achieving SDGs

The Nurses’ Association of Jamaica wishes for all its members and all nurses of Jamaica a year of improved working conditions, increased access to educational opportunities locally and overseas, security of tenure for all nurses on contract, reduction in mental health stigma, improved access to all critical health services, reduction in crime, violence and road fatalities, which severely impact our emergency services.

We also wish for a society working to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as we strive towards the elimination of hunger, elimination of poverty, reduction in gender inequality, good health and well-being, thus improving health outcomes for all.

We wish for you a happy, healthy and prosperous 2023 as we remain united in service.

NURSES’ ASSOCIATION OF JAMAICA

Move Jamaica closer to developed status

Jamaica has been bedevilled with socioeconomic challenges, which have limited her ability to properly develop her people.

The most important ingredient for the development of any country is the development of its workforce. We must focus on ensuring that all Jamaicans have an opportunity to contribute to the country’s growth while working towards their own happiness and personal fulfilment.

We must learn to be tolerant of each other and be kind to the more vulnerable members of our society.

Let 2023 not only be the year of financial growth, but also of personal development. This is the only way to move Jamaica from a small island developing state to a developed statehood.

JAHVAY GAYLE

Youth Parliamentarian, Manchester North Eastern