Our children are under attack. They are being preyed on for their money, their possessions, sex and revenge. Many also become collateral damage, simply by being at the wrong place at the wrong time. And we sit and watch. We read about these...
Last week, the outcome of the X6 murder trial and the fatal stabbing of a Jamaica College student left the nation in mourning. The sorrow that follows death can be intense, especially when the victim is a child, the grief can be complicated and...
Despite impressive developments of diagnostic methods, surgical techniques, drug regimens and radiation treatments, breast cancer continues to plague us. Worldwide, it is the most common invasive cancer in women, comprising 16 per cent of all...
Donald Trump’s vile misogynistic comments and actions are well documented. On the television show “Entertainment Tonight” in 2006, Trump called television personality Rosie O'Donnell “disgusting”, referred to her...
Jamaica recently dodged a lethal hollow-point bullet. Hurricane Matthew, the first Category Five Atlantic hurricane since Hurricane Felix in 2007, bypassed our shores before wreaking havoc in Haiti.Hurricane Matthew is one of the most powerful, and...
I try to live my life with an attitude of gratitude, and today, I would like to give thanks for the Reverend Merrick ‘Al’ Miller. This man has enriched my life by providing me with hours of entertainment and tons of material. I recall...
I think there should be a special place in hell reserved for people who park their vehicles and block others, and walk away without a care in the world. It is one of my pet peeves, and I believe that my abhorrence is absolutely justified, as this...
I am not a fan of tattoos. Of the hundreds or thousands that I have seen socially or during examinations throughout my medical career, the percentage that have impressed me is lower than that of persons in Gordon House who are honest. In other...
The Billboard Hot 100 is the official singles chart for America’s music industry. Rankings are based on radio play, online streaming, and physical and digital sales. Two weeks ago, I took a look at the chart and made some interesting...
I miss holding stuff. I really do. I grew up in a house with lots of music. My father owned a formidable record collection, and I was exposed to many different genres - classical, jazz, rhythm and blues, calypso, reggae, ska, rocksteady. You name...
The brutal murder of three-year-old Nevalesia Campbell in Orange Hill, St Ann, has sent ripples of shock, anger and disgust across Jamaica. Murder is a heinous act, and the killing of a child would rattle any rational person. But the slaying and...
I recall watching an African-American stand-up comedian several years ago giving his impression of America’s first black president delivering his inaugural address. In his delivery, he kept jumping from side to side and ducking, in an attempt to...
It was approximately 2 a.m. on Sunday, June 12, 2016 at Pulse, a popular gay club in Orlando, Florida. As last-call drinks were being served, and a DJ played a reggae jam, Omar Mateen crashed the party. Armed with a Sig Sauer MCX .223 calibre rifle...
Rape culture refers to a situation in which society blames victims of sexual assault and normalises male sexual violence. This creates an environment in which misogynistic and chauvinistic attitudes thrive, and sexual violence against women is...
For most of my life, I have associated the word ‘harambe’ with Rita Marley’s album and song of the same name. Today, when I hear that word, I think of Harambe, the 17-year-old silverback gorilla that was shot and killed after a...
There is a local hospital I know of that takes a very keen interest in the sex lives of its staff, especially its nurses. A nurse told me that when she was interviewed for the job, she was asked about her views on fornication. Last year, the nurses...
Vaccines are biological preparations that provide active acquired immunity to particular diseases, and can provide years of protection from them. A vaccine typically contains a substance that resembles a disease-...
National Security Minister Robert Montague recently said that his ministry is taking steps “to determine if there are any legal impediments to the resumption of hanging in Jamaica”. He further stated that persons who intend to break the...
Following the murder of two American missionaries in St Mary, CNN news anchor Ashleigh Banfield said that Jamaica “is an extraordinarily violent country with a remarkable murder rate”. After hearing the remark, many Jamaicans went...
I vividly remember the first time that I saw Prince. It was the summer of 1980, and I was on vacation, staying at my aunt’s house in Brooklyn, New York. I was up late one night watching a television...
When was the last time that you apologised for something that you did, or failed to do? An apology is a regretful acknowledgement of having said or done something that harmed another, and is often of great benefit. Unfortunately, many perceive...
In Greek mythology, Narcissus was the son of son of the river god Cephissus and the nymph Liriope. He was a handsome young man with a stunning physique, but was also haughty, showing disdain to those who loved him, while dismissing them. Nemesis,...
I view with great interest the goings-on in the People’s National Party (PNP). After the party’s loss in the last general election, following a disastrous campaign, there have been calls for party President Portia Simpson Miller to step...
Jamaica is in the news again, and for all the wrong reasons. Recently a Jamaican flight attendant employed by JetBlue was approached for a random security check at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Flight...
International Women’s Day was celebrated on Tuesday, March 8, 2016 under the theme ‘Pledge for Parity’. The theme is a relevant one, as gender inequality has significantly hindered the progress of women globally. In 2015, the...
