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  • Kenya rights group files petition to halt US Ebola quarantine centre plan

    Kenya rights group files petition to halt US Ebola quarantine centre plan

    In the wake of an expanding Ebola outbreak centered in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a controversial plan by the United States to construct a dedicated quarantine facility for its citizens in Kenya has sparked legal action, public health concerns, and constitutional debate across the East African nation.

    On Thursday, the Nairobi-based Kenyan human rights organization Katiba Institute confirmed it had submitted a formal court petition to block the project entirely. The petition demands not only that the facility be prevented from commencing operations but also that authorities ban any entry of individuals potentially exposed to the Ebola virus through this program, according to statements from the group.

    The rights organization has leveled sharp criticism at the opaque process behind the facility’s development, saying the project was advanced unilaterally and without public transparency. This lack of consultation, Katiba Institute argues, violates core tenets of Kenya’s constitution and creates unacceptable risks for the country’s population.

    A senior U.S. administration official has previously framed the project as a public health safety measure, describing the planned site as a modern, “state-of-the-art” facility intended to house U.S. citizens for quarantine after they exit the DRC, which has been grappling with the ongoing outbreak since it was declared in mid-May.

    The plan has also drawn concern from top African public health leadership. Jean Kaseya, director of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), warned during a recent press briefing that the facility could place unplanned, additional strain on Kenya’s already stretched national health system. “Adding an international quarantine responsibility for foreign nationals could stretch their national capacities… If it’s not well supported by additional resources,” Kaseya explained, highlighting the risk of overburdening local infrastructure without sufficient backing.

    Nora Mbagathi, executive director of Katiba Institute, emphasized the core motivations behind the legal challenge, saying, “The case is about preserving constitutional accountability, protecting public health and ensuring that no government may place expediency above the lives and safety of the people of Kenya.”

    To date, Kenya has implemented mandatory Ebola testing for all incoming travelers from affected regions, and has not recorded any confirmed cases linked to the current outbreak within its borders. Uganda, which shares borders with both the DRC and Kenya, has already documented at least seven cases of the virus.

    Kenya’s Ministry of Health has not issued a formal direct response to questions about the proposed facility, only stating broadly that the country is open to collaboration with international partners, including the United States.

    Current data from the World Health Organization puts the outbreak’s toll at more than 1,000 combined confirmed and suspected cases, with 10 confirmed deaths and 223 suspected fatalities. Complicating response efforts, the outbreak is driven by the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which no licensed vaccine or targeted treatment currently exists.

  • All right with Anderson

    All right with Anderson

    Nearly eight months after Category 5 Hurricane Melissa carved a path of destruction across Jamaica, the island nation’s government has tapped a decorated veteran public servant to lead its long-awaited recovery and resilience-building effort, drawing measured praise and cautious scrutiny from private sector and civil society leaders.

    Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness announced the appointment of Major General (Ret’d) Antony Anderson as the inaugural chief executive officer of the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA) during a special post-Cabinet media briefing at Jamaica House on Wednesday, confirming the retired military leader will officially take up his post on June 1. The announcement comes just days after the NaRRA Bill was signed into law, formalizing the new agency’s mandate to coordinate and accelerate the island’s post-storm reconstruction while strengthening national capacity to withstand future climate disasters.

    With more than 40 years of public service spanning multiple critical national leadership roles, Anderson brings an unparalleled resume of crisis management and institutional leadership to the new position. His career began with a 34-year tenure in the Jamaica Defence Force, where he rose to the top post of chief of defence staff. He went on to become Jamaica’s first national security advisor to the prime minister, later served as commissioner of the Jamaica Police Force, and most recently held the role of Jamaica’s ambassador to the United States. Now, he is tasked with delivering a timely, transparent and accountable recovery for communities devastated by the October 2024 storm.

    In his remarks Wednesday, Holness emphasized that Anderson’s appointment comes at a make-or-break juncture for Jamaica’s recovery program. The government is moving to scale up reconstruction work while embedding strict frameworks for accountability, transparency and fiscal stewardship over billions in recovery funding.

    “Major General Antony Anderson brings to NaRRA the discipline, integrity, and operational command required for this moment,” Holness said. “Jamaica is entering a period of reconstruction that must be defined by speed, but also by transparency, proper planning, and accountability. His experience leading national institutions, responding to crises, and strengthening disaster risk management systems makes him well-suited to drive this mandate.” The prime minister added that NaRRA’s core mission is to build stronger, more disaster-resilient communities across the island, and that his administration will ensure every dollar of recovery funding advances long-term national development, productivity and economic growth.

    Early reactions from Jamaica’s leading private sector bodies have been overwhelmingly positive, with leaders pointing to Anderson’s proven track record of integrity and leadership as exactly what the high-stakes role demands. Patrick Hylton, president of the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica, called the appointment a welcome choice for the critical post.

    “From my personal knowledge of him, as well as his track record, he is the consummate professional, very experienced, very knowledgeable, with a good sense of judgement and great personal and professional integrity,” Hylton told the Jamaica Observer. He added that Anderson’s decades of public service, deep understanding of Jamaica’s local context, extensive professional networks and broad public respect make him uniquely positioned to deliver results for the recovery effort.

    Kathryn Silvera, president of the Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association (JMEA), echoed Hylton’s assessment, noting that past challenges with relief fund management make disciplined, ethical leadership non-negotiable for NaRRA. “His track record of integrity and results gives confidence that he will act with transparency, resist undue influence, and ensure accountability in this critical role,” Silvera said.

    Not all stakeholders have offered unqualified endorsement, however. While civil society leaders universally praised Anderson’s qualifications and decades of distinguished service, many have retained cautious reservations about the structural transparency of NaRRA itself, calling for clearer public disclosure of the agency’s mandates, timelines and budget allocations ahead of its launch.

    Dr Gavin Myers, principal director of national anti-corruption watchdog National Integrity Action, noted that Anderson’s career across the military, law enforcement and diplomacy leaves no question about his qualifications for the role. But he emphasized that Jamaica’s longstanding culture of low public trust means proactive transparency is essential to build public confidence in the recovery effort.

    “We would value information up front rather than things coming out trickle by trickle,” Myers said. He called for full public disclosure of Anderson’s core duties, key operational milestones and allocated recovery budgets ahead of the June 1 launch, so Jamaican citizens can hold agency leadership accountable from day one. “It would be good to know these from early so that we the citizens can work with and watch with Major Anderson,” he added.

    Emile Leiba, president of the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce, echoed that wait-and-see approach, affirming confidence in Anderson’s capabilities but noting that the proof of NaRRA’s success will be in its operational performance. “Based on his track record in his leadership positions prior to this, I think he would be a good pick because the role does require significant organisational skills to monitor and keep track of the large-scale projects outlined in the NaRRA legislation,” Leiba said. “However, it’s very early days yet, so we’ll have to see how it all works out in practice.”

    Leiba extended well wishes to Anderson and the government, noting that the entire nation has a stake in NaRRA’s success. “For the sake of the country, we certainly hope it’s a viable venture. If it’s not, then that has very serious implications. But the country needs NaRRA to succeed, and so we should all make reasonable efforts for that success to happen,” he said. “It’s one thing to legislate, it’s quite another for it to be operationalised, and so we have to wait and see how it operates from a functional perspective and then we take it from there.”

  • Trump’s face could appear on US$250 bill

    Trump’s face could appear on US$250 bill

    A provocative new push from within the Trump administration has sparked fierce debate across Washington, as senior political figures and regulators clash over a proposal to add former President Donald Trump’s portrait to a newly created $250 United States banknote, a plan that would break 150 years of established American currency tradition.

    Details of the initiative were first reported by *The Washington Post* on Thursday, which obtained internal design mockups for the proposed bill. The draft concept frames the new banknote as a tribute to America’s 250th anniversary of independence, marked in 2026, with the wording “America 250 anniversary” printed alongside Trump’s image. According to the publication, two senior Trump appointees at the US Treasury Department began lobbying leadership at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing to develop working prototypes of the bill as early as last year.

    If the plan moves forward, it would mark the first time in 150 years that a living American has been featured on official US currency, breaking a long-standing norm and explicit federal regulation that prohibits depictions of sitting presidents on circulating or commemorative money. Bureau employees, who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity to avoid professional retaliation, confirmed that bureau leadership immediately flagged significant legal and procedural barriers to senior Treasury officials, including US Treasurer Brandon Beach.

    After Bureau of Engraving and Printing director Patricia Solimene pushed back against the initiative to defend existing federal law, she was abruptly reassigned to a new, lower-profile role within the agency, multiple sources confirmed to the Post.

    The proposal to add Trump to the $250 bill is far from an isolated move: over the past several months, the Trump administration has moved aggressively to embed the president’s name and likeness across a wide range of national cultural and government institutions, a pattern that has drawn repeated accusations of cultivating a cult of personality around the 79-year-old commander-in-chief.

    Earlier this year, the US Commission of Fine Arts, whose entire voting panel is made up of Trump appointees, unanimously approved the production of a 24-carat gold commemorative Semiquincentennial coin that includes Trump’s imagery. In recent months, two major national institutions — the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the US Institute of Peace — have been officially rebranded to add Trump’s name to their titles. Large banners bearing the president’s portrait already hang in the lobbies of the US Department of Justice and Department of Agriculture, and the State Department has confirmed that Trump’s likeness will soon be added to the inside pages of new US passports.

    Formal legislation to authorize the $250 bill and change existing federal law to allow a living president’s depiction was introduced to Congress last year, but the bill has not advanced to a floor vote or committee markup and remains stalled in legislative limbo. A spokesperson for the Treasury Department offered a measured response to questions about the internal proposal, telling the Post that the Bureau of Engraving and Printing is “conducting appropriate planning and due diligence” in response to the pending congressional legislation.

    Democratic lawmakers have uniformly condemned the initiative, with Senate Banking Committee member Senator Mark Warner arguing that the unprecedented plan amounts to a naked power play designed only to inflate the president’s personal standing. “This is the White House blatantly stoking the president’s ego at the expense of long-held American institutional norms,” Warner said of the proposal.

  • Computer Paul drives Sara Part 2

    Computer Paul drives Sara Part 2

    Decades-decorated reggae producer Paul “Computer Paul” Henton has launched the final installment of his celebrated Sara Juggling series, Sara Juggling Part 2, a project that balances preservation of classic one-drop reggae with bold modern innovation. Henton, whose career has been defined by crafting enduring, genre-defining rhythms, set out to reverse the gradual decline of one-drop reggae while reimagining the iconic sound for contemporary audiences.

    The decision to release a follow-up to February’s Sara Juggling Part 1 was rooted in both intentional strategy and overwhelming fan demand. The first entry in the series earned massive local and international traction, drawing particularly robust support from radio DJs, selectors, and streaming platforms including YouTube and TikTok across the United Kingdom. Henton intentionally delayed the sequel to let the first project reach its full audience potential, a choice shaped by the realities of today’s fast-paced digital music landscape, where consumer attention spans are increasingly limited.

    “It was important to me that Part 1 got the maximum exposure it earned before I brought Part 2 to fans,” Henton explained. “In today’s market, you have to move smart to cut through the noise.”

    Sara Juggling Part 2 builds on the rhythmic foundation of the original project, weaving in fresh instrumentation and dynamic new vocal performances while retaining the core identity that made the first installment a hit. The release features a stacked lineup of reggae and dancehall talent, including solo sets from Warrior King and Junior X, a standout collaborative track from Ashley Irae and Imar Shephard, and a surprise cross-generational duet between dancehall icon Lady G and Chris Howell on Stuck On You 2.

    The overwhelmingly positive response to the first project pushed Henton to match that standard of quality for the sequel, he says. To expand the project’s reach to Jamaican audiences and global reggae diaspora communities, Henton has partnered with veteran publicist Ralston “Rallo Di Reggae PR Boss” Barrett, who brings 30 years of specialized music industry promotional experience to the campaign.

    The Sara rhythm at the heart of the series carries deep historical roots in reggae culture, originally crafted in the 1980s by legendary production duo Steely & Clevie for iconic reggae artist Frankie Paul. Reinterpreting this decades-old classic for a new generation was a challenge Henton approached with enthusiasm, driven by a mission to keep the one-drop reggae tradition alive amid shifting industry trends.

    “One-drop had been on the decline for a while, so I wanted to do my part to preserve this sound that means so much to reggae,” Henton said. “The response we’ve gotten so far proves that fans still love this music as much as ever.”

    Despite early calls from eager fans for a third installment of the series, Henton confirmed that Sara Juggling Part 2 will serve as the final chapter of the project. “This rhythm is complete and ready to find its audience,” he said. “If it’s good, artists and fans will always seek it out.”

    With strong early critical and fan feedback already rolling in and a strategic promotional campaign now underway, Sara Juggling Part 2 cements Henton’s longstanding reputation as a dedicated guardian of reggae’s cultural legacy. The project makes clear that quality, consistent craft, and clear creative vision remain the foundational keys to long-term success in the modern global music industry.

  • US allocates extra US$80 million to tackle Ebola

    US allocates extra US$80 million to tackle Ebola

    In a press announcement from Washington D.C. this Thursday, the United States has committed an additional $80 million in emergency funding to ramp up the global response to the spiraling Ebola outbreak spreading across the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and neighboring Uganda.

    This new injection of resources brings the total American financial contribution to containment efforts to $112 million since the outbreak was first formally declared in mid-May, according to official statements from the US State Department. The allocated funding is earmarked for critical on-the-ground needs: it will cover the cost of personal protective equipment for frontline healthcare workers operating in high-risk zones, expanded border screening protocols across regional transit points, the distribution of rapid diagnostic test kits, and other urgent response requirements.

    “The United States Government continues to carry out a comprehensive, coordinated strategy to contain this Ebola outbreak at its source, both to protect American citizens at home and stop further cross-border spread across the globe,” the State Department’s release noted. This pledge follows a commitment from Secretary of State Marco Rubio a day prior, who stated that the administration’s top priority is blocking the importation of Ebola into US territory.

    The outbreak has already taken a severe toll on local communities: the World Health Organization (WHO) has documented 10 confirmed deaths and 223 suspected fatalities across the DRC, out of more than 1,000 combined confirmed and suspected cases recorded since May 15. Public health experts widely warn that the actual scope of the outbreak is far larger than official numbers reflect, due to limited surveillance and access to affected remote areas.

    The Trump administration’s handling of the crisis has drawn sharp pushback in recent weeks from congressional Democrats and global public health non-governmental organizations. Critics point to the administration’s earlier decision to withdraw the US from the WHO and restructure and downsize key programs within the US Agency for International Development (USAID) as actions that have weakened global capacity to respond rapidly to emerging infectious disease threats, leaving the current response under-resourced in its critical early stages.

  • ‘They take us for fools’

    ‘They take us for fools’

    At a recent policy roundtable hosted by Jamaicans for Justice at New Kingston’s Courtleigh Hotel, former Commissioner of Police and retired Rear Admiral Hardley Lewin delivered a sharp rebuke of repeated delays and excuses from Jamaica’s government and Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) leadership over the deployment of body-worn cameras for planned police operations.

    Lewin opened his remarks by acknowledging the Jamaican government’s substantial $2-billion investment in boosting the JCF’s crime-fighting capacity, including plans to acquire thousands of additional body-worn cameras by 2029, a timeline first announced by Deputy Commissioner of Police Warren Clarke at the same event. He commended the government for the large-scale national security spending that has modernized the force, but made clear that progress on high-impact transparency and crime prevention tools remains unacceptably slow.

    The former head of both the JCF and Jamaica Defence Force argued that closed-circuit television (CCTV) infrastructure, particularly the national JamaicaEye public surveillance program, represents the most transformative shift in Jamaican law enforcement since the adoption of police automobiles. He emphasized that the core mission of policing is not solving crime after the fact, but preventing crime from occurring in the first place. While official policing metrics often rely on case clearance rates to measure effectiveness, Lewin noted that deterrence and prevention are the true markers of success — and CCTV technology is irreplaceable for advancing that goal. He pushed for the government to prioritize expanding JamaicaEye with the same urgency it has applied to other policing priorities.

    Turning to body-worn cameras, Lewin pushed back against the range of justifications officials have cited for the slow rollout, from claims the devices cannot operate in stealth mode to assertions they cannot be properly affixed to some officers’ uniforms. He dismissed these excuses as nonsensical goalpost-shifting, saying “they take us for fools” with repeated delays.

    Lewin also publicly defended the Independent Commission of Investigations (Indecom), the national police oversight body that has repeatedly demanded immediate deployment of body-worn cameras across all operations, particularly those expected to involve confrontations with armed suspects. The call for expanded camera use has grown more urgent amid a sharp uptick in fatal police shootings across Jamaica.

    Without body-worn camera footage, Lewin explained, Indecom is left powerless to resolve conflicting accounts of officer-involved shootings. When multiple officers provide consistent but uncorroborated statements about a shooting, and witnesses are unavailable while the suspect is killed, the oversight body has no way to independently verify what occurred. This leaves innocent officers who used force legitimately unfairly tainted by suspicion, and makes it impossible to hold officers accountable when they act outside the rules. Lewin stressed that the number of fatal police shootings is not the core issue: what matters is transparency, accountability, and verifiable proof that any use of deadly force was justified.

    Lewin went a step further, claiming that ongoing resistance to rolling out body-worn cameras for planned operations betrays a “sinister purpose”. Drawing on a 2025 June 22 op-ed he published in the *Jamaica Observer* titled “Those police fatal shootings”, he argued that prolonged delays are a deliberate strategy to avoid scrutiny from international partners and advocacy groups. He acknowledged that a “ends justify the means” approach to fighting violent crime is popular among many Jamaicans who have suffered from years of rampant homicide and criminal activity, but challenged the public to consider what kind of nation it wants to be. “Is it a nation governed by laws, rules, and regulations that affect all equally, or is it acceptable to break our own laws to enforce laws and protect our people?” he asked.

    Addressing rank-and-file and leadership of the JCF directly, Lewin noted that the force currently has more officers, more resources, and more highly educated, well-trained personnel than at any point in its history, with more resources promised in coming years. He urged officers to reject popular but unlawful shortcuts to crime reduction: “Criminals do not play by the rules, and that is what makes them criminals. If you play outside the rules it makes you a criminal also.” He ended by warning officers that those who praise extrajudicial tactics today will be the first to abandon them when public and political pressure mounts.

  • El Niño, warm seas to shape quiet but erratic hurricane season

    El Niño, warm seas to shape quiet but erratic hurricane season

    When regional climate experts gathered in Nassau, The Bahamas for the 2026 Wet/Hurricane Season Caribbean Climate Outlook Forum (CariCOF), one leading climatologist delivered a stark message: a quieter hurricane season does not equal a low-risk year for Caribbean nations. Leading Caribbean climatologist Dr. Cedric Van Meerbeeck told attendees that current climate projections point to a below-average 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, but the underlying weather patterns driving this trend also create a suite of other dangerous climate hazards that communities must prepare for immediately.

    Dr. Van Meerbeeck’s forecast is rooted in the projected return of a strong El Niño climate pattern across the tropical Pacific, a well-documented phenomenon that alters global atmospheric circulation to suppress the formation of Atlantic hurricanes. Current projections call for approximately five hurricanes to form across the Atlantic basin in 2026, with just two reaching Category 3 or higher on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale — numbers that fall below the long-term seasonal average for the region. But El Niño’s impacts stretch far beyond reducing hurricane numbers, and the climatologist emphasized that the pattern amplifies a range of other extreme weather threats that are often overlooked in seasonal outlooks.

    One of the most significant underdiscussed risks this year will be unstable, erratic weather patterns across the Caribbean, Dr. Van Meerbeeck explained. Even with fewer named storms overall, the region faces an elevated chance of intense, short-duration rainfall events that can trigger catastrophic flash flooding, paired with prolonged, record-breaking heat waves that strain public health systems and infrastructure.

    Compounding these risks is the fact that sea surface temperatures across the northern Caribbean — encompassing island nations including The Bahamas, Cuba, and Jamaica — are already running well above long-term averages. These warm waters can act as a fuel source for any storm that does form, amplifying its intensity and rainfall output even if the overall number of storms is lower than usual.

    Water security is another critical concern for the coming year, the climatologist noted. While the upcoming wet season is expected to bring enough rainfall to ease long-standing drought conditions in some parts of the region, that temporary relief will likely not be enough to reverse chronic water deficits that could lead to shortages later in 2026. To address this gap, Dr. Van Meerbeeck issued a clear call to action for Caribbean governments: invest in expanding water storage infrastructure and update drought preparedness plans now, while rainy conditions are providing an opportunity to build up reserves.

    Public health risks linked to extreme heat will also be amplified by El Niño, particularly for the region’s most vulnerable populations. Prolonged high temperatures, paired with unseasonably warm overnight temperatures that prevent the body from cooling down after hot days, pose a severe threat to elderly residents, young children, and people with pre-existing health conditions.

    In closing, Dr. Van Meerbeeck stressed that communities across the region must abandon the misconception that a below-average hurricane season means widespread safety. Even one major hurricane hitting a Caribbean island or coastal community is enough to wipe out crops, destroy critical infrastructure including roads and water systems, disrupt livelihoods, and cause billions of dollars in damage that can set back national economies for years. As the season approaches, proactive preparation across all hazard types, not just hurricane preparedness, will be critical to reducing harm and protecting communities.

  • Jamaicans see unequal society, corruption becoming normalised — survey

    Jamaicans see unequal society, corruption becoming normalised — survey

    A newly released nationwide survey mapping public opinion across Jamaica has uncovered profound public discontent with systemic inequality, the growing normalization of corruption, and widespread desire for migration among a large share of the population, even as core traditional values remain deeply rooted in Jamaican society. Carried out by Market Research Services Limited (MRSL), the poll gathered responses from 1,102 residents across all 14 of Jamaica’s parishes to capture the current “hearts and minds” of the Jamaican people.

    The data paints a nuanced portrait of a society grappling with clashing forces: deep frustration over unequal access to opportunity and distrust in public institutions on one hand, and persistent commitment to foundational values of family, education and mutual respect on the other. Kisha-Kaye Anderson, MRSL CEO and the study’s presenter, noted that many Jamaicans are navigating rising fear, social divisions, and an expanding moral “grey area” shaped by daily life pressures.

    Key findings from the survey underscore the scale of public discontent: 81 percent of respondents agreed that Jamaican society is fundamentally unequal, while 42 percent stated they would leave the country immediately if given the chance to relocate abroad. When asked about corruption, 30 percent of those surveyed said corrupt behavior has become “necessary for peace and happiness” in Jamaica, and nearly one in three admitted that breaking the law is sometimes acceptable to get ahead economically.

    Unveiling the results at a St Andrew forum held at S Hotel on Monday, MRSL Executive Chairman Don Anderson emphasized that the data reflects a nation caught between enduring traditional values and mounting socio-economic pressure. “It’s heartening to know that we reject wrongdoing, but pressure — life pressure — sometimes makes the area grey,” he explained, noting that only small minorities of Jamaicans view theft, violence or lawbreaking as broadly acceptable under most circumstances.

    Across all demographic groups, the survey confirmed that family remains the highest-priority value for Jamaicans, followed closely by education, personal independence, and religious and spiritual faith. But discussion of the findings quickly expanded into a broader debate over systemic failures in Jamaica’s social structures, with prominent attorney and businessman Howard Mitchell arguing that decades of political and economic progress have not been matched by needed social reform.

    “I strongly believe that Jamaica needs social reform,” Mitchell said during the post-presentation panel discussion. He referenced the words of former Jamaican leader Norman Manley, who called on post-independence generations to reform and reconstruct both the nation’s economic and social systems. “I think we’ve made progress in the economic reconstruction. We have failed in our social reform and reconstruction,” Mitchell added. He argued that the widespread frustration and shifting moral attitudes captured in the survey stem from unresolved, longstanding issues around national identity, systemic inequality and collective self-worth, noting that “no society can be successful without the deliberate shaping of the values and the attitudes of the members of that society” around a shared vision for the future. For Mitchell, the greatest value of the survey is that it opens a critical national conversation about how Jamaicans see themselves and their country.

    Historian Verene Shepherd connected many of the survey’s key findings to Jamaica’s colonial and post-emancipation history, particularly the ongoing national quest for dignity, stable family structures and mutual respect. She explained that under chattel slavery, enslaved African families were systematically destroyed through capture, human trafficking, and forced separation on plantations across the Americas. In the wake of emancipation, rebuilding the Black family became a central national priority, a legacy that explains why family remains the most valued institution in Jamaica today, she argued.

    The study’s finding around respect also sparked significant discussion: researchers found Jamaicans are far more likely to prioritize receiving respect than giving it, with lower-income respondents identifying this as a particularly pressing concern. Shepherd traced this dynamic to deep-rooted classism and systemic inequality, echoing the survey’s finding that 81 percent of Jamaicans see systemic inequality as a core national problem. “If 81 per cent of people indicate a strong belief in the systematic inequality in the systems of Jamaica, then we have a problem,” she said, “We have to find a way to fix that.”

    The survey also highlighted growing public anxiety over personal safety and eroding social trust. Nearly half of respondents said they would stay silent if they knew someone was at risk of harm, rather than speak up and put their own safety at risk. While a large majority of Jamaicans reject vigilante justice, bribery and violence, the poll found that sizeable minorities view these actions as acceptable in specific circumstances.

    One of the most striking findings centered on public attitudes toward corruption and accountability: while large numbers of Jamaicans expressed frustration that corruption has become normalized in daily life, 81 percent agreed that high-profile public figures being sent to prison for corruption would send a powerful, positive message to the nation about accountability.

    Panel participants also focused heavily on the role of education in reproducing inequality, with both Mitchell and Shepherd arguing that Jamaica’s school system continues to widen social gaps and disconnect many young people from their cultural and national history. Shepherd noted that while access to education has expanded across the country, deep inequities in school infrastructure and resourcing persist, with some schools enjoying state-of-the-art facilities while others are severely under-resourced. She also questioned whether current curricula adequately teach Jamaican children about their African heritage and national identity, noting “Our children are disconnected from the kind of past to which they should be connected.”

    Migration desires also emerged as a key trend, particularly among young Jamaicans and women. Despite nearly 70 percent of respondents reporting they feel proud to be Jamaican, many still confirmed they would leave the island for better economic and social opportunities elsewhere. Don Anderson summed up the conflicting mood captured across the survey, reiterating that while Jamaicans broadly hold fast to traditional rejection of harmful behavior, daily life pressure continues to push more people into that expanding moral grey area.

  • Jahriffe encourages strength, spiritual awareness with inspiring new single ‘Shine Bright’

    Jahriffe encourages strength, spiritual awareness with inspiring new single ‘Shine Bright’

    KINGSTON, Jamaica — For roots reggae artist Jahriffe, music is far more than a form of entertainment: it is a vessel for spiritual awakening, cultural connection, and genuine encouragement for people navigating life’s hurdles. The U.S.-based singer has channeled this philosophy into his powerful new single, “Shine Bright,” an uplifting roots reggae track centered on themes of resilience, unshakable self-belief, and intentional purpose.

    The track grew from a deeply personal place. Jahriffe crafted the anthem after turning to music for his own motivation during challenging periods, with the explicit goal of extending that same push of encouragement to audiences worldwide. “Shine Bright was inspired by my need for motivation, with the intention of motivating others through music,” Jahriffe shared in an interview. “My desire is for listeners to develop an unstoppable mindset.”

    Built on warm, organic live instrumentation and thoughtful, conscious lyricism, the track weaves together real-life personal experience and a celebration of the inner strength required to chase dreams with clarity and confidence. What began as a simple guitar concept written by Jahriffe evolved into the finished anthem under the production guidance of David Goldfin, who is also known professionally as Jah D. Staying true to the track’s intimate origins, Jahriffe recorded his vocals in his own home studio, infusing the final cut with an unfiltered, authentic energy that resonates with listeners.

    Jahriffe’s artistic perspective is shaped by the reggae icons who paved the way for conscious roots music. He counts legends including Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer, Dennis Brown, and Burning Spear as core influences on both his sound and his musical philosophy, and cites the late Vaughn Benjamin as a particularly profound spiritual influence. Performing alongside his long-time band, the JAH-N-I Roots Movement, Jahriffe insists that live instrumentation is non-negotiable for preserving reggae’s core authenticity. “This is the true foundation of all riddims, and if we do not continue this tradition of live instrumentation, it would be like cutting out the veins that carry blood through the body,” he explained.

    For the singer, reggae is first and foremost a spiritual and cultural force, designed to lift up audiences and awaken them to their own potential. “The purpose of writing, producing, and performing reggae music, particularly roots reggae music, is to transmit positive awareness of one’s greatness through the music,” he said. “We use reggae to sustain our natural connection to the divine essence of life.”

    Since its official release, “Shine Bright” has already struck a chord with listeners around the world, with many adopting the track as a go-to daily source of motivation and hope. Looking ahead, Jahriffe and his team are deep in work on a new full-length album, which will expand on the musical and spiritual journey he launched on his 2021 project *Reflection*. While the album’s title has not yet been finalized, Jahriffe has confirmed that the record will deliver more of the authentic, positivity-centered, spiritually rooted conscious reggae his audience has come to expect.

    For the artist, the work goes beyond creating charting tracks: he aims to build a lasting legacy defined by meaningful music and aligned with consistent positive action. “My goal is to create a legacy of good music matched with positive actions in daily life, so that what I write and sing about can be manifested and remembered by others,” he said.

  • NIS pioneer Lynden Newland’s legacy secured

    NIS pioneer Lynden Newland’s legacy secured

    Six decades after he helped lay the groundwork for one of independent Jamaica’s most critical social protection institutions, the late Lynden Newland received a lasting honor on Tuesday, as the headquarters building of the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) he co-founded was officially renamed in his memory.

    Hosted at the agency’s 14 National Heroes’ Circle campus in St Andrew, the naming and dedication ceremony was a joint initiative by Jamaica’s Ministry of Labour and Social Security and the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment, and Sport, organized to celebrate Newland’s transformative contributions to the country’s social safety net.

    Speaking on behalf of the Newland family, Stephen Newland framed the honor as far more than personal recognition. He explained that it celebrates the enduring impact of ideas and public service that outlive their creator. Affectionately calling the pioneer “Uncle Doc”, Stephen Newland traced the origins of the NIS, emphasizing that the scheme was the product of years of collaborative effort rather than a sudden inspiration.

    “When Uncle Doc first developed these concepts in 1962, it wasn’t a sudden ‘eureka’ moment that spawned the NIS. It was a cumulative, snowballing process shaped by many brilliant minds—his own, his team, his support staff, and even his family,” he shared. He added that the vision that guided the NIS’s creation should remain a source of inspiration for young Jamaicans working to advance national development for decades to come.

    Today, the NIS headquarters serves as the administrative hub for Jamaica’s mandatory national social security system. It manages all core operations, from registering working Jamaicans and collecting statutory contributions to processing critical benefits including retirement pensions, maternity allowances, and compensation for work-related injuries. For the country’s workforce and their families, the scheme remains an irreplaceable pillar of financial security, stepping in to replace income when workers are sidelined by sickness, injury, or retirement.

    Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness delivered the event’s keynote address, affirming that renaming the building for Newland is a deeply fitting tribute. Holness noted that Newland was part of the foundational generation that built the core governing institutions of newly independent Jamaica.

    “That generation did not inherit a fully functional, established state. They had to envision what Jamaica would become, turn that vision into legislation, build out the public service, secure funding, and protect the nation they built. They turned Jamaica from a country with the symbol of independence into a functioning, substantive nation. As a former minister of labour and national insurance, Lynden Newland helped lay one of the strongest pillars of our country’s social protection framework: the National Insurance Scheme,” Holness said.

    The prime minister emphasized that Newland’s work on the NIS was far more than a routine policy adjustment; it was a long-term commitment to guaranteeing dignity and security for all Jamaican workers throughout their lives.

    “The National Insurance Scheme gave concrete form to a simple, powerful idea: work deserves dignity, and that dignity must be protected at every stage of life,” Holness stated.

    He pointed out that while many Jamaicans may not recognize Newland’s name, they benefit from his work every single day. “Jamaicans know his legacy through the pension that supports a grandmother, through the protection that catches a worker after an injury, through the quiet promise that after a lifetime of contributing to the country, the country will support them when they need it. Even the National Housing Trust traces its roots to his work. This is a real legacy—not fanfare, not fleeting popularity, but lasting good,” he said.

    Holness closed by noting that Newland’s legacy transcends generations, and will continue to shape Jamaican life for years to come. “A true legacy is when a decision made by one generation continues to protect people in the next and all the generations that follow. Today, by putting his name on this building, we are saying that the architecture of our state must always remember the architects of our national protection,” he said.