KINGSTON, Jamaica - Jamaica can create a platform for economic growth by using the example of Barbados, which stood up to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and offered wage cuts as a viable alternative to the Fund's prescription of devaluation when the country almost ran out of international...

KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – The Jamaica police say they will adopt new strategies to deal with the upsurge in criminal activities after official figures show that more people were killed here during the first nine months of the year as compared to 2012. Figures released by the Jamaica Constabula...

KINGSTON, Jamaica - WE share United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's view that the Syrian crisis represents the "biggest challenge to peace and security in the world" today. Anyone who doubts the veracity of that analysis need only examine what has happened in the two-and-a-half years si...

KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent, CMC – The Trinidad-based Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) has confirmed six cases of the “Influenza A H1N1 Pandemic 09” in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, according to a statement issued by Chief Medical officer, Simon Keizer. Last week, classes at t...

KINGSTON, Jamaica - EVEN as Heads of Government of our Caribbean Community (CARICOM) appear to be moving away from a "pause mode" imposed three years ago in favour of a proactive approach on social and economic developments, they would, hopefully, avoid wasting scarce human resources and time in pur...

KIGNSTON, Jamaica - THE bureau of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), at its recent meeting, decried disparaging comments by foreign financial and economic commentators. Why is CARICOM not getting respect for its economic policy? Nobody is obliged to assist anyone else, but the willingness to help is...

Kingston, Jamaica - The charismatic and visionary St Vincent Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves is working hard to put the issue of reparations for slavery on the map. Last week's first ever Regional Reparation Conference is an important initial step. Nobody pretends that the campaign to obtain rep...

KINGSTON, Jamaica - An edited portion of Government MP Dr Dayton Campbell's contribution to the debate in Parliament on the motion to legalise marijuana. A third of Jamaicans have used ganja in any form and 30 per cent of Jamaicans have smoked marijuana with males reporting this three times mor...

KINGSTON, Jamaica - On September 17, the Bureau of the Heads of Government of the 15-nation Caribbean Community (CARICOM) discussed the decriminalisation of marijuana and its production for medicinal purposes. The discussion was prompted by the prime minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr Ra...

KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC - Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller has assured supporters of the ruling People’s National Party (PNP) that her administration is working towards economic growth and national development, with job creation the target. Simpson Miller, who is also PNP President told hu...