Some of the big stories of 2013

Martin Henry, Contributor

Years ago, I used to write an annual review of science and technology news for The Gleaner's 'Year in Review'. That work caught the attention of one of Jamaica's leading scientists, Dr Arnoldo Ventura, who had returned home to be special adviser on science and technology to Prime Minister Michael Manley.

Dr Ventura quietly came to my workplace to see me, rather than doing the 'big man' thing of summoning me to his office for a meeting. One thing led to another and I ended up being appointed Jamaica's national project coordinator for a United Nations Development Programme-sponsored multinational project with the long-winded title, 'Strengthening Endogenous Capacity in Science and Technology for National Development through Stakeholders' Policy Dialogues'. Out of this project, the National Commission on Science and Technology emerged.

Writing annual reviews has its rewards, I guess.

At this time of year, doing reviews is the order of the day. Having done a few in electronic media last week, I figure there is no harm in writing up and presenting, in more permanent form, some of my own reflections on the big events of 2013.

How to decide on the big events is the big thing. We rely very heavily on media of various sorts for information on events in the world - and for our sense of the relative size and importance of those events. Media have both an agenda-setting and framing role. That is, media, to a large extent, shape both what the public thinks about and how the public sees and thinks about those things.

The biggest issues are those with the deepest and farthest reach and the greatest potential impact on the largest number of people. But, of course, news reportage does not often reflect this.

But here goes. This is a quick survey of some of the biggest issues/events/personalities of 2013.

Starting on the international stage, three men dominated 2013 and their actions made big news. The second inauguration of Barack Obama in January reconfirmed him not just as the 44th American President but as the leader of the world. His every word and action both in domestic and foreign affairs matter deeply.

In the course of the year, the shale oil revolution confirmed the United States as the world's number-one oil producer ahead of Saudi Arabia, changing the energy equation in multiple ways and further increasing America's hyperpower.

Time magazine chose Pope Francis I, enthroned only in March of last year, as Person of the Year. I agree. Francis without a single military division (Mussolini had famously enquired, "How many divisions has the pope?") is one of the two most influential persons in the world and has placed his supersized personal stamp upon both his ascendant church and upon the world in a mere nine months.

The year was spent in a global death watch over beloved world citizen Nelson Mandela who, in dying, qualified to be considered for Person of the Year. His passing in December made it too late for consideration. Mandela died as one of the most influential human beings, despite years in retirement - and the last ones out of public sight.

Hugo Chavez's death in March has not only affected Venezuelan domestic politics, but is likely to have a longer term effect on Venezuelan regional petro-diplomacy and Jamaica's own energy future through PetroCaribe.

Climate change, with the planet unpredictably blowing hot and cold all at once, and the growing influence of China round out my international biggest issues/events/personalities of 2013.

NATIONAL POLITICS

On the national scene, politics dominate our
lives, as everywhere else in the modern world. Political
issues/events/personalities are therefore going to rank highly in any
assessment. The big ones of 2013: The Jamaica Labour Party (JLP)
leadership race was robust, sharp and comparatively clean. The aftermath
controversy over the appointment of senators is an important
constitutional matter which has gone before the constitutional court,
the Supreme Court.

The loser in the last People's
National Party (PNP) leadership race, Finance Minister Peter Phillips
emerged as the de facto leader of Government as the
prime minister retreated. In a plodding administration, several big
issues and events confronted the Government. An IMF agreement was signed
in May. Two immediate positive spin-offs were the supervised fiscal
discipline imposed upon the Government and an accelerated legislative
programme in the Parliament, which almost doubled its average annual
output.

The big political personalities of 2013
roughly in order of impact from both action and inaction were: Peter
Phillips, Andrew Holness, Portia Simpson Miller, Audley Shaw, Ronald
Thwaites, Richard Azan, and Christopher Tufton.

The
Jamaican dollar tumbled past the psychologically significant marker of
100 to 1 US dollar in the middle of the year on June 7 and closed the
year at 106.38 to 1.

There was a resurgence in murders
with a nine per cent hike over 2012, leaving the holder of the
graveyard Ministry of National Security in a beleaguered position with
many calls for his resignation, while he called for divine intervention
and for unity in the fight against
crime.

ENVIRONMENTALISTS VERSUS
'DEVELOPERS'

There were running battles between the
purveyors of investment and 'development' and environmental conservation
over the proposed use of the protected Goat Islands by the Chinese as
part of the touted logistics hub, a proposal for which little hard
information was available.

CARICOM with trade and
travel conflicts among partners held the news throughout much of the
year. The Caribbean Court of Justice ruled on the Shanique
Myrie vs Government of Barbados case in October. Jamaicans
have never been more aware of CARICOM than they were last year, with
opinion sharply divided about the usefulness of continued
membership.

To the extent that energy, like the
economy and crime, is a major national issue, the cock-ups over
selecting a bidder for the proposed 360MW electricity generating plant
was a major running event and big news.

Significant
for long-term impact in their own spheres were the advances made by the
homosexual and the ganja lobbies.

Wrapping on a
positive note since my words are just about done, the country last year
welcomed for the first time its two millionth stop-over visitor in a
calendar year.

Martin Henry is a communication
specialist. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and
medhen@gmail.com.