In Focus

May 9, 2026

A.J. Nicholson | Vale Royal talks? Hurricane Melissa's milestone message 

Whatever became of the officially-proposed pre-Hurricane Melissa expectant Vale Royal talks on constitutional reform? 
In a recent interchange with a senior parliamentarian on that subject-matter, he posed the following question: "Do you ever feel that the CCJ issue has become a one-man Crusade?" 

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May 9, 2026

Jalil Dabdoub | Diplomatic deception: Selective framing and challenge of honest dialogue
The recent Gleaner commentary by Raslan Abu Rukun presents a tired Israeli narrative: Israel as a willing partner for peace, Lebanon as a state held hostage by Hezbollah, and Iran as the destabilising…
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May 9, 2026

Mark Wignall | The lunacy of war
Those enrolled in any advanced study of war must face up to the philosophical considerations and questions born out of history. The first is that  war is inevitable, and in a most perverse way, we are…
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May 9, 2026

Gordon Robinson | The games people play
Government’s latest gaming policy is to merge three Regulatory Commissions, Racing (JRC); Betting Gaming and Lotteries (BGLC); and Casino Gaming (CGC). It’s a very bad idea. The thing is, insofar as…
This photo shows damaged roof of Darliston Primary School destroyed by Hurricane Melissa last October.
April 26, 2026

Olga Isaza | Jamaica must build climate-resilient schools

When classrooms fall silent, the loss goes far beyond damaged infrastructure It disrupts learning, stability, and opportunity for thousands of children. In an era of escalating climate shocks, these…
In this October 30, 2025 photo people are seen gathered among debris near a bridge in Black River, Jamaica, in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa.
April 26, 2026

Delano Seiveright | Stop chasing perfection, start delivering recovery with NaRRA

Let me be clear from the outset: the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA) Act is not routine legislation. It is one of the most consequential decisions this Parliament will make in…
April 26, 2026

Dennis Minott | Sockpuppetting, aliases, oil, and the crooked republic

The digital age was promised as the great leveller — the ultimate democratisation of the public square. In the Jamaican context, however, this promise has curdled into a sophisticated engine of…
April 26, 2026 by Matthew Smith

Matthew Smith-Barrett and Hodine Williams | The law is not clueless – the case of the imitation firearm

Much has been said in recent weeks about the Firearms (Prohibition, Restriction and Regulation) Act, 2022, and the treatment of “imitation firearms”. Public concern has arisen from the view that toys,…
April 26, 2026

Gordon Robinson | The doctrine of “so what?”

Pick a table – any table. Ask anybody whether it’s solid. They’ll all answer “yes”. Ask if it’s stationary. You’ll get the same answer. You can do the same with a rock. Then show them the table or…
University Hospital of the West Indies.
April 26, 2026

Mark Wignall | University Hospital and taxes

The University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) has admitted that it owes some J$18 billion in taxes. Yes, that’s right - J$18 billion in taxes to the Government. With penalties and late fees, the…