Iconsumer » 2010 » July : A Jamaica Gleaner Blog

Mandeville Fish Vendors are off the hook!

July 30th, 2010

The recent discovery of embalming fluid found in fish sold in the Mandeville market made everyone nervous about consuming fish from the market. However, consumers can now breathe a sigh of relief as Dr. Tufton, Minister of Agriculture, gave the green light for consumption of the fish. I think what happened was extremely scary and [...]

Are you a safe shopper?

July 27th, 2010

‘Desperate times call for desperate measures’. Now, I don’t know who coined that phrase but it has certainly proved true in these harsh economic times. So now when you shop, it’s not only about hunting for a bargain but guarding your pocket. Often pickpockets watch your movements carefully long before they make their move. [...]

The School Squeeze

July 25th, 2010

After the dust settled, parents of students who passed the GSAT exams for prestigious high schools faced a new problem. Many high schools have mandatory summer school for their new students. To make matters worse, they also added hefty registration costs. Parents were ‘up in arms’ when they were told they had to pay these [...]

Small Farmers need a Boost!

July 20th, 2010

We know that supporting the small farmer is important. So why isn’t more being done to give them a boost? True, all farmers have to contend with natural disasters, the uncertainty of the dollar and man-made difficulties such as praedial larceny. Then if their goods do reach the market place, buyers can be few. [...]

Praedial Larceny – A Farmer’s Worst Fear!

July 16th, 2010

As I dream of growing heads of lettuce and rows of corn in my home garden an unwelcoming thought occurs to me. What if someone came and stole everything after all the hard work I had done? Well that’s what many farmers face as they contemplate how many of their goods will make it to [...]

Biting off more than we can chew

July 14th, 2010

The slogan, ‘Eat what you grow’, rolls smoothly off the tongue of most Jamaicans. The truth, however, is that we say by our actions, ‘Eat what you import’. Many older Jamaicans will tell of the days when the shelves were filled with Jamaican fruits and vegetables. In the ‘new’ Jamaica, the market, although still the [...]

Older Entries