Social Impact with Emma » Kingston : A Jamaica Gleaner Blog

Earth Day 2018: Can We Win the Battle Against Plastic?

April 23rd, 2018

This Earth Day, I found myself struggling with some philosophical truths. We humans are in danger of destroying everything around us (and thus, inevitably, ourselves) with situations that we have ourselves created (and one material in particular, which was this year’s Earth Day theme: plastic). Climate change has now been acknowledged by most scientists as […]

The Deforestation of Our City

March 31st, 2018

I love my city of Kingston. I have my favourite spots, that I always enjoy. One of these is that little corner on the intersection of Old Hope Road and Lady Musgrave Road. A small church (the “Babbins Church,” founded in 1900 by Rev. Francis Bavin of the United Free Methodists) nestled there comfortably for 88 years, […]

In The Cool Hills of Manchester, No One Apologised for Ageing

March 17th, 2018

There is nothing like a trip out of town. On arriving at the orderly, well kept and friendly St. John Bosco Boys’ Home in Hatfield, Manchester, we felt the softer, cooler air. And the quiet. These are rare commodities in the City of Kingston. We were there for the launch of a new chapter of […]

Hunger, Obesity and Rural Poverty: All Part of the Same Picture

February 28th, 2018

The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) is holding the 35th Session of its Regional Conference for Latin America and the Caribbean in Montego Bay next week from March 5 – 8. Among its three top priorities for the meeting are hunger – and, paradoxically, obesity. Both are on the rise in the region. The other […]

Jamaica’s Funeral Culture: What’s Not to Love?

January 26th, 2018

This was the funeral of an alleged gang leader. It was particularly high profile and jumped straight to the headlines, because it took place soon after a State of Public Emergency had been declared for St. James; and this was in St. James. Tragically, one man was killed and five other participants were injured. The […]

Jamaica’s Ability to Respond to Natural Disasters Is Almost Non-Existent

January 11th, 2018

On Tuesday night, while many of us were tucked up in bed, a tsunami alert for Jamaica and other islands went out, triggered by a huge earthquake between Honduras and the Cayman Islands, for an hour or so; it was then discontinued. The next day, there were some careless and downright silly comments on social […]

Older Entries

Newer Entries