Social Impact with Emma » tourism : A Jamaica Gleaner Blog

Why Can’t We Have a Parliament Building To Be Proud Of?

September 23rd, 2015

I spent this morning at Gordon House. It’s a nondescript building that anyone passing down Duke Street would completely overlook, if they did not know Kingston. The thought crossed my mind: Why are we stuck with this sad little apology of a Parliament building? The downtown area has some perfectly splendid buildings, many of a […]

The Cliffhanger of Climate Change: Where Are the Citizens’ Voices?

June 10th, 2015

The French do love the word “citizen” (“citoyen” in French) and I like it, too. It signifies strength and purpose; someone who has a positive role to play in their nation. So on Monday morning, I was pleased to attend a “citizens’ debate” organized by the French Embassy in Jamaica, to discuss the broad issue of […]

Bringing Back the Humanity to Tourism

June 2nd, 2015

Tourism is Jamaica’s “bread and butter.” Right? At least as far as foreign exchange is concerned. It makes up roughly 30 per cent of our GDP, which is not to be sneezed at. Despite ongoing crime and violence (which would be a major turn-off for me, quite frankly, if I was a tourist) Jamaica is […]

The Age of Narcissus

March 3rd, 2015

Narcissus was a foolish youth. Foolish, and beautiful. When I was doing “A” Level Latin at school – many moons ago – I remember reading parts of Ovid’s “Metamorphoses,” including the story of Narcissus and poor little Echo, who followed him around. Narcissus fell in love with his own reflection in a forest pool. So […]

Room To Breathe: Greening Our Cities and Towns

January 14th, 2015

I had an interesting conversation with a young Jamaican woman I know recently. She is currently visiting the island from Canada with her eight-year-old son. It was instructive, she said, to view Jamaica through her young son’s eyes. He expressed his thoughts on arriving in Kingston with a refreshing bluntness, as children often do. While […]

Cleaning our Coastline: Why Don’t Jamaicans Care?

August 26th, 2014

There was a deep churning in my stomach. A sourness in the back of my throat. The captain cut the engine of our boat, which had moved across the calm, silvery water and among the gliding pelicans of Kingston Harbour from Port Royal, heading for downtown. Yes, it was a lovely morning. But the stench […]

Newer Entries