Social Impact with Emma » Caribbean : A Jamaica Gleaner Blog

Writing for Kids: Some Challenges and Possible Solutions

August 4th, 2015

At lunchtime today I made my way to the Ranny Williams Centre on Hope Road, where the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission’s Independence celebrations were in full swing. A drumming group with energetic young dancers was on stage as I arrived – performing to hundreds of empty yellow metal chairs in rows. I found this rather […]

Action, Not Words: Pericles Maillis Likes to Get Things Done

July 31st, 2015

Pericles Maillis is an extraordinary man, and as his first name suggests, a great fighter and champion (the ancient Greek Pericles is normally portrayed with his helmet firmly on his head). I had the honor of meeting him, if only briefly, at the BirdsCaribbean 20th International Meeting in Kingston, which ended yesterday (July 29th). The […]

Learning for Sustainable Development: “Outsiders” and “Insiders”

July 21st, 2015

“Sustainable development” is such an over-worked phrase that it has almost no meaning, any more. Politicians love it. The problem is, though, that everyone has a different idea of what they are talking about when they say these words. The concept has become blurry and vague. As I noted in an earlier blog post, “development”– […]

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 […]

Watergate, CARIMAC and the Pursuit of Truth

May 12th, 2015

I arrived early and made my way around rows of still empty seats. As I sat down, I noticed the evening sun was still shining on the tops of the hills surrounding the Mona Campus, which was already in shadow. I took a photograph of the hillside with my new camera – my very first […]

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