Social Impact with Emma » Cockpit Country : A Jamaica Gleaner Blog

Cockpit Country: Is It Really All About the Boundaries?

November 29th, 2019

Ceiling fans whirred and night sounds crept through the windows of the Webb Memorial Baptist Church in Stewart Town, Trelawny earlier this evening. A Town Hall Meeting was in progress, streamed live on Facebook on the websites of the sponsors, the Environmental Foundation of Jamaica (EFJ), the Public Access Channel (PAC) and the Jamaica Gleaner. […]

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 […]

Dissecting Development: What Does It Mean for Jamaica?

May 27th, 2015

I have had an interesting Labour Day weekend. A series of wide-ranging conversations has set me thinking, so forgive me if I do a little philosophizing this week. It all began with this question: “What does development mean to Jamaicans?” If we threw this word out to the average Jamaican, what would first come to mind? […]

What is Love? Pamela Mordecai Subverting Us With Sonnets

December 2nd, 2014

It’s a particular delight when a Jamaican living abroad returns home for a visit…Especially when she has a book she has authored tucked under her arm. On November 22, a crowd of us – old friends, recent admirers, book lovers and the merely curious – gathered on the upper floor of Bookland, in New Kingston. […]