On May 23 each year, unless it falls on a Saturday or Sunday, Jamaicans celebrate Labour Day by volunteering their time and energy towards the beautification and enhancement of communities across the island. A national holiday, Labour Day has been officially recognised in Jamaica since 1960. However, it was the events of 1938 which opened a new era in the...

Recent changes made to the Dangerous Drugs Act in 2015 will change the way that ganja is handled by the authorities. When the Dangerous Drugs (Amendment) Act 2015 came into effect on April 15, 2015, new provisions will be in place regarding the possession and smoking of ganja, use of ganja by persons of the Rastafarian faith, and use of ganja for medical,...

Vision 2030 Jamaica is a strategic road map to guide the country to achieve its goals of sustainable development and prosperity by 2030. Vision 2030 Jamaica is in line with the inclusive development paradigm of the United Nations that integrates the standards and principles of human rights – participation, non-discrimination and accountability. The comprehensive vision of the national development plan...

Proverbs are an important element in folk tradition… used in everyday conversation. They serve an educational and social function. Proverbs are used to teach, inspiring caution, courage and (common) sense. Many of Jamaica’s proverbs show parallels with those of the two main sources from which they originate: the Asante culture of West Africa and the European (influences); however, many of our proverbs are purely...

On January 9th 2008 the Government of Jamaica announced that the month of February was to be officially declared as Reggae Month. This was done to highlight and celebrate the impact of the musical genre on the country’s social, cultural and economic development. Additionally, the birthdays of two of Jamaica’s and Reggae Music’s late icons are commemorated during the month...

Christmas in Jamaica features Gran’ Market, elaborate church services, parties with sumptuous food, community gatherings and warm interaction with friends and family. Every activity is made more significant with the sharing of gifts, the traditional Christmas pudding or cake, ham, sorrel, rum punch and eggnog, among other treats. Many Jamaicans cannot celebrate the season without adding Christmas lights to brighten freshly painted houses, whitewashed fences and...

Music and dance have always been integral elements of a people’s culture; in Jamaica this is no different. Jamaica’s musical and dance forms are rich, powerful and vibrant and reflect both the high and low points in the society. They are aspects of Jamaican life which represent the general sentiments of the working class and generate feelings of joy and national...

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) was established in 1959 with the aim of supporting efforts by Latin America and the Caribbean countries to reduce poverty and inequality. IDB is the leading source of development financing for Latin America and the Caribbean, with a strong commitment to achieve measurable results, increased integrity, transparency and accountability. In addition to being a bank, the IDB provides...

The National Commission on Reparations was established by the Government of Jamaica in 2009 to recommend the form or forms which reparations may take, and to receive testimony from the public and from experts, with the aim of guiding a national approach to reparations. The Commission, which was initially launched under the leadership of the late Professor Barry Chavannes, has...