Commentary

Dr Rohan Maharaj  is a senior lecturer in family medicine and a fellow of the Caribbean College of Family Physicians. He is the alcohol policy advisor, The Healthy Caribbean Coalition. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com
February 12, 2026

Rohan Maharaj | Alcohol and the commercial determinants of health

‘He’s a real rum head, he doesn’t know when to stop.’ All too often, we blame others for their lack of self-control – for not stopping after “just one” alcoholic drink. Our medical models reinforce…
Janiel McEwan, economic consultant
February 12, 2026

Janiel McEwan | New taxes ahead: Jamaica faces fiscal reality after Hurricane Melissa

Hurricane Melissa did more than rip off roofs and flatten farms. It tore through the foundations of Jamaica’s public finances. The Independent Fiscal Commission’s January assessment places the damage…
Leroy Fearon, lecturer, multi-disciplinary researcher, author, geography specialist, and columnist
February 12, 2026

Leroy Fearon | Can Jamaicans really manage another tax increase?

The announcement from the Finance Ministry for the new financial year has once again placed taxation at the center of national conversation. For many Jamaicans already navigating rising food prices,…
Senator Kamina Johnson Smith, minister of foreign affairs and foreign trade.
February 11, 2026

Editorial | Reviewing diplomacy

This week’s review by Jamaica’s overseas diplomats and domestic-based policymakers provides an opportunity for a fundamental reorientation of the island’s foreign policy and diplomacy to meet what…
Eric Falt, regional director of UNESCO for the Caribbean
February 11, 2026

Eric Falt | She builds, she discovers, she inspires

On February 11, as we celebrate the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, the theme “From vision to impact: Redefining science and engineering by closing the gender gap” resonates deeply…
CARICOM Heads of Government pose for a group photo at the 49th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community.
February 11, 2026

Elizabeth Morgan | Formulating Jamaica’s foreign policy in challenging times

We learned on Monday that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade is convening a Heads of Mission meeting here in Kingston this week. Today, Jamaica has in-person diplomatic representation…
February 11, 2026

Wayne Campbell | Let us demand more STEM opportunities for our girls and women

Global education systems often create barriers for girls in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields. Data clearly states that such discrimination is both systemic and…
Young people use their phones to view social media in Sydney, Australia.
February 10, 2026

Editorial | Children on social media

Christopher Tufton last week invited health professionals to lobby for restrictions, or a full ban, on access to social media by Jamaican children under the age of 16. Should it institute such a rule,…
Christopher Tufton, minister of health and wellness
February 10, 2026

Gordon Robinson | Tufftimes for Tufton

One Saturday the domino game at Gene Autry’s home went on into the night. Our opponents were Peter Poop, who got his name after expelling a loud noxious gas balloon in class, and his cousin Little D,…