Commentary

This November 2020 shows a sitting of the Senate in Gordon House
December 9, 2025

Lloyd Barnett | Retaining and reforming the Senate

Since the adoption of universal adult suffrage and a representative system of government in 1944, Jamaica has always had two legislative chambers. In 1944, there were established the elected House of…
IIn this November 2025 photo, Joel Wynter, who is suffering from sickle-cell disease, is being tended to by his mother under a makeshift shelter after their house was damaged by Hurricane Melissa.
December 9, 2025

Monika Asnani and Lesley King | Hurricane Melissa and sickle cell disease

Hurricane Melissa barrelled across Jamaica on October 28 leaving behind a trail of destruction unlike anything the island has ever experience, particularly in the southern and western regions of the…
Humanitarian aid sits on the tarmac at the Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston, Jamaica in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa.
December 9, 2025

Ainsley Brown | Crucial role of logistics in Jamaica’s disaster recovery

Hurricane Melissa has underscored a timeless principle. Logistics is not simply about moving goods; it’s about enabling continuity, restoring order, and saving lives. This truth has never been…
Gleaner editorial writes: ... urgent mission must be to get the shattered region functional again, and that [policymakers] must attend to people’s livelihoods by getting money into their pockets, preferably through necessary productive work.
December 9, 2025

Editorial | Restore people’s incomes

Two weeks after Hurricane Melissa tore through western Jamaica, shattering public infrastructure, destroying private property and upending people’s lives, policymakers are still counting the losses…
A Grade 2 student of Shichigo Elementary School, Sendai, completes a form on disaster preparedness. On the desk is a poster of the route they take to get home. On the Stick-it notes are the suggestions given by students.
December 9, 2025

Editorial | Emulate international disaster risk-reduction best practices

Hurricane Melissa, one of the strongest storms to hit Jamaica, has exposed the vulnerabilities of the country’s disaster preparedness and planning. The storm uncovered gaps in planning, coordination…
Rising water levels in Content in Williamsfield, Manchester, which inundated homes and business establishments.
December 9, 2025

Simon Mitchell | Post-Hurricane Melissa flooding in Jamaica – an explanation

There is a lot of news speculation about rising flood waters in areas such as Content and New Market, where flood waters have begun rising since the passage of Hurricane Melissa across the island in…
Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett
December 9, 2025

Tony Deyal | Truth about dump and shallow brute

Jasmine Crockett, a 44-year-old American lawyer, focusing on legislation to improve the lives of everyday working people, said about Trump, the 47th President of the United States (US) made it clear,…
Michael Taylor
December 9, 2025

Michael Taylor | From the weight of waiting to the agony of the aftermath

I first wrote these reflections while we were still waiting for Hurricane Melissa to make landfall – a nation caught between forecasts and fear. Now that it has passed, and the resulting devastation…
This photo shows a house damaged by Hurricane Melissa in New Works, Westmoreland.
December 9, 2025

Audrey Hinchcliffe | Cleaning and sanitisation critical after Hurricane Melissa

Hurricane Melissa’s disastrous effects on people, homes, businesses and communities heighten our awareness of the need for cleaning and sanitisation as an integral part of recovery. Foremost on our…