Blue Mountain flowers.

A beard of bees gathered at a friend’s apiary, in urban Kingston. They are not a threat in this formation.

Check out this track from Perfect Giddimani about Donald Trump. Or Dollnald Trummp, as he calls him. Brilliant lyrics.

Love this girl. A nine-year-old who not only publishes her own newspaper but writes a beautiful piece standing up to critics. Check it out here.

Boston Common Park in spring.

Some scenes from this year’s Carnival. According to several people, it was underwhelming. My daughter apparently agreed, as she slept through much of the soul-shatteringly loud, bass-heavy soca.

Last year, actress Ellen Page visited Jamaica for its first-ever Pride parade. She tweeted an image from the celebration and it seemed like her visit was just random. However, she was apparently working on a documentary for Vice. It has just been released. It is a 45 minute piece on living as a member of the LGBTQ community in Jamaica. It is a good journalistic piece, balanced and fair, but unfortunately does not uncover much new information. She talks to the “gully queens”, the Minister of Justice, advocates and Beenie Man (who apparently still has very strong feelings on the subject). As a public relations professional, I usually say that any publicity is good in terms of raising awareness. However, it seems the international media has visited many times since I’ve been here to do documentaries. They talk to the “gully queens”, produce a piece and nothing changes. They are still living on the streets, still getting shot and at least three of them have immigrated in the past few months. The piece does adequately convey the point that things are improving, however, and that there is more than one narrative- i.e. members of the LGBTQ community are not all “gully queens” and victims.

A beautifully written long read by a New York Times travel journalist who visited JA. 

When Canada’s last Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, was in power, I scoured federal government web sites and speeches to discover any inkling of a cohesive, defined foreign policy. I found a few speeches and statements that helped to piece something together. But I never was able to pull together an articulated, clear policy. Perhaps I just never found it, or perhaps it was as critics stated that the Prime Minister simply was not interested in a robust foreign policy and international presence beyond trade. I wrote an article on the subject for the Mark News, but it seems to have disappeared.

With Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, we already have such a thing. “Responsible conviction,” Foreign Minister Stephane Dion is calling it. I would also add that with Prime Minister Harper, I got the feeling that any speeches or policy came from the Privy Council, or were at least heavily vetted before going public. With Prime Minister Trudeau, he has clearly assigned detailed mandates to his ministers, who are then entrusted to carry them out as they see fit. This is truly the Westminster style of responsible government. And having interviewed Minister Dion before, I know that he is an intellectual and a very thoughtful person, so we know this policy is coming straight from his brain.

The policy is based on Max Weber’s thinking, and while there is some questionable logic (isn’t there always when politicians try to bend theory to match practice?), at least we have some sense of where the government is going. (I am referring to the decision to continue to sell arms to Saudi Arabia). To be specific, a focus on climate change, re-engagement of the United Nations, and “inclusive and accountable” government, including protecting human rights for women and minorities.

Here is the full statement from Minister Dion. 

A good, fair and nuanced article from Vice on “queer” youth in Jamaica. It does not say, however, that they are currently living in an old ” cholera” cemetery. Check it out here.