Checkmate

On this episode, host Cliff and Keenan, are joined by Ronaldinho to discuss Jamaica's 2026-2027 budget debate; and the effectiveness of these plans in the wake of the Hurricane Melissa's destruction of the island. Don't forget to follow us on our social media Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/tenementyaad_?lan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/tenementyaad_/?hl=en⁠⁠⁠⁠ T...

Disclaimer: This episode does not provide an endorsement of any political party or candidate. It is also not a prediction of the winner of any seat or the result of any seat or the elections overall. With Jamaica’s 2025 election expected to be keenly contested, it could come down to a few key constituency seats. So on this episode, our host, Keenan Falconer is flying solo as he draws on statistica...

On this episode, The Yaad follows up on our previous episode looking at the Essequibo border dispute between Venezuela and Guyana. This time around, we spoke with Dr. Tamanisha J. John, on how the discovery of oil and other natural resources in Guyana and Venezuela has played a role in the dispute. Furthermore, she also spoke on how Western imperialism and foreign corporations had and at present,...

On this episode, The Yaad spoke to Dr Jacqueline Braveboy-Wagner on the origins of the Essequibo border dispute which sees Venezuela challenging the borders of Guyana which incorporates the region. The Essequibo region, rich in minerals and oil, is two thirds of Guyana. As such, given recent events in the past year of increase investments in Guyana’s oil fields by multinational oil and gas entitie...

In recent years, the effects of Climate Change has been felt by every country within the Caribbean region. The situation has gotten so bad, that some cities are on the brink of Climate Departure. On this episode, we speak to the founders of Island City Lab, Dorraine Duncan and Jhordan Channer, on this phenomenon. Along with giving a picture of how Climate Departure will look like in the region, th...

Our guest for the episode is Dr. Dalano DaSouza , assistant lecturer in Economics at UWI, Cave Hill and co-host of the podcast , A Lawyer & A Policy Analyst Walk Into A Bar. On this episode, the economics academic spoke on the IMF’s Resilience and Sustainability Trust (RSF) where Barbados and Jamaica are the first Caribbean countries to access this new fund. Dr. DeSouza explained the program,...

On this episode, we speak to public health expert, Dr. Sherine Andreine Powerful on their recently concluded doctoral research. On the opening episode of the new season, Dr. Powerful explained the contribution of carnival to public health throughout the Caribbean. They outlined Carnival benefits to positive health and wellbeing for its participants; contributions to experiences of pleasure, healin...

On this episode, we spoke with David Salmon, member of the Political Awareness and Respect Initiative (the youth arm of Jamaica Office of the Political Ombudsman), 2020 Prime Minister of the National Youth Parliament and journalist at The Gleaner Company, on is January 2022 op-ed, "The Failure of Youth Programmes". Narrowing on Jamaica, he spoke on the issues resulting in youth empowerment in the...

On this episode, marine biology graduate, Aprille, guest host, where she spoke with Dr. Kimani Kitson-Walters. Dr. Kitson -Walters is the marine studies project leader and data monitoring officer at the Caribbean Netherlands Science Institute.  Marine scientist across the region, beginning in February, started to raise the alarm of the sudden death of the region’s black long spined sea urchin...

In mid February of 2022, thousands of Haitian textile workers took to the streets of this Port-au-Prince to demand a higher wage and better working conditions at firms that export to global clothing retailers. Currently workers earn 500 gourdes (approximately USD$5) for eight hours of work amid an inflation of 25 percent.  On this episode, we speak to a young Haitian professional, living in H...

The Disabilities Act was passed in the Jamaican parliament on October 10th, 2014 and on February 14, 2022, it finally came into effect. The Act seeks to makes provisions to safeguard and enhance the welfare of persons with disabilities in Jamaica and prevent discrimination against them. With the legislation intended to protect and promote equal rights for the disabled and to prohibit discriminatio...

Content Warning: This episode contains mention of rape and sexual assault.  In February of 2022, The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) has ruled that a man can rape another man in Barbados. The finding from the Caribbean appellate court, which was the view of six members of the seven-judge panel, arose out of an appeal by the Barbados commissioner of police who had challenged a decision by a B...

The Reform of Education in Jamaica 2021 Report was launched on Thursday January 14, 2022. Developed by the Jamaica Education Transformation Commission (JETC), which is headed by renowned sociologist Dr. Orlando Patterson, the Report is a blueprint for the establishment of a comprehensive strategy to improve student performance and educational productivity across the sector. The 342-page document h...

The Reform of Education in Jamaica 2021 Report was launched on Thursday January 14, 2022. Developed by the Jamaica Education Transformation Commission (JETC), which is headed by renowned sociologist Dr. Orlando Patterson, the Report is a blueprint for the establishment of a comprehensive strategy to improve student performance and educational productivity across the sector. The 342-page document h...

On this episode, we speak to a young Haitian living in Haiti about the events happening in the country thus far.  A conversation spanning over an hour, this young woman, an international relations professional, gave context on what it is like living in Haiti in 2021. A pandemic in a country that has not started national vaccination protocol as yet; on going protests, and the current hurricane seas...

Lava began oozing out of La Soufrière volcano in St. Vincent and the Grenadines on Dec. 29. Scientists with UWI Seismic Research Center,(SRC) located in Trinidad and Tobago, said there was no explosive eruption. Instead, the magma reaching the surface is forming a growing dome in La Soufrière's crater. The volcano is also releasing gas and steam thus causing the alert level on the northern end of...