post

PRESIDENT THABO MBEKI GIVEN THE KEYS TO KINGSTON

President Thabo Mbeki, President of South Africa, Mayor Marie Atkins, Mayor-Elect Senator Desmond, McKenzie Ladies, Mrs. Portia Simpson-Miller Minister of Local Government, special guests, ladies, and gentlemen, I am more than conscious of the signal honor that has been bestowed on me to give the main address at this Ceremony this afternoon. At the same time, this great privilege has left me in a deep quandary. What can I say to a man who has succeeded the giant Nelson Mandela, and is not considered a midget even by his most ardent detractors? What can I say to the Leader of the African National Congress, which fought and triumphed over one of the most oppressive and heinous systems of oppression, Apartheid, the world has seen and, in its victory, has not embarked upon revenge and retribution, but rather has started the journey down the road of reconciliation? What can I say to the Leader of a nation that has had the moral courage to seek reconciliation through truth, truth not only from the oppressors with respect to what they did but also from the oppressed in terms of what they did to resist the oppression?

Continue reading

The Norman Washington Manley award for excellence – Reply

INTRODUCTION

Master of Ceremonies Ms. Fae Ellington; Chairman Ainsley Henriquez and Mrs. Henriquez and Members of the Board of the Norman Washington Manley Foundation; Mrs. Glynn Manley; Mr. Joseph Manley other members of the Manley family, distinguished ladies and gentlemen all,  it is a signal honor to be bestowed with the Norman Washington Manley Award for Excellence in your presence.

Continue reading

GENDER AND EDUCATION FOR ALL

St Andrew High School 80th Anniversary Education Conference

Errol Miller June 2, 2006

  • Delighted be to be invited to make a presentation at this Conference. When I went to Calabar students from St Andrew’s journeyed to Red Hills Road to do Physics in Sixth Form. Boys had a great incentive to do Physics, so I did Physics. My debut as Guess Speaker was age 27 at School Prize Giving of St Andrew’s High.

Continue reading

EXPERT FORUM ON EDUCATION

Education at its most elemental level is the principal means by which people of diverse and disparate lineages and social strata mobilize themselves to construct a common identity, develop bonds of solidarity and embrace a sense of shared destiny. The foremost focus of education is construction of the future of the people who are mobilizing themselves. Education is therefore fundamental to the realization of any vision of the Caribbean by 2020. Continue reading

JAMAICA LAND OF LOOTERS?

Gilbert caught me in Curacao. I was on my way back to Jamaica from Aruba on the very day that Gilbert struck. A friend rescued me from being stranded. On about the Wednesday my host was translating a story about the damage done when she read about the Chest Hospital being looted. She turned to me and asked, `What kind of people you Jamaicans are to loot a hospital during a hurricane?’ That question stuck with me like a hammer. It has caused me to reflect seriously on the kind of society we are living in. That reflection has led me to conclude that looting is taking place at all levels of the society: from top to bottom. The fact is that the looting at the top is partly responsible for the looting at the bottom. When the people at the bottom loot the response is swift and brutal. Several of the hurricane looters were shot dead. But what happens when the looters are people at the top? It seems to me that we respond with silent acquiescence. I am going to illustrate my observation by reference to the average clause recently applied to housing by the insurance companies and to Government’s actions and policies with respect to the importation of motor cars. Continue reading