Publications and Tweets

Articles

Making sense of Jamaica’s lowering unemployment and increasing poverty levels

Professor Canute Thompson Jamaica’s unemployment rate has hit an all-time historic low of 4.5%.  This figure represents the percentage of the number of people in the labour force who do not have a job but are actively looking for work.  While this development is, at face value, something to celebrate...
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Reflections on Jamaica at 61

Professor Canute Thompson Jamaica’s development as an independent nation, now in its 61st year, may be characterized as a series of stops and starts. There have been promising possibilities some of which realized their promise partially and others either stymied or shuttered, but the nation continues to hope.  In my...
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Kamina Johnson-Smith, Private Sector Interests in Jamaica, and Boris Johnson: Lessons and Legacy

Professor Canute Thompson The decision of Kamina Johnson-Smith, Jamaica’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, to contest for the non-vacant post of Commonwealth Secretary General (CSG) in 2022, remains a mystery despite so much that has been disclosed. Context and brief history Kamina Johnson-Smith, Minister of Foreign Affairs and...
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When elected leaders threaten democracy: Making sense of the Holness Administration’s attacks on the Integrity Commission

Professor Canute Thompson The world is witnessing what many thought would not have happened in the United States of America, namely the arrest and arraignment of a former president.  Probably the only reason this did not happen to a sitting president is based on the Department of Justice guideline that...
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Funding Tertiary Education: Continuing the Conversation

Professor Canute Thompson The English-speaking Caribbean is a low-wage market of which Jamaica is the worst based on its GDP per capita and the size of that low-wage labour force.  While the Government of Jamaica has substantially increased the salaries of members of the political directorate, principals of schools and...
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Credible leadership actions and the categorical imperative

Professor Canute Thompson Members of an organisation are entitled to their own perspectives and the right to disagree with a decision and direction of an organisation must be respected.  But when the leadership of an organisation takes a position, it is presumed to be reflective of, and binding on, all...
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Is the Government serious about accountability?

Professor Canute Thompson In the aftermath of the hiking of salaries of members of the political directorate by the Government, (by up to 300% - over three years), the Minister of Finance Nigel Clarke and Prime Minister Andrew Holness in seeking to justify the increases, promised that there would be...
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Further Observations on the Constitutional Review Process in Jamaica

Matondo K. Mukulu Editor's Note: Part I of this series was published on May 22. The piece was titled The Constitutional Review Process: Is the minister giving false hope? You may read it here http://leadershipreimagination.com/uncategorized/the-constitutional-review-process-is-the-minister-giving-false-hope/ I am not a historian but the political history of the United States of America,...
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Jamaica’s Public Sector Compensation System: Increases to politicians and PM Holness’ missing of the mark and manufacturing of confusion

Professor Canute Thompson When the leader of a country steps into a fractured national conversation, the society has a right to expect clarity and resolution, not further imbroglio, deeper chaos and confusion. But on Monday May 22, 2023, when Prime Minister Holness called a press conference to address the public...
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The Constitutional Review Process: Is the minister giving false hope?

Matondo K. Mukulu The constitutional review process is said to be in its second phase, but it appears as though the Minister is guessing as she goes along. I say that not to be unkind but rather I am reflecting on the fact that we are now being told, after...
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The inequity of the Jamaican government’s new public sector compensation package

Professor Canute Thompson The secret is out, the end has been reached and made known for all to see. What we are witnessing is the massive salary increases which the Government of Jamaica has given to the members of the executive and members of parliament.  The increases show a massive...
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Reflections on the obstacles to the appointment of a new principal for the Mona Campus, UWI

Professor Canute Thompson I had taken the decision not to engage in extensive public discussion on the matter of the hijacking of the process of the appointment of a new principal for the Mona Campus.  I intended to have raised it in my inaugural professorial address on May 11, but...
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The PNP’s new candidate selection system makes sense

Professor Canute Thompson Serious political parties are not mere think-tanks, pressure groups, or fan clubs.  In a democratic society, they are organizations with a vision of what the country in which they operate may become and thus are seeking to gain state power to be able to advance the attainment...
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Is Prime Minister Holness Compromised?

Professor Canute Thompson May 5, 2023 There is an exceedingly worrying reality in the Jamaican government which strikes at the heart of whether the Prime Minister, Andrew Holness, is the subject of (what the Russians call) kompromat. Kompromat is “compromising information collected and retained for use in blackmailing, discrediting, or...
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Teachers’ Compensation Review: Possibly, Another Missed Opportunity for Teachers?

Introduction The decision and actions taken by the Jamaican government to restructure the public sector compensation system comprehensively, were said to be underpinned by a philosophy and an ideology that would result in a revised pay policy. This compensation policy should be simple, consistent, predictable, sustainable, and deliberately designed to...
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“If I broke no law, you can’t question me?!”

Professor Canute Thompson The Government of Jamaica has once again lowered the bar on public accountability and in the process has continued its dangerous march towards social anarchy in undermining trust in public institutions.  This latest, distressing blow to accountability and good governance took place in parliament on Tuesday, April...
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Government’s Response to the situation facing security guards is weak and spineless

Matondo K. Mukulu The UK’s response to the illegal treatment of employees In the summer of 2022, P & O Cruise Liner, without warning, terminated the employment contracts of over 800 of its employees. No notice was given to these employees, some of whom were employed with the company for...
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A Two Month Rush to have a Jamaican King: Wrong

Matondo K. Mukulu The government has published its timetable that will guide the constitutional review process which was commenced, not with the appointment of the Minister of Legal and Constitutional Reform, but rather with the publication in 1995 of the report of the Joint Select Committee on Constitutional and Electoral...
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Finding Leadership Lessons in the Current State of Jamaica’s Politics – Part 2

In Part 1 of this discussion, published on March 12, 2023, I used findings from the latest opinion polls (conducted by Market Research Services Ltd), as a point of departure, for exploring some principles of leadership. While acknowledging that polling numbers are snapshots of a point in time and may...
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Finding Leadership Lessons in the Current State of Jamaica’s Politics – Part 1

The curious leader who is intent on deepening wisdom, strengthening leadership effectiveness, and improving the quality of the service he or she offers, will likely look for lessons from most, experiences.  Sometimes these mental processes work naturally and involuntarily, while at other times they must be engaged consciously and deliberately....
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OTHER PUBLICATIONS

  • Thompson, C. S. (2020). Theories and applications of transformational school

leadership: Lessons from the experiences of two school leaders in Jamaica. Journal of Thought, Vol. 54 (3 & 4), 55 – 72. Available at http://journalofthought.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/08thompson.pdf

  • Thompson, C.S., & Samuels-Lee, L. (2020a). Jamaican teachers’ perspectives on the

desirability of performance-based payment: Lessons for education policy makers and school administrators. Educational Planning Journal, Vol. 27 (2), 63 – 84. Available at https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1252700

  •  Thompson, C. S., & Samuels-Lee, L. (2020b). Planning employee

empowerment: Lessons from the perspectives of Jamaican teachers. Educational Planning Journal, Vol. 27 (4), 45 – 64. Available at https://isep.info/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/ISEPVol27.Issue4_.pdf

  • Cook, L., Thompson, C.S., &Weaver, S. Weaver, L. (2020). Mixed Methods

Research: Exploring its complexities and challenges. Caribbean Journal of Mixed Methods, Vol. 1 (01), 167 – 190.

Available at https://dhjhkxawhe8q4.cloudfront.net/uwi-press-wp/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/14144910/CJMMR.pdf.

  • Thompson, C. S. (2019a). School administrators’ and stakeholders’ attitudes toward, and

perspectives on, school-improvement planning. Educational Planning Journal, Vol. 25 (4), 7 – 26. Available at http://isep.info/volume-25-issue-4

  • Thompson, C. S. (2019b). Exploring teachers’ perspectives on effective organizational

change strategies. Educational Planning Journal, Vol. 26 (2), 15 – 28.

Available at https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1217437

  • Thompson, C.S., Burgess, S. & Major, T. (2019). Towards a philosophy of education for

the Caribbean: Exploring African models of integrating theory and praxis. Journal of Thought, Vol. 53 (1 & 2), 53 – 72.

Available at http://journalofthought.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/08thompsonetal1.pdf

  • Thompson, C. S. (2018a). Leadership behaviours that nurture organizational trust:

                              Re-Examining the fundamentals.  Journal of Human Resource Management, Vol.                                      21 (1),   28 – 42.

Available at                              

http://www.jhrm.eu/2018/04/28-leadership-behaviours-that-nurture-                                                  organizational-trust-       re-examining-the-fundamentals/

  • Thompson, C.S. (2018b). Planning for improvements in boys’ academic performance: Towards a better understanding of the role of teacher-student relationship.                Educational Planning Journal, Vol. 24 (4), 59 – 76.            

Available at:       http://isep.info/wpcontent/uploads/2018/01/24_4_4_PlanningforImprovementsinBoys.pdf

  • Thompson, C.S. (2018c). Preparing Caribbean teachers for the 21st century:  Whither the place of ethics.  Journal of Teacher Education and Educational Leadership, Vol. (2), 1 – 17.
  •  Thompson, C.S. (2018d). The construct of ‘respect’ in teacher-student

relationship: Exploring dimensions of ethics of care and sustainable development. Journal of Leadership Education, Vol. 17 (3), 42 – 60. Available at http://www.journalofleadershiped.org/attachments/article/551/2017_0726Thompson.pdf

  •  Thompson, C. S. (2017a). An exploration of faculty involvement in and attitudes toward strategic planning in their institutions. Educational Planning Journal, Vol. 24 (1), 7 – 19. Available at  http://isep.info/volume-24-issue-1
  • Thompson, C. S. (2017c). Teachers’ expectations of educational leaders’

leadership approach and perspectives on the principalship: Identifying critical leadership paradigms for the 21st century. Journal of Organizational & Educational LeadershipVol. 2 (2). Available at http://digitalcommons.gardner-webb.edu/joel/vol2/iss2/4/

  •  Thompson, C. S., Burke, T., King, K., & Wong, S. (2017). Leadership strategies

for turning around under-performing schools: Lessons from two Jamaican schools. Journal of Education and Development in the Caribbean, Vol. 16 (2), 42 – 77. Available at https://www.mona.uwi.edu/soe/publications/jedic/article/454

Thompson, C. S. (2017b). Review of Leadership for success: The Jamaican school experience, by Disraeli Hutton and Beverly Johnson. Caribbean Journal of Education 39, (1 & 2), 150 – 153. Available at https://www.mona.uwi.edu/soe/publications/cje/article/456

NEWSPAPER COLUMNS

Retrieved from

https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/the-agenda-front-page/time-for-more-action-the-future-of-education-and-the-fierce-urgency-of-the-now_205517

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

———. (2018, July 29). The academic as social activist: An endangered species? Jamaica Observer. Retrieved from  http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/the-agenda/the-academic-as-social-activist-An_endangered_species%3F_139806

  • Thompson, C. S. (2020, December 8). The PNP’s challenge. Jamaica Observer.

Retrieved from

https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/opinion/the-pnp-s-challenge-the-pnp-s-challenge-overcoming-its-existential-crises-or-death-wish_209425

 

  • (2020, November 20). If Golding is to make a mark. Jamaica Observer.

Retrieved from https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/opinion/if-golding-is-to-make-a-mark_207667

 

  • (2020, October 11). Developing our nation: Preserving our democracy.

Jamaica Observer. Retrieved from https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/the-agenda/developing-our-nation-preserving-our-democracy_204740

 

  • (2020, October 1). If Lisa and Mark are to inspire. Jamaica Observer.

Retrieved from https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/opinion/if-lisa-and-mark-are-to-inspire-_204241

 

  • (2020, September 16). The 2020 General Election and the future of the PNP.

Jamaica Observer. Retrieved from  https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/opinion/the-2020-general-election-and-the-future-of-the-pnp_202658

 

  • (2020, September 1). Promises versus Performance – Part 2, The Holness

Administration 2016 – 2020. Jamaica Observer. Retrieved from

https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/opinion/promises-vs-performance-part-2-the-andrew-holness-administration-2016-to-2020_201901

 

  • (2020, August 25). Promises versus Performance. Jamaica Observer. Retrieved

from https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/opinion/promises-vs-performance-the-andrew-holness-administration-2016-to-2020_201647

 

  • (2020, August 4). Highly popular…OK then. Jamaica Observer. Retrieved from

 https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/opinion/highly-popular-ok-then_200025

 

  • __________. (2020, March 8). Truth and political bias. Jamaica Gleaner. Retrieved from

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/focus/20200308/canute-thompson-truth-and-political-bias

 

  • (2020, January 1). Appraising Chris Tufton’s performance. Jamaica Gleaner.

Retrieved from http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/commentary/20200101/canute-s-thompson-appraising-chris-tuftons-performance

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

———. (2016, October 9). Processes vs politics in public administration. Jamaica Observer. Retrieved from http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/columns/Processes-vs-politics-in-public-administration_76461

 

 

 

———. (2016, October 15). Acknowledging inconvenient truths about crime in Jamaica. Jamaica Observer. Retrieved from http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/columns/Acknowledging-inconvenient-truths-about-crime-in-Jamaica_76462

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

———. (2016, November 12). Coping in a post-fact world: the irony of the ‘information’ age. Jamaica Observer. Retrieved from http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/columns/Coping-in-a-post-fact-world–the-irony-of-the–information–age_80177

PAPERS PRESENTED

  1. (2020) Expert Panelist: “UNESCO Webinar on Education Response during COVID-19”. May 7.
  2. (2020)       Response to Paper: “A Utility Account of Liberal Education by Jane Gatley”. Philosophy of Education Society. Pittsburgh, Penn. March 6 – 9 
  3. (2019) Paper Presentation: “School Administrators Perceptions of Strategic Planning: Locating Concerns about Efficacy”. Caribbean Centre for Educational Planning Symposium, Jamaica. October 24-25 
  4. (2019) Panel Discussion: “Youth in Motion: Building Young People’s Future in Small Island Developing States”. UNESCO Conference on Advocating for Small Island Developing States. Kingston, Jamaica. September 11. 
  5. (2019) Paper Presentation: “Personal Professional Responsibilities and Values Issues” at UNESCO’s Global Webinar on Developing Leadership: Sustainable Employability, Productivity, and Governance in the New Workforce. April 24. 
  6. (2019)       Panel Presentation: “Re-Imagining the Task of Philosophy: Defending Philosophy of Education as   Praxis”. Philosophy of Education Society. Richmond, Virginia, March 14 – 18. 
  7. (2019) Panel Presentation: “The Vitality of Educational Planning”. Institute for Educational Administration and Leadership, Jamaica. Kingston, March 6 – 7. 
  8. (2017)       Paper Presentation: “Exploring easily forgotten elements of sustainable development in Early Childhood Education”. Early Childhood Development Conference. Montego Bay. Nov. 26 & 27. 
  9. (2017) Paper Presentation: “Planning for Improved Students’ Performance-Epistemology, Pedagogy, and Teacher Preparation: Exploring Experiences of Students in Jamaican School.  International Society for Educational Planning. Toronto. October 11 – 14. 
  10. (2017) Paper Presentation: “Postmodern Epistemology: Exploring Insights for Improving the Pedagogical Experiences of Students in Jamaican Schools”. Schools of Education Biennial Conference. Montego Bay, June 21. 
  11. (2017) Paper Presentation: “Students’ Perspectives on Listening and its Relationship to their Perceptions of Leadership:  Exploring Dimensions of Ethics of Care and Sustainable Development”. Schools of Education Biennial Conference. Montego Bay, June 22.
  12. (2017)       Paper Presentation: “Leadership Strategies for turning around Underperforming Schools: The Experience of two Jamaican Schools. Institute for Educational Administration and Leadership.  Kingston, March 3.  
  13. (2017) Paper Presentation: “Performance-based pay for Jamaican Teachers. Institute for Educational Administration and Leadership – Jamaica. Kingston, March 3 – 4.  
  14. (2016) Paper Presentation: “An Exploration of faculty involvement in and attitudes towards, strategic planning in their institutions”. International Society for Educational Planning. New Orleans, October 18 – 22.
  15. (2015). Paper Presentation: “Locating the Epicentre of Effective Educational Leadership in the 21st Century”. Institute for Educational Administration and Leadership. Montego Bay, Jamaica, August 20 – 21. 
  16. (2015). Paper Presentation: “Fundamental Requirements for Mainstreaming TVET in the Education System: Finding the Path to Consensus and Collaborative Relationships”:  School of Education and UNESCO, Second International Conference on TVET in the Caribbean. Montego Bay, Jamaica, May 13 – 15. 
  1. (2019) Keynote Address: “Leadership Re-Imagination and Governance: Imperatives for the Advancement of a Transformative Education System”. MICO Old Students’ Annual Glen Owen Memorial Lecture. Kingston, Jamaica. April 11. 
  2. (2019) Keynote Address: “Re-Imagining Higher Education in a Borderless World: Confronting Challenges, Overcoming Obstacles, and Owning Opportunities”. Schools of Education Biennial Conference 2019Keynote Presentation. Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. February 19 – 21. 
  3. (2018) Concurrent Session Presentation: “Reimagining Critical Pedagogy and the Task of Philosophy: Defending Philosophy of Education as Praxis”. Philosophy of Education Society of North America. October 26 – 28.  
  4. (2015). Feature Presentation: “Managing Change in Times of Uncertainty”. Commercial Banking Division, Bank of Nova Scotia, Jamaica. November 13. 
  5. (2014) Feature Presentation: “Learning Challenges facing Leaders in the 21st Century” Human Resource Management Association of Jamaica (HRMAJ 34). November 20. 
  6. (2013). Feature Presentation: “Economies of Scale and Scope: The Formation of Industry Alliances as a Strategy for Export Competitiveness”. Caribbean Export Development Agency, 5th Management Consulting Business Symposium. Port of Spain, Trinidad. September 10 – 12.
  7. (2009). Guest Lecture: “Students’ Perceptions and Expectations of Leadership in a Postmodern Era”. University of Manitoba, Canada. March 16. 
  8. (2009) Guest Lecture: “Challenges Facing Small and Medium Sized Enterprises”. University of Manitoba, Canada. March 17. 
  9. (2009). Guest Lecture: “Strategies for Community Capacity Building”. University of Manitoba, Canada. March 18. 
  1. (2015). Workshop Session: “Towards a New Leadership Culture in the Jamaica Library Service”.  Jamaica Library Service. Kingston, December 3.  
  2. (2015). Workshop Session: “Creating a Culture Governed by Shared Core Values and a Commitment to Excellence”.  Ministry of National Security. May 5.
  3. (2015). Workshop Session: “Strategic Leadership and Management”. The University of the West Indies, Strategic Leadership and Management Workshop Series. March 11. 

#

YEAR

CONSULTANCY

ROLE and COUNTRY

FORMAT / TITLE OF TECHNICAL REPORT / OUTPUT

1

2019

OECS School Leadership and Accountability Project

Deputy Lead Consultant

 

Dominica and St. Lucia

Stewart, M., Thompson, C., Smith, M., Moore, S., & Edwards-Kerr, D. (2019). Educational Leadership and Accountability among Primary School Principals and Educational Leaders in Dominica, St. Lucia, Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Castries, St. Lucia: Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).

 

2

2019

Training of School Leaders in the development of School Improvement Plans

Sole Consultant

 

Antigua

Training Manual

     Strategic plans (12)

3

2017 to 2020

Facilitating the development of School Improvement Plans

Lead Consultant

 

Jamaica

Strategic Plans (4)

4

2016

Review of Inter-American Development Bank Education Sector Transformation Programme Report

Consultant

 

Jamaica

Report on the Facilitation of Stakeholder Review Consultation on IDB ESTP Report

5

2015

Development of Moneague College’s Strategic Plan

Jamaica

Strategic Plan for 2015 to 2020

6

2014

Negotiation of grant of £25M from UK Gov to the Government of Jamaica

Jamaica

Report on UK-Jamaica proposed Memorandum of Understanding for the Reform of Jamaica’s Correctional Estate

7

2014

Merger of the Jamaica Constabulary Force and the Island Special Constabulary Force

Lead Consultant

 

Jamaica

Report on Process for the Merger of the Island Special Constabulary Force and the Jamaica Constabulary Force

8

2010 – 2012

Management Reviews of the operations of seven Teachers’ and Community Colleges

(Seven separate reports)

Sole Consultant

 

Jamaica

Management Reviews of the_____(name institutions) College

 

(Brown’s Town, Edna Manley, G.C. Foster, Knox, Moneague, Montego Bay, Shortwood)