Author name: Dr Canute Thompson

Societies from time to time must confront issues which are uncomfortable, and which require clear course of action. The recent developments concerning the Pathway International Church and it’s now deceased leader Kevin Smith, have brought into sharp focus, an important conversation we must have concerning the qualities we expect to see in those who lead. […]

The world has been awakened to a true leader, at present, the only one in her class.  Her name is Mia Mottley, the Prime Minister of Barbados.  While there have been other great world leaders and while there are others who are doing a decent job in running their countries and companies, Prime Minister Mia

Jamaica is on a slippery slope.  The level of corruption unfolding before our eyes is unprecedented.  In my last column, entitled “Why we must not relent in the fight against corruption”, I sought to explain the social, economic costs of corruption, highlighting what the $100B lost per year really means in the deprivation of education,

Why we must not relent in calling out corruption The scale of corruption and abuse of public resources in Jamaica is frighteningly high, and the defence of some that it has always been this way (which I am not sure is true), is the very reason we must do something about it, not ignore it.

Jamaica’s governance framework is beset by several weaknesses.  These weaknesses pose a great danger to the ideals of democracy as well as undermine the principles and practices of accountability.  These weaknesses include ineffective legislative frameworks for investigative state agencies and conflicted persons being appointed to sensitive offices. For example, the Integrity Commission Act prohibits the

On the night of Tuesday, September 14, 2021, a video of Minister Floyd Green, then Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, went viral.  The video captured scenes of a birthday party which was held either that day (September 14) or the previous day, both of which were designated “No Movement” Days here in Jamaica as part

It is no secret that big money can buy anything and the most important commodity that big money requires to perpetuate itself, is government.  Political parties are, therefore, useful tools in the hands of big money, and a political party in government is obviously far more valuable than the ones not in government.  But at

In 2018 I codified, via an article published in the Jamaica Observer of March 25, 2018, my strongly held view that Jamaica was on the path towards a dictatorship.  (See link to the full article here). I listed four qualities of dictatorships, namely: Control of law enforcement agencies, particularly the justice system and the police

The 2020 Governance Report on the UWI by the Dennis Byron-led Commission, was unfortunately viewed as an assessment of the stewardship of Sir Hilary Beckles, whose contract was, at the time of the report, up for renewal.  The delay in confirming whether his contract would be renewed, was not only contrary to UWI Ordinances, but