IN NOVEMBER 2003 tens of thousands of Georgians demonstrated for weeks against tainted election results until President Edward Shevardnadze resigned in what was called the 'rose' revolution. A year on similar scenes in Ukraine brought new elections and a new regime in the 'orange' revolution. This week mass marches sparked by former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri's assassination swept the Syrian-backed Lebanese government from power in what is being dubbed the 'cedar' revolution.

"Puma on track for millions of pounds' worth of free publicity as images of Prince Harry posing with Usain Bolt go global." - The Guardian, March 7, 2012
Well, however much that tiny logo on Harry's shirt earned Puma, it cannot be close to the windfall that big Jamaica on his chest brought to this country. No doubt the picture and video of King Usain and the Prince doing 'the arrow' will also be a poster child for the 2012 London Olympics. The entire Jamaican tourist industry must be grinning ear to ear, and those myopic 'stop waste the $3 million pon white man colonialist and feed poor people' grandstanders must feel rather foolish now.

BORN TO humble circumstances in a small country with a few million inhabitants, Robert was one of history's great songwriters. His lyrics championing the poor and oppressed are recited and sung the world over. A free spirit who praised the pleasures of intoxication, he fathered 11 children from six women and died when only 37. His nation's most famous son, Robert's birthday is celebrated by countrymen and admirers around the globe.

DESPITE THEIR pathetic record, the West Indies have created some unforgettable memories over the past five years. In 1999 there was Brian Lara's 'resurrection' 213 at Sabina, and his 'one wicket win' 153 at Kensington. Antigua in 2003 saw the fourth innings winning record 418 for seven.

Why, I wondered to a friend last week, do some people place such importance on sports? Isn’t it ridiculous for grown ups to waste so much time and energy worrying about essentially childish pastimes over which they have no control? But he disagreed. Sports, he said, provide emotional training. Thrilling to victories and agonizing over defeats is an excellent preparation for the inevitable ups and downs of life.

JAMAICA'S MOST regularly re-run headline is surely, 'Murder count soars'. With the murder total poised to top 1,500 this year, it's hard to believe now that 'only' 423 Jamaicans were murdered in 1989. That's a mind-boggling 350 per cent increase in 15 years.

In 1807 Britain became the first major power to abolish the slave trade. (In 1802 Denmark abolished slavery in tiny St. Thomas, St. Croix, and St. John).[1] Eric Williams and others argue that slaving was abolished primarily because it was no longer contributing positively to Britain’s economy. But British West Indian imports and exports were greater during the period of abolition than they were 50 years earlier. And West Indian planters valued their plantations at 50-60 million pounds in 1775 as against 85-100 million in 1807. Indeed the major attack on the British slave trade came during its most profitable period.[2]

IT was ridiculous. For a month the world was obsessed with groups of uneducated young men kicking around an air-filled bladder. Some 40 million are estimated to have watched part of the spectacle, which amounts to over 60 billion manhours wasted. Spent productively, this would have added more than US$100 billion to the world economy. How many millions of starving children could have been fed!

Thanks to Marcus Garvey and Bob Marley Jamaica is famed as a font of black consciousness. And no country gave stronger moral support to Zimbabwe and South Africa in the fight against apartheid. So what will Nigerians watching the Miss World contest next month think of a white Jewish Miss Jamaica?

The Caribbean Court of Justice debate has been an excellent exercise in the democratic exchange of ideas. Every conceivable point of view has been expressed in the media, and anyone interested has been able to contribute to the discussion via radio talk shows or newspaper letters. But then Jamaicans and West Indians are used to nothing less. The idea of our governments making important changes without extensive public discussion is a completely alien concept.