Dear Editor,
I write to express my sincere appreciation for the remarkable leadership demonstrated by His Excellency President Dr Irfaan Ali and Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo in advancing Guyana’s development and improving the lives of ordinary citizens.
Over the past several years, Guyana has experienced significant transformation through ambitious investments in infrastructure, healthcare, education, housing, agriculture, energy, and public services. These initiatives have contributed to expanding economic opportunities while laying a stronger foundation for sustainable national development.
Particularly noteworthy is the Government’s continued commitment to addressing the concerns of everyday Guyanese. Through community engagements, public consultations, and targeted interventions, many longstanding challenges have been met with practical solutions designed to improve livelihoods and ensure that development reaches citizens across all regions.
Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo’s outreach engagements deserve special recognition. His willingness to meet directly with communities, listen to their concerns, and facilitate timely responses has strengthened public confidence in governance.
These outreaches have become an important avenue for identifying challenges, resolving issues, and ensuring that citizens have meaningful access to Government support and services. The emphasis on practical, results-orientated solutions reflects a responsive approach to public administration.
Similarly, President Dr Irfaan Ali’s vision for national development has guided transformative projects that continue to modernise Guyana’s economy and infrastructure while promoting inclusive growth. Under his leadership, the country has pursued initiatives aimed at expanding opportunities for youth, strengthening healthcare delivery, improving educational facilities, enhancing transportation networks, and positioning Guyana as a leading economy within the region.
The combined leadership of President Ali and Vice President Jagdeo has demonstrated a commitment to balancing economic progress with social development, ensuring that the benefits of national growth increasingly reach ordinary Guyanese. Their continued focus on investment, innovation, and community engagement has contributed to building confidence in Guyana’s future.
As Guyana continues on its path of rapid development, it is encouraging to witness leadership that remains engaged with the people and dedicated to addressing their needs through constructive dialogue and decisive action. Such efforts play an important role in fostering national unity, promoting prosperity, and creating opportunities for future generations.
Yours sincerely,
Rajiv Kadarnauth
Regional Councillor
Essequibo Islands/
West Demerara
Dear Editor,
The unique distribution of the cash grant, which began this week, is a welcoming spectacle for parents. The package, which amounts to $85,000 for each child, is designed to help alleviate the level of poverty in Guyana.
This grant, which has been incremental, was taken away from poor families by the Granger Administration, which replaced it with the Four Bs: Boats, Books, Bicycles, Boots.
A complicated nonsense to promote the now-hibernated leader of the struggling PNC as a saviour.
This abrupt arrangement by the PNC created a platform for rank discrimination, resulting in the suffering and discomfort of some students; some were more privileged in this lopsided operation.
This cash grant requires a lot of discipline among parents to ward off the temptation of depriving the children of their rightful access to enjoy their intended benefits.
We all hope for a smooth distribution, and we also hope that no violence will erupt between the parents. We also wish that, in the final analysis, the children will benefit.
Some parents who did not make their children’s attendance at school a priority may find it difficult to receive the grant. This should be a lesson to those parents who want to deprive the innocent child of his or her acquired privilege.
This lawlessness of parents coveting the money must cease, and their children must not be deprived of their entitlements.
This grant will provide great relief to the poorer class of people who will want to ensure that their children are educated in a comfortable environment that is highly conducive to learning.
The construction of numerous schools has positively complemented the delivery of the grant because our students now attend state-of-the-art educational institutions that give them a sense of pride and self-worth.
The groundwork has been laid by the Government, and the positive reciprocal response from parents, teachers, and students is now left to be continued at a higher level.
The intended implementation of social media control by the Government, which will become law after consultation with the public to protect our children, is timely and most relevant.
In Guyana, there will be the unfounded usual political resistance, but this is an international phenomenon that many countries are addressing, and it is now controlled by legislation.
The school is an institution of learning and has the sole responsibility of moulding individuals so that positive outcomes can result in a progressive society.
Prime Minister (PM) Brigadier (Ret’d) the Honourable Mark Phillips was today officially presented with the Demand-Side Management (DSM) Action Plan for Guyana.
The Guyana DSM Action Plan was formally handed over to the PM, alongside the Minister of Public Utilities and Aviation, Deodat Indar, by the team leader of the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) Incorporated, Kesh Nandlall, and the chief executive officer (CEO) of the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA), Dr Mahender Sharma.
The plan is being presented to Prime Minister Mark Phillips
The DSM Action Plan provides a strategic pathway for improving energy efficiency by prioritising measures that offer the most immediate and achievable benefits, making them both practical for implementation in the country and beneficial to energy consumers.
The plan’s implementation is expected to deliver energy savings of 516 gigawatt-hours (GWh), representing a 20 per cent reduction target by 2030, based on a projected electricity generation of 2508GWh.
Two key stakeholder groups are critical to its rollout, namely consumers who adopt DSM measures and utilities that promote and facilitate their adoption.
As Guyana’s economy continues to expand and diversify, demand for energy is expected to increase across all sectors. Under the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030, meeting this growing demand while advancing sustainable development remains a national priority. The LCDS 2030 targets increasing renewable energy penetration, underscoring the country’s commitment to expanding renewable energy technologies, improving energy efficiency, and reducing dependence on imported fossil fuels.
This DSM Action Plan complements ongoing national efforts to expand electricity generation, recognising that while increasing electricity supply remains important to meeting growing energy demand, energy efficiency and demand-side management play an integral role in optimising energy use, enhancing system performance, and supporting Guyana’s transition to a sustainable, resilient, and low-carbon energy future.
Prime Minister Mark Phillips and other officials display the energy plan on Wednesday
Increased electricity demand
The PM related that the action plan comes at a critical time, as Guyana’s rapid economic growth and expanding development agenda continue to drive increased electricity demand.
“If you have such high economic growth, you become a site for investment. The more investors you have, and the more social sector spending by Government, improving housing, improving educational facilities, including hospitals, improving infrastructure, everything demands some increase in electricity, both on the supply side and the demand side.”
He noted that while the Government continues to expand electricity generation through transitional energy and greater use of renewable energy, responsible electricity use remains important to ensuring that consumers benefit fully from lower energy costs. He said, “Smart consumption will help us to meet that growth in demand.”
Phillips added that the Action Plan is therefore rooted in conservation across all areas of electricity use. He also highlighted the role of households in the country’s changing energy landscape, noting that citizens are being encouraged to participate more actively in energy generation and conservation.
“One of the big points here is that the average household is now being encouraged to become what you call a prosumer, a provider and a consumer of energy at the same time.” Adding, “If you have solar panels on your home, it means that you could help to satisfy your need, and the excess becomes an incentive for you, because the excess goes to the grid and you can get credits.”
Further, the Prime Minister noted that the success of the action plan will depend not only on infrastructure and policy measures but also on sustained public education that encourages responsible electricity use from an early age.
Responsible consumption
On the other hand, Minister Indar welcomed the action plan, noting that it provides a practical approach to balancing electricity generation with responsible consumption. He noted managing electricity demand can help reduce unnecessary pressure on generation infrastructure and support a more balanced approach to generation, conservation, and long-term cost management.
The Plan promotes the efficient and responsible use of electricity through measures that encourage energy conservation and greater demand-side flexibility. In doing so, it supports more efficient energy consumption patterns that will help to improve overall system efficiency, lower energy costs, enhance grid reliability, manage peak demand, maximise the benefits of existing and future energy infrastructure investments, and stimulate job creation and economic growth.
The DSM Action Plan outlines 10 priority initiatives across five sectors: residential, office buildings, commercial establishments, industrial, and community services, to be implemented over a five-year period.
These initiatives include electrical utility-end initiatives, DSM awareness programmes, Government procurement, promotion of energy-efficient (EE) appliances, energy audits of large consumers, promotion of the CARICOM regional energy efficiency building code, efficient and resilient water utility operations, energy-efficient street lighting, and integration of distributed energy resources (DERs) and electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure.
Moreover, the electrical utility-end initiatives will include upgrades to distribution lines, the rollout of smart meters and/or pre-paid meters to customers by 2030, and improvements to the customer billing systems. DSM awareness programmes will encompass residential and commercial outreach through social media platforms, as well as training programmes, workshops, exhibitions, and school-based education initiatives.
At the same time, Government procurement for public buildings will focus on energy efficiency retrofits, including air conditioning and refrigeration upgrades across ministries and agencies, as well as energy-efficient considerations in new public building designs and renovations. In addition, the promotion of energy-efficient (EE) appliances will include labelling initiatives for air conditioners and refrigerators, along with awareness and dissemination programmes targeting sales outlets, importers, the private sector, and regional events. Surveys of hotels and resorts will also support this effort.
Energy audits
Within the commercial sector, energy audits of large consumers will include energy assessments, power factor improvement, and the promotion of energy efficiency and renewable energy solutions. Alongside these measures, the promotion of the CARICOM Regional Energy Efficiency Building Code will focus on capacity-building workshops for civil and architectural engineers and encouraging the adoption of the code in the design of new public buildings.
In the water sector, efficient and resilient water utility operations will span energy-efficient retrofits such as pump upgrades and variable frequency drives (VFDs) and the integration of renewable energy at water treatment plants (WTPs), well stations, and associated buildings.
Meanwhile, energy-efficient street lighting will be installed across local communities, with implementation supported by Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) and Regional Democratic Councils (RDCs) under local Government and public works road upgrade programmes.
Similarly, distributed energy resources will be promoted across public and private buildings, including rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) systems for residential and commercial customers and installations at ministries, banks, and other prominent public and private facilities.
Additionally, electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure will support the establishment of charging stations across ministries and the private sector alongside efforts to encourage the adoption of electric vehicles on local roadways.
These collective measures aim to further strengthen the utility sector and support more efficient and sustainable management of electricity supply and demand countrywide. The Guyana Power and Light (GPL) Incorporated and the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA), as the primary implementing institutions, continue to collaborate on the rollout of the Demand Side Management (DSM) Action Plan.
Through its targeted initiatives, the Plan provides a national framework to guide informed energy decision-making, harness Guyana’s energy efficiency potential, and support the adoption of more sustainable, affordable and reliable energy practices, while advancing the country’s broader transition toward a cleaner, low-carbon energy future.
As the distribution exercise of the Government of Guyana’s $100,000 cash grant intensifies, over 430,000 Guyanese aged 18 years and older have to date received their payment either via bank accounts or cheques.
Distribution of a $100K cash grant underway in Region Eight
Since the commencement of the distribution exercise, staff members of the Finance Ministry have reportedly completed the distribution in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo).
According to information gathered, the distribution is ongoing in Region One (Barima-Waini) and Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) and is expected to be completed in the new week.
Up to Tuesday, the cash grant distribution continued in the North Pakaraimas, with other areas such as Paramakatoi, Kurukubaru and Arasawa receiving theirs on Wednesday.
The Regional Executive Officer (REO) De Souza oversaw the distribution at Paramakatoi, while Regional Chairperson Tarcellia John assisted in Kurukubaru and Arasawa.
However, with respect to Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), all eligible recipients in the riverain areas have received their grants, and the team is currently wrapping up the distribution in Bartica.
Further, Guyana Times understands that teams are visiting various institutions, including the Palms, the Blind Institute, and other senior citizens’ homes, to ensure everyone benefits from the national initiative.
The teams have also commenced home-based registration support for shut-ins, including elderly and incapacitated persons, using data from old-age pension and National Insurance Scheme (NIS) records.
Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh, back in April, stated that help desks will be established nationwide to assist citizens who have been unable to complete the online registration process.
However, Dr Singh urged those who have not yet registered to do so and provide their bank account details to receive the cash grant in their bank account. But even as he encourages the use of the online portal, he assures that all eligible Guyanese will eventually get their $100,000.
To facilitate the efficient disbursement of the cash grant, the Ministry of Finance, together with the Bank of Guyana, collaborated with financial institutions to simplify the process of opening bank accounts, as well as to allow for the opening of these accounts online.
During the previous national cash grant initiative, from late 2024 into 2025, more than $60 billion of disposable income was transferred into the pockets of over 600,000 Guyanese. Another $60 billion is expected to be transferred in this second round of distribution.
These two cash distribution exercises come on the heels of the first National Cash Grant of $25,000 per household that was paid when the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) resumed office in 2020 in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dans le cadre des seizièmes de finale de la Coupe du monde de la FIFA 2026, l’Espagne affrontait l’Autriche avec l’objectif de décrocher son billet pour les huitièmes de finale. Les Espagnols ont parfaitement rempli leur mission en s’imposant avec autorité (3-0). Le jeune Catalan Lamine Yamal a été élu Homme du match, une distinction toutefois contestée par une partie de la presse et de nombreux observateurs du football.
Première de son groupe au premier tour, l’Espagne retrouvait une sélection autrichienne qui avait terminé deuxième. Il faut remonter au 22 mars 2024 pour retrouver la dernière défaite de la Roja. Invaincus depuis cette date, les hommes de Luis de la Fuente enchaînent désormais une 33e rencontre sans défaite. Depuis leur match nul spectaculaire face au Brésil (3-3), le 26 mars 2025 en amical, les Espagnols poursuivent leur impressionnante série grâce à une génération particulièrement talentueuse.
Après une phase de groupes presque parfaite, l’Espagne a entamé la phase à élimination directe sur une excellente note. L’attaquant de la Real Sociedad, Mikel Oyarzabal, a ouvert le score à la 36e minute. Malgré une nette domination espagnole, les deux équipes ont regagné les vestiaires sur cet avantage minimal.
Au retour des vestiaires, les champions du monde 2010 ont accentué leur emprise sur la rencontre. Sur un centre venu de la gauche, Pedro Porro a doublé la mise d’une tête à la 66e minute. En fin de match, Mikel Oyarzabal a inscrit son deuxième but de la soirée pour sceller définitivement le succès espagnol (3-0) et valider la qualification de la Roja pour les quarts de finale.
L’Espagne attend désormais de connaître son prochain adversaire, qui sera soit le Portugal de Cristiano Ronaldo, soit la Croatie de Luka Modrić. Les deux sélections s’affrontent ce soir dans un duel qui pourrait constituer la dernière confrontation mondiale entre ces deux légendes du football.
Seize ans après son unique sacre mondial, l’Espagne rêve d’ajouter une deuxième étoile à son palmarès. Le Portugal espère, lui aussi, décrocher son premier titre mondial afin d’offrir à Cristiano Ronaldo une fin de carrière en apothéose. De son côté, la Croatie, finaliste en 2018, tentera de prolonger l’aventure pour permettre à son capitaine, Luka Modrić, de conclure son exceptionnelle carrière sur une note inoubliable.
À l’instar des deux autres pays hôtes de cette 23e édition de la Coupe du monde de la FIFA 2026, les États-Unis poursuivent leur aventure en éliminant la Bosnie-Herzégovine, le mercredi 1er juillet 2026. À domicile, les Américains, entraînés par l’Argentin Mauricio Pochettino, ont assuré l’essentiel en seizièmes de finale et retrouveront la Belgique, tombeuse du Sénégal, au prochain tour.
Les trois pays organisateurs sont toujours en lice dans cette compétition, malgré des statistiques qui ne leur étaient pas forcément favorables. Le Canada s’est imposé (1-0) face à l’Afrique du Sud, le Mexique a décroché sa qualification en dominant l’Équateur, tandis que les États-Unis ont battu la Bosnie-Herzégovine sur le score de 2 buts à 0.
À San Francisco, les Américains affrontaient une sélection bosnienne annoncée favorite par plusieurs médias internationaux. Mais sur le terrain, ils ont fait preuve de détermination et de maîtrise pour s’offrir une victoire ô combien importante.
L’attaquant de l’AS Monaco, Folarin Balogun, a ouvert le score juste avant la pause, donnant l’avantage aux siens. Il a toutefois été expulsé à la 64e minute après avoir reçu un carton rouge.
Réduits à dix, les Américains n’ont pas tremblé. Ils ont poursuivi leurs efforts et, à la 82e minute, Malik Tillman a inscrit le but du break pour sceller définitivement la victoire des siens et leur qualification pour les quarts de finale. Les États-Unis retrouveront désormais la Belgique, qui poursuit également son parcours dans la compétition.
Il convient de rappeler que les États-Unis disputent leur 12e phase finale de Coupe du monde. Leur meilleur résultat demeure une demi-finale en 1930. Ils ont également atteint les quarts de finale en 2002 ainsi que les huitièmes de finale en 1994, 2010, 2014 et 2022.
Pays organisateur de la Coupe du monde 1994, remportée par le Brésil de Romário, ainsi que de cette édition 2026, les États-Unis rêvent désormais d’inscrire leur nom au palmarès de la compétition.
Parviendront-ils à soulever enfin le trophée à domicile, comme l’ont fait auparavant l’Uruguay, l’Italie, l’Angleterre, l’Allemagne, l’Argentine ou encore la France ?
À l’instar des deux autres pays hôtes de cette 23e édition de la Coupe du monde de la FIFA 2026, les États-Unis poursuivent leur aventure en éliminant la Bosnie-Herzégovine, le mercredi 1er juillet 2026. À domicile, les Américains, entraînés par l’Argentin Mauricio Pochettino, ont assuré l’essentiel en seizièmes de finale et retrouveront la Belgique, tombeuse du Sénégal, au prochain tour.
Les trois pays organisateurs sont toujours en lice dans cette compétition, malgré des statistiques qui ne leur étaient pas forcément favorables. Le Canada s’est imposé (1-0) face à l’Afrique du Sud, le Mexique a décroché sa qualification en dominant l’Équateur, tandis que les États-Unis ont battu la Bosnie-Herzégovine sur le score de 2 buts à 0.
À San Francisco, les Américains affrontaient une sélection bosnienne annoncée favorite par plusieurs médias internationaux. Mais sur le terrain, ils ont fait preuve de détermination et de maîtrise pour s’offrir une victoire ô combien importante.
L’attaquant de l’AS Monaco, Folarin Balogun, a ouvert le score juste avant la pause, donnant l’avantage aux siens. Il a toutefois été expulsé à la 64e minute après avoir reçu un carton rouge.
Réduits à dix, les Américains n’ont pas tremblé. Ils ont poursuivi leurs efforts et, à la 82e minute, Malik Tillman a inscrit le but du break pour sceller définitivement la victoire des siens et leur qualification pour les quarts de finale. Les États-Unis retrouveront désormais la Belgique, qui poursuit également son parcours dans la compétition.
Il convient de rappeler que les États-Unis disputent leur 12e phase finale de Coupe du monde. Leur meilleur résultat demeure une demi-finale en 1930. Ils ont également atteint les quarts de finale en 2002 ainsi que les huitièmes de finale en 1994, 2010, 2014 et 2022.
Pays organisateur de la Coupe du monde 1994, remportée par le Brésil de Romário, ainsi que de cette édition 2026, les États-Unis rêvent désormais d’inscrire leur nom au palmarès de la compétition.
Parviendront-ils à soulever enfin le trophée à domicile, comme l’ont fait auparavant l’Uruguay, l’Italie, l’Angleterre, l’Allemagne, l’Argentine ou encore la France ?
Every day, Dr. Havalee Henry enters the operating room with one goal: to restore movement, relieve pain and help her patients reclaim their quality of life. The Jamaican-born orthopaedic surgeon has built an exceptional career that has taken her from the classrooms of Wolmer’s Girls’ School to becoming Chief of Surgery at AdventHealth Sebring in Florida. An award-winning researcher and fellowship-trained shoulder, elbow and trauma specialist, Henry’s journey reflects decades of hard work, academic excellence and an unwavering commitment to serving others.
In this episode of Jamaican Trailblazers to the World, Xavier Murphy sits down with Dr. Henry to discuss her remarkable journey from Jamaica to one of the top leadership positions in her hospital. She reflects on the pivotal moment that led her from scientific research to medicine, the years of sacrifice required to become a surgeon, balancing motherhood with a demanding career, and why giving back to Jamaica remains one of her greatest ambitions.
A Proud Wolmerian with a Passion for Science
Born at Cornwall Regional Hospital in Mount Salem, St. James, and raised in St. Andrew, Henry proudly describes herself as “a Wolmerian through and through.” She attended Wolmer’s Preparatory School, Wolmer’s Girls’ School and Wolmer’s Sixth Form, where she served as a senior prefect.
Science was part of everyday life. Her mother, Hazel Henry, taught biology at Manning’s School before joining the staff at Wolmer’s, while her father, an NCB branch manager, moved the family around Jamaica during his career. Those early experiences nurtured the curiosity that would eventually shape Henry’s future.
Although she excelled in science, becoming a doctor was never part of the plan.
The Research That Changed Everything
After leaving Jamaica, Henry earned a Bachelor of Science in Molecular and Cellular Biology from the University of Connecticut, followed by a Master of Science in Muscle Physiology at Northeastern University in Boston. During her graduate research, she studied biomechanics using guinea fowl, training the birds to run on treadmills and jump while measuring muscle power output and the storage of elastic energy. The work required performing animal surgeries, giving her a first-hand appreciation of the musculoskeletal system.
The research fascinated her, but it also sparked an important realisation.
“I enjoyed what I was doing with research, but I knew it was a niche area with little general applicability. Whereas medicine and doing surgery, I could see a way to help people and almost see immediate results of my work,” she recalled.
That “a-ha” moment inspired her to pursue medicine. Along the way, she established herself as an accomplished researcher, authoring numerous peer-reviewed scientific publications and earning several prestigious honours, including the Journal of Experimental Biology Outstanding Paper Prize, the J. Robert Gladden Orthopaedic Society Resident Research Award, and a DePuy Synthes Research Grant for her contributions to orthopaedic research.
A World-Class Medical Education
Henry would go on to earn her Doctor of Medicine from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry before completing a five-year orthopaedic surgery residency at Yale School of Medicine in Connecticut. She then pursued advanced fellowship training in Shoulder and Elbow Surgery at Brown University, followed by a six-month trauma fellowship at Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham, England.
Alongside her clinical training, Henry established herself as an accomplished researcher. She has authored numerous peer-reviewed scientific publications and received several prestigious honours for her work, including the Journal of Experimental Biology Outstanding Paper Prize, the J. Robert Gladden Orthopaedic Society Resident Research Award, and a DePuy Synthes Research Grant.
Today, she is a fellowship-trained orthopaedic surgeon specialising in shoulder, elbow and trauma care, combining cutting-edge surgical techniques with a passion for helping patients regain mobility and quality of life.
Leading in the Operating Room
After joining AdventHealth Sebring four years ago, Henry quickly earned the confidence of colleagues and patients alike. In January 2025, she was appointed Chief of Surgery—taking on the leadership role while seven months pregnant.
Her vision extends beyond performing successful surgeries. She wants to build a department recognised for clinical excellence, operational reliability and a culture where surgeons feel supported, accountable and empowered to deliver consistently outstanding patient care.
The work is demanding. Clinic days see her treating up to 35 patients, while surgery days often begin before sunrise and can stretch until late at night when emergency trauma cases arise. Despite the long hours, Henry says orthopaedics remains deeply rewarding because patients often experience immediate improvements in function and quality of life.
Mentorship, Leadership and Giving Back
Henry is quick to point out that her success did not happen in isolation.
She credits her mother as her biggest cheerleader but says mentors have been the single greatest influence throughout her career.
“That saying about standing on the shoulders of giants is very true,” she said. “My mentors have been the keys to my success.”
Today, she is paying that mentorship forward.
Henry serves on the American Shoulder and Elbow Society’s Impact and Opportunity Committee, where she leads the organisation’s Scholars Program. The initiative recruits and mentors medical students from underrepresented backgrounds who are interested in orthopaedic surgery—a specialty where women account for fewer than six percent of surgeons and Black orthopaedic surgeons fewer than 1.5 percent in the United States.
She also enjoys mentoring medical students directly, helping aspiring surgeons navigate one of medicine’s most competitive specialties.
Balancing Surgery and Family
Away from the hospital, Henry is a wife and mother to two young sons, Kayode and Zidane. Like many working parents, she admits balancing family life with a demanding surgical career is an ongoing challenge.
Recent changes—including using artificial intelligence to complete clinical notes before leaving work and dedicating an administrative day each week—have helped her become more present at home. She has also become more intentional about declining additional committees and speaking engagements, recognising that every “yes” at work often means less time with family.
Despite the demands of surgery, she hopes to continue expanding access to advanced orthopaedic care while encouraging excellence within her hospital and profession. Looking further ahead, she also hopes to participate in more medical mission trips to Jamaica and the Caribbean, using her expertise to give back to the country she still proudly calls home.
From the classrooms of Wolmer’s to the operating theatres of Florida, Dr. Havalee Henry’s journey is a testament to the power of hard work, mentorship and purpose. Her advice to young people considering medicine is simple: know yourself, seek out mentors, be willing to sacrifice and never lose sight of why you chose the profession in the first place.
Watch the full interview below and subscribe to Jamaicans.com for more inspiring stories of Jamaicans making an impact around the world.
Chief Executive Officer of Bellevue Hospital Suzette Buchanan says Jamaica is facing a mental health crisis and is calling for more sensitivity, education and support for people living with mental health conditions.
Speaking with Jamaicans.com at the 11th Biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference in Montego Bay, Buchanan said the scale of what she is seeing at Bellevue Hospital, the island’s main psychiatric facility, leaves little doubt that the issue has reached crisis levels.
Buchanan, who has become one of Jamaica’s most visible mental health advocates, said the problem goes far beyond Bellevue’s walls. Stigma, ignorance, late diagnosis and lack of support continue to prevent many Jamaicans from getting the help they need early, often with devastating consequences.
A Looming Crisis
Buchanan did not hesitate when asked whether she considers the situation a national public health crisis.
“Absolutely. Absolutely,” she said. “If you sit in the seat as CEO at Bellevue Hospital and you see the wards being flooded with all of these young people… there is definitely a crisis.”
One of the most troubling realities, she said, is not only the number of young people arriving at Bellevue, but also the number of working professionals ending up in acute care — many of whom might have had very different outcomes with earlier intervention.
“Oftentimes when you hear of a brain drain, we have the tendency to think that people migrating overseas,” she said. “But when I walk on my acute wards and I look at the large group of various professionals that are here hospitalized, and their story could have been different if there was early intervention, there is definitely a crisis.”
For Buchanan, the issue is not abstract. Her advocacy is rooted in her own family’s experience.
Buchanan’s own journey into mental health advocacy began years ago when her daughter was diagnosed with a mental health condition.
“Having to face the reality that my daughter is living with a mental health condition and that she is going to require support for the rest of her life, and that support we’re talking about is love and attention, patience and kindness.”
She said that experience changed the direction of her life and pushed her to educate herself and then others about mental health, especially because she now believes there were warning signs she did not understand at the time.
“One of the things that stood out for me is that the things I know now, if I knew it then, probably my daughter’s story would’ve been different,” she said.
According to Buchanan, her daughter became withdrawn, constantly depressed and reluctant to participate in activities. She also noticed changes in her appearance and behaviour, but did not recognise them for what they were.
“There were signs all along,” she said. “But when you’re ignorant … and that’s why I’m big on education. Learn the signs.”
She recalled questioning why her daughter seemed depressed because, in her mind, she had provided everything a child could need.
“I kept saying to myself out of ignorance, ‘Why is this girl depressed? Why she look like that? Because I provide everything for her,’” Buchanan said. “Because I didn’t understand.”
She said the situation worsened after her daughter’s father was shot and killed, which became a trigger. “She went mute,” Buchanan said.
Fighting Stigma and Early Intervention
That personal experience became the foundation of her public advocacy. Buchanan started by simply speaking to people wherever she could — in staff rooms, boardrooms, on park benches and in waiting areas — and has since expanded that work into a wider public education effort.
Once at Bellevue and now with a bigger platform, one of the first things she wanted to address was the level of stigma attached to mental illness in Jamaica.
“We needed persons to understand that a mental health condition, it has no respecter of person, place, or thing,” she said. “It doesn’t matter if you’re rich or you’re poor.”
She described stigma as one of the main barriers preventing people from seeking help and said Jamaica needs a much stronger culture of early detection and support.
“I also felt I had a responsibility to educate Jamaicans so that they understand that early detection is important,” she said.
Buchanan also stressed that mental health conditions should not automatically be viewed as a life sentence of dysfunction or institutionalisation. With the right treatment, medication and social support, she said, many people can go on to live healthy lives.
“I wanted persons to understand that a mental health condition is like living with any other illness and can be controlled with medication, with treatment,” she said.
One of the most sobering parts of Buchanan’s work is the reality inside Bellevue Hospital.
She said Bellevue currently has about 550 clients and that roughly 400 of them are what she described as social cases — people who have been abandoned by relatives and remain at the hospital for decades.
“Persons that have been abandoned for 30 and 40 years, they only leave Bellevue Hospital through death,” she said.
For Buchanan, those numbers point not only to the severity of some illnesses but also to a lack of public understanding about what it means to live with a mental health condition and how family support can shape outcomes.
A Call to the Diaspora
Buchanan used the interview to make a direct appeal to Jamaicans in the diaspora, asking them to support mental health advocacy and Bellevue’s work not only financially, but also by lending their voices, time and professional expertise.
“There’s a lot of persons that have lived here and their voices carry a little bit more weight,” she said. “It’s not everything require money. Some of us carry a voice of power and influence. So join the advocacy.”
She said there is a pressing need to get more mental health education into schools, churches, workplaces and communities so Jamaicans can recognise the signs of distress earlier and respond with compassion instead of shame or neglect.
“Let’s go into the schools. Let’s talk to the children so that they can go back and talk to their parents,” she said.
Buchanan also pointed to another often overlooked issue: the wellbeing of Bellevue’s staff and caregivers. With roughly 650 employees, many of them nurses working under significant pressure, she said support is also needed for the people providing care.
“Who cares for the caregiver?” she asked.
As a result, she has begun reaching out to overseas partners, including psychiatrists and other professionals, asking them to volunteer even 20 minutes of their time to speak with Bellevue staff or offer support.
Even as she spoke candidly about the scale of the challenge, Buchanan returned repeatedly to one central message: kindness.
Asked what single thing most supports good mental health, her answer was immediate.
“Kindness,” she said. “Be kind to one another. We are unnecessarily unkind. And when you are unkind, it not just affects the person’s mental health, it also takes a toll on your own.”
For Buchanan, kindness is not a soft slogan but a practical public health intervention, one that can help reduce stigma, encourage people to seek help and create the kind of supportive environment that people living with mental illness need to survive and recover.
“Say a kind word. Do a kind deed today,” she said. “It will help your mental health.”
News that Cuba is moving toward major economic reforms has sparked discussion across the Caribbean. Some Jamaicans have expressed concern that a more open Cuban economy could create competition for Jamaica, especially in tourism and investment. Those concerns are understandable. Cuba is a large island with significant resources, a rich culture, and a location that places it close to major markets.
At the same time, Jamaicans should also consider the opportunities that may come from these changes. While many details of Cuba’s economic plans remain unclear, there are several areas where Jamaica’s experience, skills, and historical ties could create benefits for both countries.
Tourism Links Could Create New Business
One of the first opportunities could be travel between Jamaica and Cuba.
The two islands are only about 90 miles apart, making day trips and short stay packages a possibility if transportation links improve. Ferry services between Jamaica and Cuba could become attractive for both tourists and business travelers.
For years, Jamaica served as a transit point for many Cubans and travelers heading to Cuba. If travel restrictions ease and transportation options expand, Jamaica could once again play a role as a gateway between Cuba and the wider Caribbean.
Jamaicans who studied in Cuba may also find opportunities as tour guides, translators, travel consultants, and cultural advisors. Their knowledge of both countries could help visitors navigate language and cultural differences.
Sharing Tourism Expertise
Jamaica has spent decades building a tourism industry that attracts visitors from around the world. That experience may create opportunities for partnerships.
Training in hospitality, customer service, tourism management, and destination marketing are areas where Jamaican professionals already have practical knowledge. As Cuba develops new tourism products and services, there may be room for collaboration rather than competition.
Jamaica could also help bridge communication gaps for English speaking visitors who want to explore Cuba but may be concerned about language barriers.
A History That Connects Both Islands
The relationship between Jamaica and Cuba goes back generations.
Many Jamaicans worked in Cuba during the early twentieth century, particularly in agriculture and construction. Some settled there permanently and raised families. Today, many Jamaican families still have relatives living in Cuba.
If economic reforms create more opportunities for private enterprise, families on both sides could reconnect and explore small business partnerships. This could range from tourism services to agriculture, retail, and professional services.
Many Jamaicans also continue to work at facilities connected to Guantanamo Bay, showing that economic and family ties between the two islands remain active.
Education Exchange Could Return
Education has long been one of the strongest links between Jamaica and Cuba.
For decades, hundreds of Jamaicans traveled to Cuba to study medicine and other health related fields through scholarship programs and bilateral agreements. Many returned home and went on to serve in Jamaica’s healthcare system.
In recent years, that relationship has faced challenges. The end of Jamaica’s long standing technical cooperation arrangement involving Cuban medical professionals, along with economic difficulties in Cuba, has created uncertainty around some educational exchanges. Power outages and other challenges on the island have also raised concerns among students and families.
Despite those issues, a more stable Cuban economy could create opportunities for renewed educational partnerships in the future. Cuba remains home to respected medical training institutions and has decades of experience educating students from across the Caribbean, Latin America, and Africa.
If conditions improve, both countries could explore new scholarship programs, student exchanges, research partnerships, and professional training initiatives. Jamaicans who studied in Cuba already form a network that could help strengthen future academic and professional cooperation.
Education has historically been one of the most successful areas of Jamaica Cuba relations, and it remains an area with potential for growth if circumstances allow.
Investment Could Return
Jamaican businesses have invested in Cuba before.
Several years ago, Jamaican hotel interests operated properties in Cuba before political and legal challenges affected those arrangements. If Cuba’s reforms create a more welcoming environment for investors, some Jamaican hotel operators and tourism businesses may once again consider opportunities on the island.
Any future investment decisions will depend on the final details of Cuba’s economic policies and the broader international environment. However, the possibility of renewed business activity is likely to attract attention from regional investors.
Technology and Business Support
As Cuba works to modernize parts of its economy, there may be opportunities for Jamaican companies to provide services and expertise.
Jamaican professionals have played leadership roles in telecommunications and business development projects across the Caribbean. Experience gained from building mobile networks, digital services, and customer support systems could become valuable if Cuba expands its private sector and modern communications infrastructure.
Professional services in accounting, marketing, training, project management, and entrepreneurship could also become areas for partnership.
Creative Industries Could Benefit
The music industry presents another area worth watching.
Jamaica’s influence on Caribbean music is well known, and dancehall has played a role in shaping music styles across the region. As Cuba’s entertainment sector evolves, there could be opportunities for producers, artists, promoters, and event organizers to work together.
Collaborations between Jamaican and Cuban musicians could create new audiences and open doors for regional music exports.
Film, television, festivals, and cultural tourism may also offer opportunities for partnerships between creative professionals in both countries.
Urban Development Partnerships
Jamaica has experience in cultural and urban renewal projects that could have value beyond its borders.
Organizations involved in revitalizing communities, supporting artists, and developing creative districts have shown how culture can contribute to economic activity. Similar approaches could create opportunities for cooperation with Cuban cities seeking new ways to attract visitors and support local businesses.
These types of partnerships would not replace Cuba’s own plans and priorities, but they could provide useful examples and shared learning.
Looking Beyond Competition
It is too early to know exactly how Cuba’s economic reforms will unfold. The policies are still developing, and many questions remain about implementation, investment rules, and international relations.
What is clear is that Cuba’s future does not have to be viewed only through the lens of competition.
Jamaica has expertise in tourism, business services, culture, entrepreneurship, and regional cooperation. Those strengths could position Jamaicans to benefit from new opportunities if Cuba’s economy becomes more open.
Rather than focusing only on what Jamaica might lose, the conversation should also include what Jamaica can contribute and where both countries can grow together.
