2020

The Innocent People on the Deportation Hitlist

It has come to my attention that thousands upon thousands of foreign criminals who should have been deported upon serving their jail sentences are left to roam free in our society. Seven per day, I hear. I wish I could tell you that this news is brand new. Or even…

On Choosing to be Black or White

A few years ago in my column ‘Musings with Lovelock’ (Jamaica Times UK), I wrote about a certain woman, a certain Rachel Dolezal, a certain blue-eyed white woman who claimed she was African-American. She presented herself as African-American and thereby deceived a whole lot of people. Ho-ho-ho! Back in 2015,…

Why is the Archbishop Not a Lord?

Praise the Lord! Or maybe not. Okay. Here is the plot. The most eminent Dr John Tucker Mugabi Sentamu, (let’s be proper) Archbishop of York forever (or so it seemed), first Black person to hold such an esteemed position, second in command of the Church of England hierarchy, has been…

Handwashing for the Homeless

Here is a ‘helping hand’ story to warm the cockles. With the coronavirus outbreak affecting more and more people, authorities around the world have strictly recommended ‘social distancing’ and hand washing. Terrence Lester, the executive director of an organisation called Love Beyond Walls (good name that) in Atlanta, Georgia, thought…

Lord Lloyd-Webber and the Coronavirus Theatre Crisis

Andrew Lloyd-Webber does not think theatre (in particular commercial theatre) will survive the coronavirus if the government doesn’t “step up to the plate and offer help”. That’s rich! Why doesn’t he step up to the plate and help out? How many millions has he accrued from us theatregoers, who have…

COVID-19 and the young white middle classes

Say what now! For the first time in human existence (or since records began), being poor has been proved to have benefits. Who would have thought it, eh? Now, with this rampant coronavirus tearing through our communities up and down the land, from the east to the west, from the…

Radio Showreel

J. A. Lovelock has worked in radio for a number of years. Hear some of her highlights in this showreel.

Cultural appropriation – or appreciation?

The Notting Hill Carnival is an annual event held over the last weekend in August to celebrate Caribbean culture. The stars of the show are sound systems, parade bands and outrageous and imaginative costumes featuring all the colours of the rainbow, complete with feathers and bells and whistles. The event…

Loving Bobby Love

‘My world came crashing down. Bobby’s arrest was all over the papers. It seemed like the whole city was laughing at me.’ Those were the words (among others) of Cheryl Love when she discovered that her husband of forty-plus years was an escaped convict. Can you imagine that? There she…

Celebrity Shoplifting

A woman leaves a well-known supermarket with groceries she did not pay for and when the manager caught up with her all he had for her was a big grin! Fancy that! No being man-handled back to the store for questioning? I guess that is an open invitation to all…