2 Decembers, 2 packages, 2 failures
In the past two Decembers, Jamaicans have had two very different kinds of Christmas packages from the Government: a stimulus, and a tax package. On December 14, 2008, Prime Minister Bruce Golding addressed the nation to speak of the "global tsunami" and how the Government intended to stimulate the depressed economy.

'The law is an ass'
"If the law supposed that ... the law is an ass ... an idiot." Mr Bumble of Oliver Twist fame has summarised the public's response to the Government's tax package. By and large, some of the measures are viewed as unenforceable, ineffective and unjust.

Obama on climate change: A grave and growing danger
The following is the text of the speech delivered by US President Barack Obama at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, December 18.

The teaching of math in Jamaica - New ways vs old-style leadership
Amid renewed concerns in recent months about the performance of students in the CSEC and CAPE exams, the following article, which was first published March 9, 2005, as part of the Gleaner's Education 2020 Supplement, is being republished. The authors contend that there is new, innovative pedagogy that needs to be generalised within Jamaica's schools.

The Christmas story and today's dysfunctions
The following article was submitted by the Public Theology Forum an ecumenical group of ministers of religion and theologians.