The University of the West Indies Open Campus will host its annual Independence Lecture next week Tuesday, Oct. 22 at the Methodist Church Hall and Community Building from 7 p.m. in commemoration of the 34th anniversary of Independence.
This year, Verene Shepherd, professor of Social History in the Department of History at the Mona Campus of the University of the West Indies, will deliver the lecture on the topic, “CARICOM and the Decade for People of African Descent: A post Colonial Imperative”.
Shepherd has a distinguished history of involvement with the women’s movement and a track record of research on gender issues in the region and internationally. She is the chair of the Jamaica Reparations Commission and a member of the United Nations Working Group of Experts on People of African descent.
She is currently the Director of the Institute for Gender and Development Studies at Mona. Shepherd has written extensively on gender issues in the region and on Caribbean and Jamaican histories. Shepherd has several publications including several co-authored with Professor Sir Hillary Beckles including, ‘Liberties Lost’, ‘Freedoms Won’, and ‘Caribbean Slavery in the Atlantic World’.
Persons attending the lecture are required to be seated by 6:45 p.m.
Prof Shepherd needs to study history and tradition of countries prior to make statements about “zwarte piet” in The Netherlands and Belgium. This guy is black from climbing down the chimneys and is a helper not a slave. Nothing less that an assistant to a professor… it is shameful that UN has people on committees who make statements such as hers that are in fact discriminatory towards the traditions of certain countries and cultures. Maybe the US should dress Santa Claus back in green instead of the commercialized color of Coca Cola, Red?
Dear Mrs. Shepherd,
First of all, I think there are more important issues in this world, that should get the attention of the UN (e.g. women education in countries like Afghanistan, women rights in Saudi Arabia, civil rights in Syria, and christian minority rights in the muslim world.
Secondly, would you be so kind and publish the research results on which you based your predisposed opinion on the dutch SINTERKLAASFEEST.
Finally, I am not sure if you have ever visited the Netherlands, but we are a very multicultural country and in general we get along very well. The SINTERKLAASFEEST is a typical dutch fest which is being celebrated all over the country and brings together people from many different ethnicities. This discussion strengthens our own identity and based on my circle of acquaintances I believe Sinterklaas and Zwarte Piet will become more popular than ever through this attention. This I can only encourage. No matter what stories wander around, the present belief of most of the dutch children is that Zwarte Piet is a white person who gets its color by delivering presents through the chimney-pipe. SO IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH SLAVERY or RACISM, it is just an innocent festivity for children. Nothing harmful or discriminating.
So please, do your job by investigating real problems as described in the first paragraph, and don’t waste community money by screaming unfounded statements!! A “PROFESSOR” should know better. I personally would fire you and double check (if you deserve) your degree.