Southern Miss Study Abroad - Caribbean Studies

Dr. Carolyn Gomes, Kingston, Jamaica, is a human rights activist and the executive director of Jamaicans for Justice. Photo was taken in her presentation to the students in the Caribbean Studies Program's Criminal Justice course in January 2009. She was recently awarded a very prestigious UN Human Rights award, which is awarded every 5 years to a very select few individuals ( Nelson Mandela, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Dr. Martin Luther King are all past recipients). She was trained as a pediatrician, but during the Gas Riots in 1999 in Jamaica, she left her private practice to work for this non-profit, non-partisan, non-violent volunteer citizens’ rights action organization founded that same year. The mission of the organization is the following: "Through the works of our action group we will bring about fundamental change in Jamaica’s judicial, economic, social and political systems in order to improve the present and future lives of all Jamaicans."

The Honorable Mr. Winston Bayley, Honourary Consulate to Jamaica from Barbados and the Bursar for all three University of the West Indies campuses. He hosted students from the Caribbean Studies Program in his home in January 2009 in Kingston, Jamaica. He is accompaniesd by Drs. Susan Hilal and Alvin Holder.

Assistant Commissioner Derek Shand is the 3rd highest ranking officer in the Jamaican Police Force. He is pictured with Jessica Schwimmer, Matt Froiseth, Kim Wadley, Sara Harrison-Carver, Aiyana Machado, McKenzie Green, and Dr Susan Hilal.

On June 27, 2007 Judge Zaila McCalla created history by being the first woman to be appointed Chief Justice of Jamaica. Her appointment was made by the recommendation of then Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller in consultation with the Leader of the Opposition, Bruce Golding. She graduated from the University of the West Indies and the Norman Manley Law School. Prior to her appointment as Chief Justice, she served as Clerk of Courts, Crown Counsel, Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Resident Magistrate, Master in Cambers of the Supreme Court, and Puisne Judge of the Supreme Court. She is accompanied by McKenzie Green, Sara Harrison Carver, Jessica Schwimmer, Chief Justice Zaila McCalla, Dr. Susan Hilal, Aiyana Machado, Kim Wadley, and Matt Froiseth.