FOR SOME time now female dominance, in one sense at least, has become a fact of life in Jamaica. Increasingly more and more women are becoming better educated than men.

At the UWI this disparity has now become only too obvious as women continue to out-number men.

But it is not only in Jamaica that women, especially educated women, out-number men. It is quite clear that not only in Jamaica, but in the USA and in the English-speaking world people are moving into the Century of Women. In the US, for instance, while the number of men receiving Bachelor degrees has remained relatively stable, the mixture has been changing. American women now receive 55 per cent of Masters degrees. About four out of 10 women now achieve PhDs and every indication is that within a few years the numbers will be equal.

The same thing is happening in most of the English-speaking nations. The growing education disparity is already effecting the social system in the US and in England. On the whole, women with advanced degrees are now beginning to out-number men, and one interesting aspect of this is that highly educated women in Jamaica and elsewhere are going to have a harder time finding suitable mates.

Yet in spite of the increasing dominance of women there remains a strong bias against women when it comes to incomes. It is quite startling to note that in Jamaica as elsewhere the level of male incomes remains steadfastly higher, a situation which it is difficult to understand when one also considers the female need for the support of children.

In spite of increasing female dominance in terms of numbers, the financial advantages in favour of males still result in glaring inequalities. To take one example in Jamaica, one must bear in mind the case of Helga Stoeckert and the late Paul Geddes. Stoeckert was the mistress of the very wealthy Paul Geddes for many years. Yet the law made it possible for her to be kicked out of her home and deprived of financial support in a matter of one week. While some useful work has taken place in Jamaica concerning what might be called common-law relationships, there is still much to be achieved especially in such a case as that involving Helga Stoeckert.

As I have already pointed out, we are already approaching, if we have not yet fully arrived at, the Century of Women, and it is quite clear that in spite of the numerical dominance of women, especially in Jamaica, there is still considerable social imbalance which we shall have to correct. One serious imbalance in Jamaica is the matter of violence in general, and especially of violence to women which has become endemic and in a large number of cases tragic. To prescribe some effective cure for violence to women in Jamaica has now become a matter of great urgency, not only of violence to women, but of violence in general. It is perhaps possible that the increasing dominance of women in Jamaica will make it possible for women to tame that violence.

Is this a racket too?

It has just occurred to me that in addition to the remarkable expenses, perks, and salaries added to the public sector expenses, a careful look should be taken at the salaries and perks of the Ministers of government. Dr. Omar Davies seems, for some rather obscure reason, to be defending Derick Latibeaudiere, and one may wonder why this defence is necessary. It would be very interesting, as I have already pointed out to discover the salaries and perks of our assorted Ministers.

Audley Shaw has the authority to look into this matter, and I feel that he should do so, if for no other reason than to round off the investigations he is undertaking. I may be wrong, but I have a feeling that the salaries and perks of our Ministers should be looked into with great care.

End piece

Sorry to have to repeat myself, but the amount of millennium mis-information is now immense. The year 2000 has nothing whatever to do with the Millennium. It's simply the final year of the 20th century. What is popularly called the Millennium doesn't begin until the year 2001. Will people never learn?