opposition to foreign investment

[CeaBee]

Re: opposition to foreign investment

[ QUOTE ]
I think its, also, that those of us here have the luxury of being armchair philosphers..not neccessarily a bad ting..cause when yu belly/pocketful yu can sit back an tink long term

perhaps Jamaican's in Jamaica faced with that livity are more focused on immediate gratification

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I think she's got it!

[RichD]

Re: opposition to foreign investment

[ QUOTE ]
I think its, also, that those of us here have the luxury of being armchair philosphers..not neccessarily a bad ting..cause when yu belly/pocketful yu can sit back an tink long term

perhaps Jamaican's in Jamaica faced with that livity are more focused on immediate gratification

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but to some degree some of us have romaticised memories of what jamaica used to be an dont want to see any of that change

[Gen]

Re: opposition to foreign investment

no man ..change is good...but not at a " high cost"

[tsophra]

Re: opposition to foreign investment

true..but its already changed tremendously an not neccessarily for the betta [img]/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

[RichD]

Re: opposition to foreign investment

what kinssof cost are of most comcern to you? environmental?

cultural?

[SataMasagana]

Re: opposition to foreign investment

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what kinssof cost are of most comcern to you? environmental?

cultural?

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I got over to Cuba last century more than a few times. Cause that they didnt have all that stuff the rest of the world had for the last fifty years, they are clean. Their water, and woods must be some of the cleanest in the hemesphere. So in a way thats a vote against development. Now when they do develop they will do it (hopeing) much better.

Jamaica has already chosen how they will go long ago. Much of the best shore line has long been sold off, all that money is gone and spent decades ago. All those mango swamps, fish, woods, clean running waters,coral reefs, gone in two generations. And Jamaicas best, and brightest and prettiest too, mostly pack up their bags and are gone by the time their early twenties. We all must figure that that is how the people in charge want it. Whose plan is this again?

[RichD]

Re: opposition to foreign investment

so yuh think this:

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mango swamps, fish, woods, clean running waters,coral reefs, gone in two generations.

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is why this [ QUOTE ]
And Jamaicas best, and brightest and prettiest too, mostly pack up their bags and are gone by the time their early twenties

[/ QUOTE ] happens?

[SataMasagana]

Re: opposition to foreign investment

I suppose in a way. Yes.

[Ja. Jewel]

Re: opposition to foreign investment

[ QUOTE ]
I think its, also, that those of us here have the luxury of being armchair philosphers..not neccessarily a bad ting..cause when yu belly/pocketful yu can sit back an tink long term

perhaps Jamaican's in Jamaica faced with that livity are more focused on immediate gratification

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I agree....think that day to day struggles take precidence over thinking about long term consequences.

I think that the knowledge of the effects of developement are not usually readily available to the general population in Jamaica...

[tsophra]

Re: opposition to foreign investment

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I think that the knowledge of the effects of developement are not usually readily available to the general population in Jamaica...



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i agree...i couldn't find the right words to say that [img]/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img]

[RichD]

Re: opposition to foreign investment

but you make it sound like there is only a down side

[niceniss]

Re: opposition to foreign investment

[ QUOTE ]
but you make it sound like there is only a down side

[/ QUOTE ] sometimes your one-liners just dont do it for me... what are you talking about? [img]/forums/images/graemlins/70367-help.gif[/img]

[Blackstar*]

Re: opposition to foreign investment

Well said, Donikka! [img]/forums/images/graemlins/70458-applaud.gif[/img]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
but you make it sound like there is only a down side

[/ QUOTE ] sometimes your one-liners just dont do it for me... what are you talking about? [img]/forums/images/graemlins/70367-help.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

So while RichD prepares another pithy one-liner, here is another opinion on foreign investment.
[ QUOTE ]
Jamaica turning away black British investors
Diane Abbott
Sunday, November 20, 2005

I recently went to a lunch in London, which was attended by some of Britain's top businessmen and women of Jamaican origin. They are involved in a wide range of businesses.

One ran a successful chain of employment agencies, another had a chain of bars, another was our top promoter and a leader in events management, another had run a successful radio station and yet another was a banker.

Most of them could count their turnover in the millions. They all had two things in common. On the one hand they were all committed practically and emotionally to Jamaica. They visited there regularly and some even had property there.

On the other hand they had all tried, and failed, to invest in Jamaica and had been disappointed by the support and response they received from Jamaican institutions. They all had similar stories to tell.

Their initial contact with JAMPRO and other institutions in London were always disappointing. It was difficult to get these organisations to return their calls. They had to be extremely persistent to even get someone to talk them.

At least two became so fed up with phone calls that were not returned that they flew to Jamaica at their own expense to see if they might have better luck. But even in Jamaica trying to get interest in their willingness to invest was difficult. Getting meetings was tortuous, getting them followed-up was worse. Without exception they had given up.

One man took his business proposal to St Lucia where he found government officials who were both enthusiastic and helpful. And two were now making major investments in South Africa. One had just returned from a trip to South Africa where he had been developing his business plans.

He said: "When I sat in offices in Johannesburg discussing my investment I felt so guilty. I felt I really should be doing this in Jamaica. I had wanted to do it in Jamaica. But my best efforts (he was one of the ones who had flown to Jamaica personally) had failed."
These were half a dozen business people. But they relating a story that I have heard before.

The question is why is Jamaica apparently so unresponsive to small and medium sized black businessmen and women who want to invest there? I believe that part of the answer is deep in the Jamaican institutional psyche.

I think that, while Jamaican financial institutions are very happy to take the money of the Jamaican Diaspora, when it comes to dealing with British business too many Jamaican officials seem to believe that the only businesses worth dealing with is white-led ones.

If you are a multi-millionaire that is one thing. But small to medium-sized black business are not seen as significant. The new Jamaican high commissioner in London, Gail Mathurin takes a different view but it seems that this has yet to percolate down.

And there are also general problems of inefficiency which you find in the public sector all over the world and, sadly, in some parts of the Jamaican public sector. But I was struck by how many of these business people reported a very different response from South Africa. Calls were returned promptly.

Meetings with the right officials were easy to arrange both here and in South Africa. And, far from the initial approach being ignored, the initial phone call triggered a cascade of responses, not just from the official you may have approached in the first place but from a range of persons and organisations trying to encourage inward investment in South Africa.

I think that small to medium-sized black-led businesses and black consultants have a lot to offer Jamaica. Small to medium- sized businesses are more likely to create quality jobs than big multinationals that might contribute more numbers to Jamaica's gross national product but are not creating jobs for the people.

Also businessmen and women of Jamaican origin are willing to look beyond the screaming headlines about crime, and even accept a marginally lower rate of return on their investment because of their love of, and loyalty to, the country.

I do not want to decry Jamaican officials who all work very hard for their country. But I do think that there should be more top officials appointed and consultants employed who have a real understanding of the Jamaican Diaspora.

Jamaica should be open for business, not just for big multi-nationals and people who know the right people, but for any entrepreneur with the interest and the enthusiasm.

[/ QUOTE ]
What are your views on Abbot's commentary? Rubbish or grain of truth?

[Blackstar*]

Re: opposition to foreign investment

Sums it up pretty well, Ja. Jewel. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/70409-waytogo.gif[/img]

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I think that the knowledge of the effects of developement are not usually readily available to the general population in Jamaica...

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i agree...i couldn't find the right words to say that [img]/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img]

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[RichD]

Re: opposition to foreign investment

[ QUOTE ]
So while RichD prepares another pithy one-liner, here is another opinion on foreign investment

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let me see if i can live up to expectations...


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On the one hand they were all committed practically and emotionally to Jamaica. They visited there regularly and some even had property there.


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comitted [img]/forums/images/graemlins/70402-thinking.gif[/img]

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At least two became so fed up with phone calls that were not returned that they flew to Jamaica at their own expense to see if they might have better luck.

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wonder if their expenses were paid on their visits to south afica or st lucia [img]/forums/images/graemlins/70402-thinking.gif[/img]