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<span style="font-weight: bold">JAMAICA FOR SALE
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by Deandra DaCosta
<span style="color: #FF0000">The Jamaica Environment Trust (JET) in their quest to inform the citizens of the country about tourism and unsustainable development</span> launched a feature length documentary titled ‘Jamaica for Sale’ at the Cove Cinema, Island Village Ocho Rios on Saturday, October 25, 2008.
The documentary, ‘Jamaica for Sale’ is a 92-minute feature film that <span style="color: #FF0000">questions the widely accepted assertion that tourism is the savior of the Jamaican people</span>. The film featured the difficulties that are faced environmentally, economically and socially as a result of tourism development.
“There is lots of talk of having sustainable tourism, but is what we are doing sustainable? We wanted to look not only on the benefits of tourism, which are very well understood but what are the cost,” said Diana McCaulay of JET.
The documentary focused on the depletion of the marine environment and degraded shoreline habitats. Several fishermen who were on film complained about the sewage that is released from hotels, the low availability of fishes in the water and even the access to the beach. One fisherman who said that he used to fish in the Trelawny area said that he has had to move from that area because there is not much fish in the area. He added that each time he changes his fishing location across the coast, it’s as if the hotels follow along the line.
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The documentary brought emphasis to several beach areas that cannot be accessed by locals and if they can be accessed, it is only by paying a fee.</span> Hoteliers featured also spoke of the embarrassment they faced when they bring guest out to see the reefs and the fishes but the guests complain saying they didn’t see any fish.
Issues explored included the economic impact of relying on low wage, unskilled labour and remittance as the model for economic development. Also highlighted were the social and environmental impacts of uncontrolled development in areas with little or no social and economic infrastructure.
</span>
by Deandra DaCosta
<span style="color: #FF0000">The Jamaica Environment Trust (JET) in their quest to inform the citizens of the country about tourism and unsustainable development</span> launched a feature length documentary titled ‘Jamaica for Sale’ at the Cove Cinema, Island Village Ocho Rios on Saturday, October 25, 2008.
The documentary, ‘Jamaica for Sale’ is a 92-minute feature film that <span style="color: #FF0000">questions the widely accepted assertion that tourism is the savior of the Jamaican people</span>. The film featured the difficulties that are faced environmentally, economically and socially as a result of tourism development.
“There is lots of talk of having sustainable tourism, but is what we are doing sustainable? We wanted to look not only on the benefits of tourism, which are very well understood but what are the cost,” said Diana McCaulay of JET.
The documentary focused on the depletion of the marine environment and degraded shoreline habitats. Several fishermen who were on film complained about the sewage that is released from hotels, the low availability of fishes in the water and even the access to the beach. One fisherman who said that he used to fish in the Trelawny area said that he has had to move from that area because there is not much fish in the area. He added that each time he changes his fishing location across the coast, it’s as if the hotels follow along the line.
<span style="color: #FF0000">
The documentary brought emphasis to several beach areas that cannot be accessed by locals and if they can be accessed, it is only by paying a fee.</span> Hoteliers featured also spoke of the embarrassment they faced when they bring guest out to see the reefs and the fishes but the guests complain saying they didn’t see any fish.
Issues explored included the economic impact of relying on low wage, unskilled labour and remittance as the model for economic development. Also highlighted were the social and environmental impacts of uncontrolled development in areas with little or no social and economic infrastructure.
