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Jamaica – A tourist’s paradise?
For the fifth year in a row Jamaica copped the top prize as the leading Caribbean destination. Well that’s great news. I guess I am a bit confused though, just how are we capitalising on our awards?
I suppose what confuses me is that if we are so great how come so many people live below the poverty line and at night we stay behind closed doors cowering in fear. Shouldn’t the greatest Caribbean destination in the world offer its citizens security?
If other people think Jamaica is such a great place how come we don’t seem to feel that way? Pass by the American and Canadian Embassies any day of the week and you will see the hopefuls gather in their quest for a new life on Northern shores. Why don’t they stay here and help build our country?
Congrats Jamaica but we need to live up to the name ‘Best Caribbean Destination’. What is your view on the awards?
Teri Ann Renee Paisley (Gleaner on-line writer)
Tags: awards, Caribbean, jamaica, tourists
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2 Responses to “Jamaica – A tourist’s paradise?”
ripuree says:
October 27, 2010 at 8:58 am
I am not surprised that such praises could be heaped on Jamaica year after year, while the conditions for locals correspondingly decrease. Although Jamaica has gained Independent, the majority of Jamaicans still maintain a Colonialist mentality, which Colonizers ensured were programmed into every colonized population especially where Negroes dominant.
Consequently on the surface the physical signs of Colonization are not visible, but the mentality that made people surrender the Rights to their Freedom to another still propels the collective psychic, and works automatically and more effectively, than when physical torture was executed to keep people “in their place”.
Colonialists made sure that like God in the Bible, a few in every Colonized country were Chosen and trained to keep the masses subdued, while they smile aplenty, thinking that the few hand-outs they get is all that a Human Life should be. The CHOSEN Elite have therefore intentionally set out to “PLEASE” Tourists.
And locals who do the actual work of pleasing Tourists they see as no more elevated than slaves, just there to serve the needs of everyone “But Themselves!”.
In a recent article about Hoteliers inviting the Chilean Miners to come to Ja. for a free vacation, some of us pointed out that the Hoteliers never extended any invitation to any in Ja. who’re still kept out of their homes through the natural disaster of a flood.
Some took the position that the Hoteliers are in the business of making their profits from Tourists, and that this is a good PR move to attract Tourists from around the world. To those who defended the Hoteliers action of never offering to help local residents during any disaster -when Hotel rooms are mostly empty- no one seem to care that a healthy citizenry will ensure superb customer care.
In Tourist areas like Ocho Rios; walk on the street any day and the scene is surreal to one who doesn’t witness it everyday. Locals can only look at Tourists. They’re not supposed to even talk to them, and on every few feet of the Street, are Police dressed in what must be the hottest costume for the Tropics, there to make sure that Tourists in Ja. are safer on Jamaican Streets than they are in their own Country and Town.
So what if not Colonialist mentality could allow the Tourist Industry to get away with taking in so much profits, while getting tax-breaks, yet still using the Jamaican Police as Body Guards for Tourists. And consistent with that Colonialist mentality, black Jamaicans in the Industry (in order to keep their jobs) must inform Tourists to keep away from local Jamaican vendors, and do business only with Duty Free Shops owned by Asians who have their own workforce, many of whom have not lived in Jamaica long enough to get a Jamaican tongue.
Also; Tourists with sun-sensitive skin and wealthy foreigners are allowed exclusive and unlimited access to 90 plus percent of Jamaica’s best beaches. While Jamaicans with the National Beaches in their backyard, are kept off.
Thus, those who can’t afford air-conditioning can’t cool off in the Ocean any longer. And fishermen on the North Coast no longer have access to the Ocean for fishing. For which discarded fish head from abroad is imported
to replace the fresh fish that locals can no longer obtain.
Tourists coming to Jamaica know that they’ll be pampered by smiling people with slave-like worship, which white people have come to expect from black people anywhere on earth. Although many thought such obsequious treatments had long Gone With The Wind. So what Tourist in their right mind would not love coming to Jamaica regardless of the crimes they hear happening to locals? Every sign they see from they exit the Airport indicates that they’re
in a land where slave-like adoration is still the standard M.O. And that to any red-blooded human is a big Ego Boost!!
Jo Bent says:
October 27, 2010 at 11:57 pm
I do agree with some of what is said, but right now its all about all-inclusive hotels, tourists cant walk peacefuuly as once upon a time, Jamaica has drop vacation packages for tourists travelling here so dirt cheap that they continue to come knowing they will stay in their hotels and do almost everything in areas that is deemed safe, and of course well guarded by our Security forces. The colonialists did leave a lot of garbage that to this day is been held on to, we do not love ourselves , most ppl claims they r mixed and there’s those that suffer such self-hate that they try to bleach their skin.
As Jamicans many of us lacks servitude to each
other when in the business place (not to grovel) real service as is shown to the tourists industry, even so there are some tourists who have complained of aggressive peddlers, and dealers.how did we get voted a top destination to travel to while there is so
many living here in fear of kicked in doors,
or gunshots. We r our own enemies very hateful
and rude to each other, and in business give
off bad attitudes and snotty behaviour even when we r strangers, only when palms r been greased or its a friend do these ppl at times appears pleasant or friendly, so we must look within and each one try to make this a kinder, gentler nation in their small ways.
Regarding the Chileans, I think it was a good gesture from Sandals, years ago when working class ppl were offered next to no cost vacations here as tourists they cut out carpets under the beds,stole towels, tried to remove TVs and would pilfer anything that was not nailed down.
Tourists do get pampered in other Islands also the USA, those ppl do know aout hospitality and luring a person back even their own locals,
you got money then U get service.
I have had some negative services here especially in the Govt sectors & I have had
some postive services also but too few, until we love ourselves, each other and country
lines will always be at other ppls Embassies;the media, country, parents, and visitors causes the ppl here to believe every other country road is paved with gold except JA they will leave to countries where in their city limits OUT-HOUSES (pit-toilet) are still being used, Y ? there are some who would risk their lives in cargo to leave, its time we bring back the pledge to our schools every morning, instill pride and take away the foreign mind mentality from our youths. Many use crime as an excuse to leave JA instead of building it, and if tommrow all crime stop, there will still be lining up to leave.
Maybe our baggage from colonial days have something to do with these issues because we do love others more than ourselves, many like to say we have no racism only classism, but what is light, bright, red or clear means, its
just shoved under the rug like so many other things here, my dream is to see our youths
empowered in being Jamaican, loving Jamaica &
inspired to build Jamaica
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