One Love Drive

[Sinco01]

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<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="color: #CC0000"><span style="font-size: 17pt">'One Love Drive' expected to improve linkages in Negril</span></span></span>

KERIL WRIGHT, Observer staff reporter

Wednesday, February 04, 2009

Negril, Westmoreland

Local businesses along Negril's famous West End received a major boost last Wednesday with the launch of the One Love Shuttle Service tour, spearheaded by the Negril chapter of the Micro Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSME).

The free One Love Drive bus shuttle, financed by a $20-million grant from the government's Private Sector Development Programme, will run on schedule from RIU Hotel along Norman Manley Boulevard to the Negril Lighthouse at West End, stopping at small enterprises along the way.

&quot;The One Love Drive shuttle service was established so that small and medium-sized local businesses, products and services could receive patronage from visitors to Negril,&quot; said Lenbert Williams, chairman of the MSME.

The shuttle service, however, is just one part of the programme, which also involves a rebranding of the West End renamed &quot;One love Drive&quot;; training for small business owners and a spruce-up of the strip itself.

Williams noted that at present many local businesses in the area suffer from a lack of support, as scores of buses filled with visitors zoom past their places of trade daily, headed for bigger and more established entities in the world-famous resort town.

&quot;This initiative is one of the many positive variables unfolding to improve the lives of ordinary folks on the One Love Drive and its environs and it is representative of what can happen when community people come together in the spirit of one love and unity.&quot;

Some of the businesses that will form part of the One Love tour include the Vendors Plaza, featuring local craft traders; the branded One Love Pizza parlour; the Reef Restaurant and Bar; Mi Yard, an eatery specialising in authentic Jamaican cuisine; Kush Art, local art gallery featuring the works of local artistes; Xtabi; Sip and Bite, a family owned restaurant specialising in Jamaican food; Negril Escape Resort and Spa and Quality Craft.

The whole aim of the project according to Williams is to transform the West End into the most culturally authentic Jamaican community. &quot;The interaction with the small business people here is one of the most culturally authentic experience the visitor can have. Some of their establishments are among the hidden gems on the island and this is just a way of ensuring that the visitor gets a chance to experience this real Jamaica and support local businesses at the same time.&quot;

[Tuff Gong]

Re: One Love Drive


I wonder what the fuel bill will tot up to?

[Nanook]

Re: One Love Drive

I hate the name but I love the concept. Delroy from MiYard has been working with this group and posting updates on his website. It should help the small businesses a lot I would think.

Anyway I hate the name. They kicked a few names around and they were all just as bad.

[Tuff Gong]

Re: One Love Drive

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Nanook</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I hate the name but I love the concept. Delroy from MiYard has been working with this group and posting updates on his website. It should help the small businesses a lot I would think.

Anyway I hate the name. They kicked a few names around and they were all just as bad. </div></div>

LOL...in the scheme of things I don't have too much quarrel with the name. My argument would be with the plan. What are the local offerings and it going to cost more to bus traffic to them than the sales realized?

[Nanook]

Re: One Love Drive

That is a very good question TG. But I think it is at least a valiant attempt to bring business to the smaller shops. Before this the tour buses would come from the A/I up to places like Ricks, where hundreds gather each night at sunset and go back to their A/I.

It might appeal to tourists staying on the beach. They might like to go up to the cliffs but the hassle of negotiating with taxi and such is just too much. Now they can just hop a free bus.

I do hope it is a success. I also hope the cliff image is cleaned up a bit so that when the tourists do venture up there it is not the seedy atmosphere I have seen so many times.

Nuttin like taking an afternoon stroll and smelling the stench of a crack pipe.

A new name and a bus ain't gonna help if they didn't do something about that aspect of some places up there.

Maybe they're just offering the bus for free to get people acquainted with the service and they have plans to charge a fee later?

[Bandana]

Re: One Love Drive

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Tuff Gong</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Nanook</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I hate the name but I love the concept. Delroy from MiYard has been working with this group and posting updates on his website. It should help the small businesses a lot I would think.

Anyway I hate the name. They kicked a few names around and they were all just as bad. </div></div>

LOL...in the scheme of things I don't have too much quarrel with the name. My argument would be with the plan. What are the local offerings and it going to cost more to bus traffic to them than the sales realized? </div></div>


what about the local drivers??

If everyone is getting on the free &quot;One Love Bus&quot; dem ago feel it

[Nanook]

Re: One Love Drive

Well Bandy how many times have you read about people being charged 40.00 USD to go a few miles from the beach to the cliffs. Yes many drivers are honest, but many give the honest ones a bad rap when they rip off unsuspecting tourists.

Those tourist usually never leave their beach again once that happens, and some get so angry about being ripped off they no wanna even go back to Jamaica.

Not every tourist wants to deal with the route taxi. Especially the newbies. It's just too intimidating for most of them. For the total newbies the brightly painted bus looks safe and the price is right! They just might get adventurous!

[Bandana]

Re: One Love Drive

I hear what you are saying Nan, but people need to research a thing before them do it.
Ask the price before you get in, know the going rate, and say no thanks if the price is too high... one next cab is right behind that one...

I got from one end of Norman Manley to the other one night for 50J and a Red Stripe


I have also met some very lovely drivers who would come get me and take me where ever I need to go. Even places NOT on One Love Drive





Seriously I see what you are saying, it may get more of the all-inclusive compound to spend money locally...

[j-kid]

Re: One Love Drive

If they are trying to encourage more tourists to venture out on these shuttle buses, what additional steps are they taking to insure tourist safety?

If tourists have a perception that it is not safe to ride these busses, or go certain places, it won't matter how pretty the buses are.

[Marilyn]

Re: One Love Drive

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Bandanna</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Tuff Gong</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Nanook</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I hate the name but I love the concept. Delroy from MiYard has been working with this group and posting updates on his website. It should help the small businesses a lot I would think.

Anyway I hate the name. They kicked a few names around and they were all just as bad. </div></div>

LOL...in the scheme of things I don't have too much quarrel with the name. My argument would be with the plan. What are the local offerings and it going to cost more to bus traffic to them than the sales realized? </div></div>

First thing that came to my mind

what about the local drivers??

If everyone is getting on the free &quot;One Love Bus&quot; dem ago feel it </div></div>

[Nanook]

Re: One Love Drive

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: J kid</div><div class="ubbcode-body">If they are trying to encourage more tourists to venture out on these shuttle buses, what additional steps are they taking to insure tourist safety?

If tourists have a perception that it is not safe to ride these busses, or go certain places, it won't matter how pretty the buses are. </div></div>

Good question JKid! I think I read somewhere about sidewalks being planned somehow, not sure but that would be a great start. Making the road safer to navigate on foot is really important and getting rid of the seedy reputation.

In a perfect world everyone would do their research before taking a vacation. But not everyone sits on the internet and does research on where they are going to the extent they may learn how to negotiate the taxi fares. Come on now. I know many people who still don't even have internet. They are supposed to do research to the extent they can negotiate traveling around by taxi, how?

Take this for example:

you're sittin in 20 below for 2 months and sick of it. You call a travel agent and buy a sale fare on MLT for next week so you can get out of here! You've never been to Jamaica but you've seen the commercials.

The taxi thing can be a real PITA. Walking the road can be even worse.

There is one reason I started driving in Jamaica and that is the rude taxi drivers and the hassle of negotiating fares and riding in crowded death defying runs in a route taxi.

I think the bus is a great marketing tool. That is what One Love Drive is about, marketing.

[j-kid]

Re: One Love Drive

The taxi will still have value, in terms of a time saver, or to go where the busses don't go. It will also incourage some of the rip-offs to bring their fare in line, and be more polite. Also during the hours that the busses don't run. By the way what will be the hours for the busses?

[Nanook]

Re: One Love Drive

I agree with you JKid! I'm not sure of the hours the bus will keep. I imagine at least until after the sunset viewing from the cliffs.

[Tuff Gong]

Re: One Love Drive

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Nanook</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I agree with you JKid! I'm not sure of the hours the bus will keep. I imagine at least until after the sunset viewing from the cliffs. </div></div>

Great insight keep us updated. It would be nice to know that something worked!