Comments on: The Other Side of Jamaica http://www.beachbumparadise.com/the-other-side-of-jamaica/ The Life and Travels of a Professional Beach Bum Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:46:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Margarethttp://www.beachbumparadise.com/the-other-side-of-jamaica/#comment-10875 Margaret Mon, 06 Dec 2010 01:43:45 +0000 http://www.beachbumparadise.com/the-other-side-of-jamaica/#comment-10875 WOW ! Can't believe u all are talking about my country this way. As I sit here in my 4 bedroom home , sitting in my a/c bedroom on my laptop let me tell u all that 95% of jamaicans are NOT poor.Maybe about 10% of our people are poor to the point of hardly being able to afford food.Look at the so called poor man in Jamaica, check his clothes , look for the "name brands" he is wearing.Is that poor? US$ 150 sneakers etc. Things are difficult for many many jamaicans . Housing, autos etc are expensive but we are NOT a nation of starving people.The average jamaican can find more cash than the average american who lives on plastic cards.Life in the country makes it easier to have access to food. Don't be fooled by those jamaicans who like to play destitute in order to bleed money from tourists. It's a way of life for them !Look in those poor houses/shacks and you will find up to date electronics, furniture etc. I will repeat ..about 5% are really dirt poor.Health care is now FREE at Public hospitals islandwide. No school fees in public schools either !America is no bed of roses but they always think they are better off than us . Why? WOW ! Can’t believe u all are talking about my country this way. As I sit here in my 4 bedroom home , sitting in my a/c bedroom on my laptop let me tell u all that 95% of jamaicans are NOT poor.Maybe about 10% of our people are poor to the point of hardly being able to afford food.Look at the so called poor man in Jamaica, check his clothes , look for the “name brands” he is wearing.Is that poor? US$ 150 sneakers etc. Things are difficult for many many jamaicans . Housing, autos etc are expensive but we are NOT a nation of starving people.The average jamaican can find more cash than the average american who lives on plastic cards.Life in the country makes it easier to have access to food. Don’t be fooled by those jamaicans who like to play destitute in order to bleed money from tourists. It’s a way of life for them !Look in those poor houses/shacks and you will find up to date electronics, furniture etc. I will repeat ..about 5% are really dirt poor.Health care is now FREE at Public hospitals islandwide. No school fees in public schools either !America is no bed of roses but they always think they are better off than us . Why?

]]> By: The Beach Bumhttp://www.beachbumparadise.com/the-other-side-of-jamaica/#comment-1216 The Beach Bum Wed, 01 Oct 2008 12:44:30 +0000 http://www.beachbumparadise.com/the-other-side-of-jamaica/#comment-1216 Ron, thank you so much for your comments. I think that sometimes here in America (and in Europe), many people think of Caribbean nations as third world countries, when they really aren't. I'm not trying to badmouth Americans, but many have never traveled beyond their own state. They have no idea what is out in the world. They hear that Jamaica is poorer than the US, so it must be a poor country. Thanks again for the comments. Ron, thank you so much for your comments. I think that sometimes here in America (and in Europe), many people think of Caribbean nations as third world countries, when they really aren’t.

I’m not trying to badmouth Americans, but many have never traveled beyond their own state. They have no idea what is out in the world. They hear that Jamaica is poorer than the US, so it must be a poor country.

Thanks again for the comments.

]]> By: Ron Donaldsonhttp://www.beachbumparadise.com/the-other-side-of-jamaica/#comment-1211 Ron Donaldson Tue, 30 Sep 2008 23:21:41 +0000 http://www.beachbumparadise.com/the-other-side-of-jamaica/#comment-1211 Dear BeachBum happened on your site and saw this response to what you wrote. First of all i deeply disagree with Ben Williams, its seems that people who are from a rural back ground always seem to think Jamaica is some poor dilapidated country, not their fault, its the sum total of their experience. Yes the majority of Jamaicans are poor and yes there are some whose very existence depends on charity-I would like to add that we have a significant number of home grown and funded aid organisations that do allot of work to aid the poor-. I would have perfered however a more balanced view, i grew in the 70's to the sounds of my uncles stereo playing everything from greece to Bob, and Starsky and Hutch etc on tv,yes we in some parts of Kingston are too westernized but i dont't think we are an extreme minority, there allot of capable educated who more than have the ability to take acre of themselves and their families. Just like other societies we upper, middle and lower classes. This is distinguished from the american system which is based on income, in Jamaica decency and social graces play a role. Another point about Kingston, it's more than ghettos i would encourage trips to Liguanea, Manor Park, New Kingston etc and the surrounding neighbourhoods. Thanks Dear BeachBum happened on your site and saw this response to what you wrote. First of all i deeply disagree with Ben Williams, its seems that people who are from a rural back ground always seem to think Jamaica is some poor dilapidated country, not their fault, its the sum total of their experience. Yes the majority of Jamaicans are poor and yes there are some whose very existence depends on charity-I would like to add that we have a significant number of home grown and funded aid organisations that do allot of work to aid the poor-.
I would have perfered however a more balanced view, i grew in the 70′s to the sounds of my uncles stereo playing everything from greece to Bob, and Starsky and Hutch etc on tv,yes we in some parts of Kingston are too westernized but i dont’t think we are an extreme minority, there allot of capable educated who more than have the ability to take acre of themselves and their families. Just like other societies we upper, middle and lower classes. This is distinguished from the american system which is based on income, in Jamaica decency and social graces play a role. Another point about Kingston, it’s more than ghettos i would encourage trips to Liguanea, Manor Park, New Kingston etc and the surrounding neighbourhoods. Thanks

]]> By: The Beach Bumhttp://www.beachbumparadise.com/the-other-side-of-jamaica/#comment-444 The Beach Bum Mon, 16 Jun 2008 10:35:18 +0000 http://www.beachbumparadise.com/the-other-side-of-jamaica/#comment-444 This was just a post relaying what I had seen on TV. I actually have done more work than relaxation whenever I've been to Jamaica. I've been in the streets in Kingston. And up in little mountain villages. I have seen how people can live in Jamaica, and yet still be proud of who they are, and where they live. I see people here in the states who have everything they want, and are still unhappy, hate their country, and hate themselves. Who do you think is better off? My whole family has been to many countries in the Caribbean and tried to help as we can. My parents have been to Grenada and Barbados, my brother and sister-in-law to Costa Rica, my other brother to Honduras, and me to Jamaica twice. I love Jamaica not because of the great beaches, and beautiful scenery, but because of the people there too. Thank you for your comments, and putting some perspective back into it. Maybe I forget about the people sometimes and focus too much on the beach, but then again, that's really what my blog is about. I just try to add a little bit more to it. The Beach Bum This was just a post relaying what I had seen on TV.

I actually have done more work than relaxation whenever I’ve been to Jamaica. I’ve been in the streets in Kingston. And up in little mountain villages.

I have seen how people can live in Jamaica, and yet still be proud of who they are, and where they live. I see people here in the states who have everything they want, and are still unhappy, hate their country, and hate themselves. Who do you think is better off?

My whole family has been to many countries in the Caribbean and tried to help as we can. My parents have been to Grenada and Barbados, my brother and sister-in-law to Costa Rica, my other brother to Honduras, and me to Jamaica twice. I love Jamaica not because of the great beaches, and beautiful scenery, but because of the people there too.

Thank you for your comments, and putting some perspective back into it. Maybe I forget about the people sometimes and focus too much on the beach, but then again, that’s really what my blog is about. I just try to add a little bit more to it.

The Beach Bum

]]> By: Ben Wiliamshttp://www.beachbumparadise.com/the-other-side-of-jamaica/#comment-443 Ben Wiliams Sun, 15 Jun 2008 15:29:56 +0000 http://www.beachbumparadise.com/the-other-side-of-jamaica/#comment-443 Dear Beach Bum,I have read your words about Jamaica, and what I have to say is,unless you have lived there,like Jamaicans have to live, you should not make comments.I have lived there in Trelawny for over 4 years,and it is a sad fact that 95% of Jamaicans are very hard pressed just to eat,most of them live in ramshackle tin and wood sheds with no water or proper toilet facilities,they are shunned by their own government,and as poor as they are they still have to pay for doctors medicine and dentistry.And if it was not for the American church,who give the Jamaican people free health care,{well it actually cost £3} most of them would be in danger of dying,it is alright for people like you who have regular work or have money to speak as you do,but I would tell you to go out and visit towns and villages especially the ones that look like uninhabited farm buildings and see how these people live for yourself,yes there is life there, there is entertainment there etc,but then ask your self do you want to live like it.My local bar looks like a cowshed,but they are a proud people and still manage to keep themselves clean and tidy,and I can tell you that 100% of them want to live in foreign,and it does'nt take much to work that out,most of them rely on money coming in from friends who work abroad illegally,England,U.S.A.,Canada and the like,but with all the new sactions on foriegn workers this is making their life increasingly difficult.And with the rest of the world wanting bio/fuels they are lucky if they can get even a plate full of rice a day.So Beach Bum the next time you are in a foriegn land enjoying the sun,sea, sand and sex,take time out to think how the locals live, yes Jamaica is a wonderfull country, but only for the tourists, but I would not want to live anywhere else, despite all these hardships the locals are a wonderfull race of people.Ben. Dear Beach Bum,I have read your words about Jamaica, and what I have to say is,unless you have lived there,like Jamaicans have to live, you should not make comments.I have lived there in Trelawny for over 4 years,and it is a sad fact that 95% of Jamaicans are very hard pressed just to eat,most of them live in ramshackle tin and wood sheds with no water or proper toilet facilities,they are shunned by their own government,and as poor as they are they still have to pay for doctors medicine and dentistry.And if it was not for the American church,who give the Jamaican people free health care,{well it actually cost £3} most of them would be in danger of dying,it is alright for people like you who have regular work or have money to speak as you do,but I would tell you to go out and visit towns and villages especially the ones that look like uninhabited farm buildings and see how these people live for yourself,yes there is life there, there is entertainment there etc,but then ask your self do you want to live like it.My local bar looks like a cowshed,but they are a proud people and still manage to keep themselves clean and tidy,and I can tell you that 100% of them want to live in foreign,and it does’nt take much to work that out,most of them rely on money coming in from friends who work abroad illegally,England,U.S.A.,Canada and the like,but with all the new sactions on foriegn workers this is making their life increasingly difficult.And with the rest of the world wanting bio/fuels they are lucky if they can get even a plate full of rice a day.So Beach Bum the next time you are in a foriegn land enjoying the sun,sea, sand and sex,take time out to think how the locals live, yes Jamaica is a wonderfull country, but only for the tourists, but I would not want to live anywhere else, despite all these hardships the locals are a wonderfull race of people.Ben.

]]>