Jamaica Is No Paradise
My heart is aching for Jamaica. Words cannot describe the hurt that the recent events unfolding in Jamaica have caused me. The tears have flowed, and I have asked myself the same question over and over again; what can I do to help? The more I asked myself the question, is the more I realized that I am a part of the problem.
Growing up in Jamaica, I never took a stand against the injustices perpetuated against my fellow citizens. I sat idly by as the guns barked and innocent lives were lost. Instead of saying something, I found comfort in the belief that the violence in Jamaica was targeted; anyone who got killed was killed because of a bad deed. I took comfort in the fact that I lived in a community untouched by the harsh realities of the poverty which riddled inner city communities. My blessings disguised the harsh reality that some Jamaicans were subjected to.
As I grew older, and in the comfort of life in uptown (the terminology used to refer to life for people in the middle to upper class community of Jamaica) Kingston, I realized that there were certain attitudes and characteristics that defined Jamaicans. It became evident that in Jamaica there was an undercurrent of resentment and culturally misguided thought patterns that were eroding our foundation as a people. Throughout high school I saw students singled out because of their socio economic status in life. I saw people mistreated because they did not fit the status quo for what it meant to be a male in Jamaica, I myself being one of them. Young girls were viewed as objects by their male counterparts; a being meant to be subjected to any mans sexual desire. To my surprise, some women gloated in the fact that were dehumanized to mere species for sexual reproduction and gratification, rather than champion themselves as individuals for a higher purpose.
It became evident that Jamaica had structured racial and social lines. There was the uptown Jamaica, and the downtown Jamaica. The Jamaican middle class did not exist. The rich typically came from uptown, and the poor typically came from downtown. The rich did not fraternize with the poor. It was through this class structure that racial lines were also drawn. Unlike the United States, there was not a two term definition for race (black or white). In Jamaica race was and is defined beyond ones phenotypic appearance. Those Jamaicans who had more phenotypic similarities to white Europeans were seen as more privileged and cultured than Jamaicans who were more afro centric. As a Jamaican with mixed ethnicity, coupled with my privileged position on the upper rings of the socioeconomic ladder, I witnessed a different Jamaica. I took comfort in the fact that I was not singled out because I was black. I was not subjected to extra judicial persecution from the police force due to residing in one of Jamaica’s poorest neighborhoods. But I did witness the mild animosity in high school, I did witness the bullying. I did witness the street protests, and the news feed on television. But I did nothing. My inaction has resulted in the further degradation of the country I call home.
Today we have a Jamaica where our murder rate stands as one of the highest in the world. We have a Jamaica where freedom of speech is not restricted by the government, but by the fear of retribution. One cannot freely stand (in some instances) and defend an issue they are passionate about for fear that they will be killed by their adversaries. Discussions regarding political ideologies and affiliation are limited in some regard, because you may be killed for being too vocal regarding your political allegiance. That is the Jamaica that exists today. Our white sand beaches and turquoise waters have masked the disgusting reality of life in Jamaica.
The success of our athletes and our success in the realms of academia, pale in comparison to the number of innocent lives lost each year. Innocent bloodshed lay splattered across every page of our history. Behind our victories on the field, lies our defeat in the realm of humanity and justice. I have failed to serve my country well. I have failed to live up to the promises I made every time I recited the national pledge of Jamaica, which reads:
” Before God and all mankind, I pledge the love and loyalty of my heart, the wisdom and courage of my mind, the strength and vigor of my body in the service of my fellow citizens; I promise to stand up for Justice, Brotherhood and Peace, to work diligently and creatively, to think generously and honestly, so that Jamaica may, under God, increase in beauty, fellowship and prosperity, and play her part in advancing the welfare of the whole human race.”
I stood by passively in 2001 when the government launched a raid on West Kingston that killed 27 Jamaicans. I remained inactive when I heard of brutal slayings on the news in the years to follow. I was shocked, but did nothing when my friend was brutally murdered as she entered her driveway in November of 2009. My heart sank, yet I did nothing, when news reached me that a former schoolmate from high school was slain while talking to a friend by his car.
Ever wonder what it’s like to live in Jamaica? Imagine this: Fear gripping you every time the sun sets in Jamaica. Throughout the night your heart races whenever you hear a suspicious sound in the dark. When the bark of the dogs gets louder you wonder if a man lurks in the dark with a gun waiting to kill you. You buy groceries and pull into your drive way, and you hurry to get the door opened, because each moment you spend without tangible protection is a matter of life and death. Every time a car passes your driveway you wonder if the windows will roll down and the bullet of a gun takes your last breath. You shy away from disagreements because you know that in Jamaica sometimes to have an opinion is to have a death sentence.
Life in Jamaica is no cake walk, and the eerie case above pales in comparison to life in the inner city. Living in the inner city means having your life controlled by a gang leader who dictates your every move. Crickets don’t chirp at nights in the inner city, the sounds of gunshots fill the air instead.
Jamaicans have become so desensitized to crime and violence in the nation that murders become a part of everyday life. No one seems ready to tackle the issues that undermines the nation. We are content to just watch Usain Bolt break world records, while our criminal gangs also seek a spot in the record books. We fight, we degrade each other, and we call people names. We suppress free will and civil liberties.
Jamaica failed because we all failed. Some say we are at a turning point in our history, but until we each realize that we have a role to play as citizens of Jamaica; Jamaica will never move forward. To residents of the inner cities, I appeal to you to not have countless number of children if you know you don’t have the finances to care for them. Invest in the education of your children instead of clothes and apparel for the next street dance. Citizens of Jamaica do not litter the roads with your trash, and then expect the government to rescue you when the roads flood because drains are blocked. Do not block roads and then complain about the deterioration of the road surface. Blocking the roads destroy the structural integrity of the very road you accuse the government for failure to maintain.
Maybe when we learn to teach our children to love and respect others, and not how to do the latest sexually explicit dance, maybe then we will move forward. Maybe when our women learn to treasure themselves for who they are, and not exploit their bodies, maybe then we will move forward. Maybe when our men decide that having multiple women and children has less to do with masculinity, and more to do with stupidity, maybe then we will move forward. Maybe when more males decide to be fathers instead of leaving the burden of child rearing to mothers, maybe then Jamaica will move forward.
No postcard or tourism advertisement will hide the fact that Jamaica is a broken country, and a broken system of governance. Frankly, I am disgusted with the state of affairs in Jamaica. I am done playing as if everything is okay. The colors of our flag are black, green and gold; colors which once symbolized the phrase: Hardships there are, but the land is green and the sun shines. If the flag is truly symbolic of a nation, it may do us justice to eliminate the green and gold, just black will do.
I don’t have the answers, and I feel helpless. But today I make the pledge to speak out against injustice when I see it. I pledge to defend the rights of each and every Jamaican, regardless if I disagree with their actions or lifestyle. I pledge to promote brotherhood by eliminating the seeds of discord that has been sown among us. I will hold our political representatives responsible for their actions. I will remember that I am just as important in the system of governance as much as a Member of Parliament or the Prime Minister. Jamaica is the land of my birth, I can never change that. Jamaica will always be a part of me, and until I can make Jamaica a better place, then I must always live with the stigma of being Jamaican.
They say actions speak louder than words…will you act today or will you continue to stand by as our nation crumbles?
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Sorry you feel so hopeless. I am sure that there is much more you could do to bring hope to our country. I currently work in a large inner-city neighborhood in the US where there are at least 5 murders DAILY. Yes Jamaica is smaller in size and population, so our crime rate stands out but we have made progress. As a develoPING country, there are still many issues to resolve economically and politically. I think with all your degrees and insight there is much more you could do to help. How can you as a motivational speaker be so hopeless and helpless. I love my country and I too have seen the useless murders to our people. I cannot however be hopeless because we have made much progress but in the global arena, poverty and crime is a bi-product of the economic challenges one faces as a country and we will have to be more focused on finding better solutions……. this too is a world wide concern.
Sorry you feel so hopeless. I am sure that there is much more you could do to bring hope to our country. I currently work in a large inner-city neighborhood in the US where there are at least 5 murders DAILY. Yes Jamaica is smaller in size and population, so our crime rate stands out but we have made progress. As a develoPING country, there are still many issues to resolve economically and politically. I think with all your degrees and insight there is much more you could do to help. How can you as a motivational speaker be so hopeless and helpless. I love my country and I too have seen the useless murders to our people. I cannot however be hopeless because we have made much progress but in the global arena, poverty and crime is a bi-product of the economic challenges one faces as a country and we will have to be more focused on finding better solutions……. this too is a world wide concern.
Well said. Interestingly I live in Trinidad and I can fully identify with all that is being said. Once upon a time we felt it was a Jamaica or Guyana problem. Now we must acknowkedge it as a CARICOM issue.
The fact that censorship, Comunisum is prevalent in Jamaica now,, adds to the blurred picture of truth. Case in point certain tourist sites are censoring the truth about the crime there especially in Negril. Dollar over life. Sad.
Bravo !! Thank you
Bravo !! Thank you
True words.
I am 100 percentage agree with every word you say. The only problem is we who are dying to see a change in our lovely country, are helpless. I am now living in a foreign country and my greatest wish is to return to my country,a place call home. But I am scared. But one thing I will never give up on my dreams. I am hoping a change will come some day, The Eternal God please wave your hands over Jamaica for all of us that yarning for change Eternal God pleas bless Jamaica
Can you guys do something about that Ad. that covers your article? It’s a deterrent to what could be a growing readership.
good article dimitri..from the heart….heres a foreigners view of ja….british,lived here for 11 years….pure and simply Jamaicans are their own worst enemies…..I came here to retire…I renovated a 1 acre farm…I did most of what I wanted to do but it was against a constant resistance of Jamaicans badmindedness and gov agency tardiness……there is a constant awareness that at any time I can be targeted by badmen..they will lose if they do..but its a pressure that detracts from the so called ” paradise “….I intend to die here,my bit of Jamaica is great..my paradise..Jamaicans not included…I cannot imagine anyone from foreign investing in business here unless its the Chinese who have their own agenda…….how to change ja from the failed state that its been for a long time to prosperity,i don’t have that answer…..honestly I don’t think there is a workable answer…I think this is as good as it gets..maybe that’s the new definition of paradise,if you can live here and enjoy what you have….x
Everything said is correct but we all have to agree to educate, and remove the political tribalism that breeds hatered and violence. Not only to love the poor but to get rid of poverty.
Well written piece Dimitri. I know you had to rely heavily on memory and on current events and media. I like the perspectives from which you deliver this article, you have touched on quite a lot of the problem that beset our beloved Jamaica. Jamaica is a mixed bag of good and bad as we excel in so many areas locally and internationally, but its the needling problem of crime that always get the headlines, like crying child who know how to get the attention of its parent and elders its us who need to figure out what the child need. i like how you take responsibility as a young Jamaican for not playing your part because whereas you might not have the opportunity during those early years to participate i am sure that you are more qualified now to really make a difference as i am sure you will be moved to do in the near future. The solution to Jamaica’s problem will take a lot of effort, human and other resource to fully address. Those in the diaspora who have ventured out and have seen the bigger picture also have a role in trying to arrest Jamaica and redirect some of it’s current trends. Its easy to pile on criticism and damming description of whats happening to Jamaica. But amid all whats happening, the people are still hopeful, life goes on in Jamaica and the crucible of the current mix of good and bad continue to bring out the best and worst in some of us to survive. Your reflection on Jamaica provides some great food for thoughts and i hope it can stimulate and motivate those with the ways and means to seriously consider taking some time to give back and pour some water in the well so that it can continue to be vibrant stream of blessing to itself and the world – Keep up the good work
Wow. Well said.
Well said Dimitri.. I fully understand the feeling of hopelessness. which is something Jamaican’s in the Diaspora wouldn’t totally get. Degrees & intentions..they all pale in the face of systemic oppression and failed politics. Regardless of the global issues, there are some serious core local ones which only we can address. Take heart in the fact that the brave act of speaking out is a step in the right..or maybe I should say CORRECT Direction…change may take us some time, and we know it can begin with small actions. You are part of that change. You have acted!
Dimitri I understand your sentiments and share your pain.
thank you for sharing your thoughts here. As a Jamaican who lives abroad and who expresses a fair amount of social commentary with an activist’s twist, I have noticed that reaction to some of my more controversial ideas, from people who agree with my thoughts, have come to me in private. In fact, even the hostile reactions (they are many fewer), also tend to not be publicly expressed, by Jamaicans writing from there. I know that as someone who does not live there it is ‘easy’ enough for me to spout off at this keyboard without the fear or reality of real life ramifications, but I still lament the low volume response from people who I know directly, who have to live in a place where injustice and corruption might face them on a daily basis. I know what it is about. I know that even if you are viewed as the privileged, you don’t feel that way. Even if your home, work, lifestyle, social networks, etc. put you at the top or near it in the social hierarchy, life in Jamaica, is very much a struggle for you too and to take a social stand means sacrifice greater than is reasonable to expect from even good people. This means that there is even more division in the society. That delineation along social strata, is more pronounced. What to do then? Stay the course. Thank you again.
I take my hat off to Dimitri every single word has profound meaning and truth if only this could be put into practice it will be so good !
Well said..unfortunately we need more of our people to be on the same line of thinking…one man alone cannot do this we need strength in numbers only then will be able to make inroads to change the system and the mindset of our people. We also need the elected members of our society to realise that they are the custodians of our constitution and therefore it must be guarded in the interest of the whole nation and not just the parties in office. I implore all Jamaican to rise up as one unit and start building the country and politicians, lawmakers and those in governance please lead by example, and i am sure the nation will follow. There is a lot to be done but trust me it can be done once we are united.
Dimitri..WHINE FOR YOURSELF>> Most of us who are actively working to change things are PROUD JAMAICANS .. WARTS.. and ALL> We feel NO STIGMA! You need to check yourself.. Sure this was written three years ago.. But since then what have you done.. besides WHINING .. You really need to take this post down.. as it does not make you look like anything other than a cowardly Lyon.. THree years after you penned this emotional sob story.. What have you done to MAKE a diference in JAMAICA>> Do you now belong to any of the various Diaspora Organizations working hard to do what they can.. Then PLEASE remove this BLOG entry…
your WHINING! Dimitri,, was not your finest hour.. WHINING WHINING! And then NOTHING but TALK… L:ike so many others.. COMPLAIN. WHINE But what are you DOING? Can you please STOP THE WHINING about what is wrong with JAMAICA.. and DO SOMETHING.. What are you doing? All this hand-wringing and speaking out.. WHAT ARE YOU DOING? THREE YEARS LATER Are you supporting Operation Restoration or RISE or AIR which are hard at work in Trench Town and Rae Town? Are you supporting LIBERTY HALL or any of the various programs being organized by various people and organizations. Are you active in any of the various alumni or sports or medical missions or education missions that brave souls in the diaspora are doing? If you have nothing good to say…. PLEASE for God;s sake STOP THE WHINING..Your energy is just dragging the rest of us who are trying to do something positive down.. PLUS with a name like LYON .. you can and should do better than that..
No one has a right to take another person’s life. However, I believe if jobs are created for the people, there will be less crime. I also believe that citizens who you have referred in your article from the ghetto have truly being ignored by those who are of certain socio-economic class. This sort of discrimination brought forth resentment and only affects these individual mentally with blinders to see no other way out, but to be involved in crime. You are forgetting the American Television that corrupts the mind of many Jamaican youths. The baggy pants, the tattoos, the nose rings, tongue rings, lip rings, private area rings, navel rings, rings in lips. The devil has taken over. The younger generation wants it now mentality with the name brand behind expensive gadgets. Not too many young men wants their finger nails to get dirty to plant a vegetable garden. If Jamaica decide to change the requirements for a person not to denounce their U.S. Citizenship in order to be in politics, I am quite sure that there are a number of individual that would have form a new party that would have the people best interest at heart. About the guns and killings, easy fixing. Get a few SGR-A1 robot installed throughout Kingston and all the volatile areas, a few bullet proof cars, bullet proof law enforcement suits , which stops M-16 & AK-47 rounds, APCs, Electric Chairs, tear down all tin fences, build apartments like a Section 8 in the U.S. with every house with an address, Every citizen at the age of 13 must have an ID card and Jamaica Social Security Number, All personnel at the age of 13 must be fingerprinted, all CariCom personnel entering Jamaica to include Jamaicans must be fingerprinted, Anyone leaving the Island that are Nationals must have their information in a Database, all baby born must have a DNA on file and stored in a Database System, install street cameras, dash-cams on Law Enforcement vehicles. Give gunmen 30 days to turn in their weapons to the JDF Camp holding it by the barrel, get some assistance from Britain and the U.S. to assist in an Operation Clean Sweep. So much to list. Give me the position and I will show you how Jamaica can be Jamaica. God bless.
Jamaica is Paradise BUT the people are destroying it. Excellent read though and we need to make a change.
The Zeitgeist Movement.
An interesting personal perspective. Jamaica is a true paradise to many, even those subjected to the harsh realities of post- colonialism. There are significant progress being made for the island nation and the people are waking up and taking responsibility for their part in bringing sustainable change.
The first step towards solution is to acknowledge the existence of a problem. Jamaica’s problem is dynamic, complexed and multi-dimentional. It has incrementally evolved over many years and in some instances eluded the response and scrutiny that would have been afforded an acute presentation. The concerns that you have articulated represent a sampling of the real conditions and complexities. Unfortunately, there are many privileged Jamaicans who continue to exploit resources that are provided to address and hopefully remedy the status quo. The prevailing attitude of entitlement has eroded the work ethics and sense of personal satisfaction that were once the hallmark of the Jamaican society. The, seemingly, ease with which opinions, discourse and lives are disposed of, when they are perceived as threats to the status quo, is alarming and prohibitive.
Thanks you for raising the issue
I read your article with interest, and was not surprised by your feelings of hopelessness. As you said, you are from uptown Kingston, this implies that you were never trained or educated to deal with the problems of your homeland only to observe and comment on them. Instead you would have been schooled to migrate to “greener pastures” where you will have a family, grow old and live out your days on a handsome retirement plan.
I’m not attacking you personally, your reality is that of about 80% of all tertiary level graduates that grew up in Jamaica and the wider Caribbean. You were trained to turn a blind eye on your country and to develop first would countries instead.
It is a master plan that guarantees the continued growth and success of these first world countries and that your mental powers and talents will never be used to really help you home land. Unfortunately for you, you have begun to wake up!!
The physical chains are gone, but the mental chains remain.
Talking is what we do very well, now that the discussion continues, lets take the next step to act!! Dimitri Lyon take the lead with this one as you have displayed the necessary skills to capture and keep the attention of many. lets start the changing process!! i am on Board!!
Funny how people who are not in the mix can talk a lot of shit talking will not solve anything what are you doing about it now
Good comments perhaps Jamaicans living abroad can unite to find viable solutions.
Regards Ingrid
Dimitri, I always like your writing. This is a sad, but well written article.
I left Jamaica at the age of six, when Jamaica became independent, I was born and lived in the country, I’m now almost 60. Having visited fairly regularly, I have seen progress from a material standpoint. I remember pit latrines as a child, now when I visit, no one that I know has a pit latrine. That is a significant sign of progress.
As an outsider, I have also been touched by the killing, robbery and physical assault of family members who were simply trying to make an honest living, while living in the country.
At one time I dreamed of returning to Jamaica to run a business, employ people, and retire. Given the current environment, That dream seems like a fools errand.
My thinking is that Jamaica needs to teach Civic responsibility to all, starting with the youngest children and continuing through all ages in all schools. A similar campaign needs to be directed, using mass media towards adults. Re-education is desperately needed. Jamaica also needs to have honesty and integrity in business, public service and government, accompanied by a law and order focus in government.
I also think that ordinary citizens should be encouraged to arm themselves for self protection. Gun safety education should accompany this initiative, but given the current state, citizens should be able to responsibly defend themselves.
There are many great, accomplished and friendly people in Jamaica, but I fear that there are also many people who have not been taught to value human life, they have not been taught that they are created to reflect God’s image.
I will always love Jamaica, and still mostly enjoy my visits, but my visits have become less frequent, and my dream of Jamaica as a good place to live and retire has almost evaporated. Jamaica is at a critical tipping point, it seems to be on the verge of becoming an ungovernable society.
Honestly, after travelling through the Caribbean I see more hope and progress in the non English speaking Caribbean, particularly in Haiti, as an example, than in Jamaica. It could be that the lowest forms of American ghetto attitudes and deviant behavior have become accepted as a norm in Jamaica. Maybe American media should be blocked, although I’m not sure if this is possible. The Dutch and French speaking islands might have some natural insulation because of the language barrier.
There is a great book by the late Robert Bork, that discussed defining deviancy downwards, and as a result, deviant ideas, thoughts and actions become normalized and accepted, that’s how I see the current Jamaica, a nation on an accelerating downwards spiral.
This is a good read but I feel like the article is putting alot of blame on the lower class Jamaican people for Jamaica’s inability to move forward socially and economically. We need to understand that there are systems of oppression in place here. There are institutions oppressing lower class Jamaicans and upper/middle class Jamaicans are oppressing lower class Jamaicans. How can anything change if we can’t even acknowledge our own privilege over lower class Jamaicans? In order for a more egalitarian Jamaican society people need to be willing to give up some of their own privilege. Are we willing to do that?
Also, I understand your feelings of helplessness but members of the Jamaican diasporic community hold more power than they think. You writing this article brings awareness to the socio-economic problems in Jamaica BUT only to a certain group of people. We cannot keep teaching STRICTLY privileged people about oppression. We need to start educating Jamaican people about paradigms, hierarchies, racism, sexism, shadism, classism, and oppression. We need to build schools. We need to work at creating healthy communities. We need to be role models for children WHO ARE NOT OUR OWN. We need to ACCEPT lower class Jamaican people and not just tolerate them. We need action.
Even as a tourist a permissible attitude towards corruption by local officials at the international airport that I arrived at, was noticeable.
I was interrogated and almost threatened with extortion because my personal belongings were ‘too nice’ by their estimation. It’s sad to see such a beautiful country so troubled. There were others that I met, that had been ‘taxed’ for their belongings being too nice, that money did not go towards the betterment of the country, it went into the pockets of the officials on duty.
I blogged about my recent trip there.
I met another couple in my home town who had gone to Jamaica for their honeymoon around the same time, her husband was disabled and had special gear to allow him to move around unassisted (canes, crutches or something), customs confiscated it. They were not able to get their stuff back until an official at the local airport told them for X amount of dollars he could be persuaded to go retrieve it for them.
see what “Independence” does ??? Jamaica should of stayed under the commonwealth (the queen) things would of been a lot better for the country and its people
good article dimitri..from the heart….heres a foreigners view of ja….british,lived here for 11 years….pure and simply Jamaicans are their own worst enemies…..I came here to retire…I renovated a 1 acre farm…I did most of what I wanted to do but it was against a constant resistance of Jamaicans badmindedness and gov agency tardiness……there is a constant awareness that at any time I can be targeted by badmen..they will lose if they do..but its a pressure that detracts from the so called ” paradise “….I intend to die here,my bit of Jamaica is great..my paradise..Jamaicans not included…I cannot imagine anyone from foreign investing in business here unless its the Chinese who have their own agenda…….how to change ja from the failed state that its been for a long time to prosperity,i don’t have that answer…..honestly I don’t think there is a workable answer…I think this is as good as it gets..maybe that’s the new definition of paradise,if you can live here and enjoy what you have….x
Dimitri..WHINE FOR YOURSELF>> Most of us who are actively working to change things are PROUD JAMAICANS .. WARTS.. and ALL> We feel NO STIGMA! You need to check yourself.. Sure this was written three years ago.. But since then what have you done.. besides WHINING .. You really need to take this post down.. as it does not make you look like anything other than a cowardly Lyon.. THree years after you penned this emotional sob story.. What have you done to MAKE a diference in JAMAICA>> Do you now belong to any of the various Diaspora Organizations working hard to do what they can.. Then PLEASE remove this BLOG entry…
your WHINING! Dimitri,, was not your finest hour.. WHINING WHINING! And then NOTHING but TALK… L:ike so many others.. COMPLAIN. WHINE But what are you DOING? Can you please STOP THE WHINING about what is wrong with JAMAICA.. and DO SOMETHING.. What are you doing? All this hand-wringing and speaking out.. WHAT ARE YOU DOING? THREE YEARS LATER Are you supporting Operation Restoration or RISE or AIR which are hard at work in Trench Town and Rae Town? Are you supporting LIBERTY HALL or any of the various programs being organized by various people and organizations. Are you active in any of the various alumni or sports or medical missions or education missions that brave souls in the diaspora are doing? If you have nothing good to say…. PLEASE for God;s sake STOP THE WHINING..Your energy is just dragging the rest of us who are trying to do something positive down.. PLUS with a name like LYON .. you can and should do better than that..
see what “Independence” does ??? Jamaica should of stayed under the commonwealth (the queen) things would of been a lot better for the country and its people
Sorry you feel so hopeless. I am sure that there is much more you could do to bring hope to our country. I currently work in a large inner-city neighborhood in the US where there are at least 5 murders DAILY. Yes Jamaica is smaller in size and population, so our crime rate stands out but we have made progress. As a develoPING country, there are still many issues to resolve economically and politically. I think with all your degrees and insight there is much more you could do to help. How can you as a motivational speaker be so hopeless and helpless. I love my country and I too have seen the useless murders to our people. I cannot however be hopeless because we have made much progress but in the global arena, poverty and crime is a bi-product of the economic challenges one faces as a country and we will have to be more focused on finding better solutions……. this too is a world wide concern.
Good comments perhaps Jamaicans living abroad can unite to find viable solutions.
Regards Ingrid
I am 100 percentage agree with every word you say. The only problem is we who are dying to see a change in our lovely country, are helpless. I am now living in a foreign country and my greatest wish is to return to my country,a place call home. But I am scared. But one thing I will never give up on my dreams. I am hoping a change will come some day, The Eternal God please wave your hands over Jamaica for all of us that yarning for change Eternal God pleas bless Jamaica
Can you guys do something about that Ad. that covers your article? It’s a deterrent to what could be a growing readership.
Even as a tourist a permissible attitude towards corruption by local officials at the international airport that I arrived at, was noticeable.
I was interrogated and almost threatened with extortion because my personal belongings were ‘too nice’ by their estimation. It’s sad to see such a beautiful country so troubled. There were others that I met, that had been ‘taxed’ for their belongings being too nice, that money did not go towards the betterment of the country, it went into the pockets of the officials on duty.
I blogged about my recent trip there.
I met another couple in my home town who had gone to Jamaica for their honeymoon around the same time, her husband was disabled and had special gear to allow him to move around unassisted (canes, crutches or something), customs confiscated it. They were not able to get their stuff back until an official at the local airport told them for X amount of dollars he could be persuaded to go retrieve it for them.
This is a good read but I feel like the article is putting alot of blame on the lower class Jamaican people for Jamaica’s inability to move forward socially and economically. We need to understand that there are systems of oppression in place here. There are institutions oppressing lower class Jamaicans and upper/middle class Jamaicans are oppressing lower class Jamaicans. How can anything change if we can’t even acknowledge our own privilege over lower class Jamaicans? In order for a more egalitarian Jamaican society people need to be willing to give up some of their own privilege. Are we willing to do that?
Also, I understand your feelings of helplessness but members of the Jamaican diasporic community hold more power than they think. You writing this article brings awareness to the socio-economic problems in Jamaica BUT only to a certain group of people. We cannot keep teaching STRICTLY privileged people about oppression. We need to start educating Jamaican people about paradigms, hierarchies, racism, sexism, shadism, classism, and oppression. We need to build schools. We need to work at creating healthy communities. We need to be role models for children WHO ARE NOT OUR OWN. We need to ACCEPT lower class Jamaican people and not just tolerate them. We need action.
Dimitri, I always like your writing. This is a sad, but well written article.
I left Jamaica at the age of six, when Jamaica became independent, I was born and lived in the country, I’m now almost 60. Having visited fairly regularly, I have seen progress from a material standpoint. I remember pit latrines as a child, now when I visit, no one that I know has a pit latrine. That is a significant sign of progress.
As an outsider, I have also been touched by the killing, robbery and physical assault of family members who were simply trying to make an honest living, while living in the country.
At one time I dreamed of returning to Jamaica to run a business, employ people, and retire. Given the current environment, That dream seems like a fools errand.
My thinking is that Jamaica needs to teach Civic responsibility to all, starting with the youngest children and continuing through all ages in all schools. A similar campaign needs to be directed, using mass media towards adults. Re-education is desperately needed. Jamaica also needs to have honesty and integrity in business, public service and government, accompanied by a law and order focus in government.
I also think that ordinary citizens should be encouraged to arm themselves for self protection. Gun safety education should accompany this initiative, but given the current state, citizens should be able to responsibly defend themselves.
There are many great, accomplished and friendly people in Jamaica, but I fear that there are also many people who have not been taught to value human life, they have not been taught that they are created to reflect God’s image.
I will always love Jamaica, and still mostly enjoy my visits, but my visits have become less frequent, and my dream of Jamaica as a good place to live and retire has almost evaporated. Jamaica is at a critical tipping point, it seems to be on the verge of becoming an ungovernable society.
Honestly, after travelling through the Caribbean I see more hope and progress in the non English speaking Caribbean, particularly in Haiti, as an example, than in Jamaica. It could be that the lowest forms of American ghetto attitudes and deviant behavior have become accepted as a norm in Jamaica. Maybe American media should be blocked, although I’m not sure if this is possible. The Dutch and French speaking islands might have some natural insulation because of the language barrier.
There is a great book by the late Robert Bork, that discussed defining deviancy downwards, and as a result, deviant ideas, thoughts and actions become normalized and accepted, that’s how I see the current Jamaica, a nation on an accelerating downwards spiral.
No one has a right to take another person’s life. However, I believe if jobs are created for the people, there will be less crime. I also believe that citizens who you have referred in your article from the ghetto have truly being ignored by those who are of certain socio-economic class. This sort of discrimination brought forth resentment and only affects these individual mentally with blinders to see no other way out, but to be involved in crime. You are forgetting the American Television that corrupts the mind of many Jamaican youths. The baggy pants, the tattoos, the nose rings, tongue rings, lip rings, private area rings, navel rings, rings in lips. The devil has taken over. The younger generation wants it now mentality with the name brand behind expensive gadgets. Not too many young men wants their finger nails to get dirty to plant a vegetable garden. If Jamaica decide to change the requirements for a person not to denounce their U.S. Citizenship in order to be in politics, I am quite sure that there are a number of individual that would have form a new party that would have the people best interest at heart. About the guns and killings, easy fixing. Get a few SGR-A1 robot installed throughout Kingston and all the volatile areas, a few bullet proof cars, bullet proof law enforcement suits , which stops M-16 & AK-47 rounds, APCs, Electric Chairs, tear down all tin fences, build apartments like a Section 8 in the U.S. with every house with an address, Every citizen at the age of 13 must have an ID card and Jamaica Social Security Number, All personnel at the age of 13 must be fingerprinted, all CariCom personnel entering Jamaica to include Jamaicans must be fingerprinted, Anyone leaving the Island that are Nationals must have their information in a Database, all baby born must have a DNA on file and stored in a Database System, install street cameras, dash-cams on Law Enforcement vehicles. Give gunmen 30 days to turn in their weapons to the JDF Camp holding it by the barrel, get some assistance from Britain and the U.S. to assist in an Operation Clean Sweep. So much to list. Give me the position and I will show you how Jamaica can be Jamaica. God bless.
I read your article with interest, and was not surprised by your feelings of hopelessness. As you said, you are from uptown Kingston, this implies that you were never trained or educated to deal with the problems of your homeland only to observe and comment on them. Instead you would have been schooled to migrate to “greener pastures” where you will have a family, grow old and live out your days on a handsome retirement plan.
I’m not attacking you personally, your reality is that of about 80% of all tertiary level graduates that grew up in Jamaica and the wider Caribbean. You were trained to turn a blind eye on your country and to develop first would countries instead.
It is a master plan that guarantees the continued growth and success of these first world countries and that your mental powers and talents will never be used to really help you home land. Unfortunately for you, you have begun to wake up!!
The physical chains are gone, but the mental chains remain.
The first step towards solution is to acknowledge the existence of a problem. Jamaica’s problem is dynamic, complexed and multi-dimentional. It has incrementally evolved over many years and in some instances eluded the response and scrutiny that would have been afforded an acute presentation. The concerns that you have articulated represent a sampling of the real conditions and complexities. Unfortunately, there are many privileged Jamaicans who continue to exploit resources that are provided to address and hopefully remedy the status quo. The prevailing attitude of entitlement has eroded the work ethics and sense of personal satisfaction that were once the hallmark of the Jamaican society. The, seemingly, ease with which opinions, discourse and lives are disposed of, when they are perceived as threats to the status quo, is alarming and prohibitive.
Thanks you for raising the issue
thank you for sharing your thoughts here. As a Jamaican who lives abroad and who expresses a fair amount of social commentary with an activist’s twist, I have noticed that reaction to some of my more controversial ideas, from people who agree with my thoughts, have come to me in private. In fact, even the hostile reactions (they are many fewer), also tend to not be publicly expressed, by Jamaicans writing from there. I know that as someone who does not live there it is ‘easy’ enough for me to spout off at this keyboard without the fear or reality of real life ramifications, but I still lament the low volume response from people who I know directly, who have to live in a place where injustice and corruption might face them on a daily basis. I know what it is about. I know that even if you are viewed as the privileged, you don’t feel that way. Even if your home, work, lifestyle, social networks, etc. put you at the top or near it in the social hierarchy, life in Jamaica, is very much a struggle for you too and to take a social stand means sacrifice greater than is reasonable to expect from even good people. This means that there is even more division in the society. That delineation along social strata, is more pronounced. What to do then? Stay the course. Thank you again.
Well said..unfortunately we need more of our people to be on the same line of thinking…one man alone cannot do this we need strength in numbers only then will be able to make inroads to change the system and the mindset of our people. We also need the elected members of our society to realise that they are the custodians of our constitution and therefore it must be guarded in the interest of the whole nation and not just the parties in office. I implore all Jamaican to rise up as one unit and start building the country and politicians, lawmakers and those in governance please lead by example, and i am sure the nation will follow. There is a lot to be done but trust me it can be done once we are united.
An interesting personal perspective. Jamaica is a true paradise to many, even those subjected to the harsh realities of post- colonialism. There are significant progress being made for the island nation and the people are waking up and taking responsibility for their part in bringing sustainable change.
Well said Dimitri.. I fully understand the feeling of hopelessness. which is something Jamaican’s in the Diaspora wouldn’t totally get. Degrees & intentions..they all pale in the face of systemic oppression and failed politics. Regardless of the global issues, there are some serious core local ones which only we can address. Take heart in the fact that the brave act of speaking out is a step in the right..or maybe I should say CORRECT Direction…change may take us some time, and we know it can begin with small actions. You are part of that change. You have acted!
Talking is what we do very well, now that the discussion continues, lets take the next step to act!! Dimitri Lyon take the lead with this one as you have displayed the necessary skills to capture and keep the attention of many. lets start the changing process!! i am on Board!!
Funny how people who are not in the mix can talk a lot of shit talking will not solve anything what are you doing about it now
Everything said is correct but we all have to agree to educate, and remove the political tribalism that breeds hatered and violence. Not only to love the poor but to get rid of poverty.
Jamaica is Paradise BUT the people are destroying it. Excellent read though and we need to make a change.
I take my hat off to Dimitri every single word has profound meaning and truth if only this could be put into practice it will be so good !
Dimitri I understand your sentiments and share your pain.
The Zeitgeist Movement.
Wow. Well said.
The fact that censorship, Comunisum is prevalent in Jamaica now,, adds to the blurred picture of truth. Case in point certain tourist sites are censoring the truth about the crime there especially in Negril. Dollar over life. Sad.
Well said. Interestingly I live in Trinidad and I can fully identify with all that is being said. Once upon a time we felt it was a Jamaica or Guyana problem. Now we must acknowkedge it as a CARICOM issue.
True words.
Bravo !! Thank you
There is such desperation in this article, but so much truth to it!
This article is on point. Reality at it’s best. We are responsible for the future of our people and nation. No longer should people turn a blind eye to things that are going on. Speak up let your voice be heard.
I agree with what you have written but as a Jamaican I am not hopeless but hopeful that a change can come in reality it is the mindset of our people that have us in this situation and especially the young, it is as if they have been indoctrinated to believe that if you come from downtown no good come from there, but many I defied the odds and have proven this is not so. There was a time when uptowners would mingle with downtowners, such as Rae Town street parties, and even Tivoli/ Spanish Town parties. What happens the crime in these areas have put an end to it all because the thought process of people here if a crime is committed no one ever witness anything and …’mi a nuh informer’ and as you say if a person decides to speak the informer is branded and executed as you say. This has spilt into the schools students steal, etc, nobody sees or will speak up as is often said, ‘mi nuh want nuh body call mi informer’. Change can come if as a people we make the concerted effort to change but this must start from within the homes and it will diffuse throughout communities and the wider Jamaica and as Irwyn E. Roach said it is not only a Jamaica’s problem but a Caricom issue, it is what is happening throughout the region!
You’ve said everything I’ve always wanted to say. !!
Leoney Williamson-Walker
Well said.My views and opinions are of the same as the writer.Nothing change since I migrate to Canada Jamaica is what it is, our hands are tied.
Leoney Williamson-Walker
Well said.My views and opinions are of the same as the writer.Nothing change since I migrate to Canada Jamaica is what it is, our hands are tied.
Leoney Williamson-wWilI fet
Leoney Williamson-wWilI fet
This is the most ignorant, unpatriotic and anti-Jamaica post I have ever read. This gentleman; in vain efforts to front his credentials with the hope of blinding the real intent of his rejection of his cultural heritage, is simply ‘baffling with bullshit…’ My father used to quote: “…A penny wise, but a pound foolish…” I would have never thought that Pop’s words would become so factual 73 years later in reading this literary garbage that Dimitri wrote. … And to make matters even worst, he actually convinced others to agree with him.
While there are so many things wrong with Jamaica, Barbados, Trinidad, United States, Great Britain and others places of notable mention, it is insensitive and totally elementary to call out any one place with such hopelessness…
We are living in a more challenged society than our fore-parents did, and morality and social justice are contended with even stronger and more diverse interpretations. If our goal is to make a better community, society or universe we should first realize there is no utopia, and while the most eloquent Dimitri did not actually say it, it is evident that he thinks the United States of America hosts the ideal utopian haven. My man, you are so wrong to be bashing any place; especially a young country that actually came into its own just a few years ago.
The Caribbean is still reeling from the ill-effects of centuries of colonialism. It is still reeling from the ill-advised financial gloat of the IMF, bad investors like Alumina of Canada, Coca-Cola and Pepsi Cola, foreign hoteliers, and overall bad internal governing. Yet, most of all, the region is reeling from the many whom, (not unlike its former oppressors such as Great Britain and most of Europe) are its former citizens like Mr. Dimitri who are under the delusion of grandeur that they are ‘somebody’ simply because they were fortunate enough to migrate and acquire higher levels of education…Dimitri, what have you done for The Country of your birth lately, besides telling the world it is a disgrace?
Dude, I KNOW you are not planning to EVER return to Jamaica, FOR ANY REASONS, because you will NOT BE WELCOMED THERE, and be forewarned, you can be a ‘persona non grata’ of your beloved America at any given time because you are simply an ‘invited guest,’ whether you are a citizen or a permanent resident…
As we continue to fight racism, injustice and intolerance towards people of color we must arm ourselves with relative information that will enhance our quest for a ‘better world.’ I’m inviting everyone to get a copy of my latest books uniquely written to let Jamaica and the Caribbean, America and the rest of the World know we care and are willing ‘to fight back!’
Please visit my website (www.BenTashBooks.Org) and give me a feedback.
Respect
Horatio from Linstead, JA
I agree that the crime in Jamaica is high but I disagree that Jamaica have the highest crime rate..Jamaica is small country so everything there is published. Most people that are killed in Jamaica are targeted because of what they get themselves . One example is the scamming schedule and the people who Tru to.get rich quick. I am not living in ja,but I.go there every year on vacation and will continue going there because that’s the only time I feel free to have some fun.. We all migrated and living in other country but never know when we will be pushed back to where we come from.
i cannot find anything that I disagree with in this article. If I had written it, I would have been more critical and probably would have given some examples and some names etc.
Unlike Joy Duncan-Cohall, I do not think that we have made any progress worth talking about since I left in 1977, in fact, in many ways it is now worse. I also do not think that we are any longer a “developing country”. Recently, we achieved the dubious status of being the second poorest country in the Hemisphere. We do not have “still many issues to resolve economically” simply because we no longer have a functional economy. We do not have “still many issues to resolve .. politically” because our politicians no longer function. The Government is essentially non-functional.
The writer blames himself as being part of the problem, because he took no action to correct, but I would not blame him. Instead I blame the people as a whole. It is they who have repeatedly allowed the politicians to mishandle the economy. It is the people, as a whole, who have changed their standards and moral values etc. It is the people as a whole, who are the problem.
But, Paradise is not completely lost, as yet, because the people, as a whole, are the solution. Jamaica needs its people, each and everyone, to stop the party politics, stop the slackness, stop the criminals and regain their high moral values. This is the solution to our economic, political and crime problems.
As a fellow Jamaican who also left the land of my birth in the early 70’s a few years after the passing of my beloved father Karl DaCosta in Mandeville January 14th 1969 months after I turned 17, I am saddend to see and hear these stories that are playing out in the Social Media about my little island of Jamaica, but on the other hand even though my last trip back to Jamaica was in 79 I have been in contact with Family and Friends that still live there, and Family and Friends who have gone back and returned here to the state of Florida where I now reside, and I have been told that yes there are some problems happening there but it is not as bad as people are making it out to be, and obviously the constant berrating of Jamaica only adds to it’s demise because we have to realize that the Tourist Industry is very important to Jamaica’s economy and the more bad things published and spread around the world is going to be detrimental to that part of the economy. Let me state that I will someday return to Jamaica but not to live I have Family and Friends still living there so I will be going to visit, I married a Dominican woman while living in the Dominican Republic and our 4 children were born there and having spent 17 years of my life there teaching English and raising our family I more than likely will return there to retire and pass on to the next life but Jamaica was the place of my birth and I will alwys love Jamaica, so in closing I will quote the verse to my song TRUE JAMAICAN I come from a little island in the heart of the caribbean, The land of wood and water blue seas and white sands, Where the sun shines brightly for every living soul, Out of many one people from we are born we are told, and the Chorus I may not be a Dreadlocks or a Rastaman, But i am and will always be a TRUE JAMAICAN
And yet Jamaica is still the most religious island in the Caribbean. Where’s god in all this?
And while you’re at it. It may be a good idea to work with an organisation to advance their work in teaching/enforcing/rewarding good parenting skills.
I believe that you can talk until you drop, it is more than likely that the talk will fall on deaf ears until the culture of our people is such that they understand the importance of respect for others, and their role in creating/maintaining harmony for sustained growth and development of a nation.