Out Of Many One People? The Imbalance Of Race In Jamaica
Out Of Many One People – Yuh really think so?
I refused to attend the recently concluded Reggae Sumfest.
Not because I do not enjoy such events. I opted not to attend after hearing that the exclusive rights to the event were owned by a person of European origin. I decided to take a silent stance against the imbalance of race in Jamaica.
That reminds me: The majority of the hotels in Jamaica are owned by foreigners, usually white investors.
Most of black Jamaican hotel workers never seem to reach middle management of further up the ladder. A significant number of our Hotel Management graduates are stuck in neutral at the front desk or making beds.
I recently came through Sangster International Airport and heard a black Jamaican youth speaking fluent Italian to visitors. I asked of his skill and was told he was recruited primarily to communicate with Europeans.
“You should be in Italy teaching the “natives” there English as a Second Language,” I suggested. “Sure you would get far more money than what you are doing here.”
And does anybody realise that any major town in Jamaica is divided into distinct businesses?
Chinese nationals have the supermarkets, wholesalers and haberdasheries. Indian nationals straight from Mumbai or other places in India are selling anything from beds, clothes, shoes, tacky jewellery, to two-burner stoves…..Have not seen a Jamaican shop for a long time in Ocho Rios…
I am not a racist person. I am just irked by the fact that our island has become so lopsided. At the end of the day, the black people are still at the end of the gravy train as consumers or servants for tourists. Oh, I almost forgot, the politicians are not…
By Neo Makeba
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