jaylar
Years ago, when Hurricane Gilbert hit Jamaica, we didn’t wait around for the government to get off it’s backside. We didn’t sit on the road looking for foreign aid.
This is Jamaica, we did it ourselves.
People went out, chopped up the trees that were blocking the roads, some knew something about electrical wires, so got them up. Some knew where the springs were so went to collect water.
In short, by the time the Government got around to doing more than mouth running, everyone was pretty much on their feet.
Over two decades later, when Ivan hit, the same process was followed save that everyone had stored water, everyone was prepared to pitch in and get things done.
It isn’t only hurricanes.
There was a hole on the sidewalk. Whether the water commission dug it and forgot about it, whether there had been a grate someone stole for scrap metal, all that told you there was a hole was this yellow tape.
Considering there is no street light there, as soon as it got dark, you wouldn’t know there was a nice deep hole there, if you didn’t know yesterday.
Everyone spoke about it, no Government agency did anything about it.
A guy fell in and was pulled out by some security guards from across the road. Government did nothing.
There was a lot of rain and the hole began to stink.
A restaurant is nearby, so the owners went out, and cemented over the hole. They had no ‘permission’, they didn’t ask for any.
People are taking bets that in a few years when Government gets around to it, they’ll find the hole ‘illegally’ blocked, and probably dig another one.
That one should have a very short shelf life.
If Jamaica depended on America we’d have been in the same boat as Puerto Rico..
We were devastated on Sept 12; we were 99% back by Xmas. Puerto Rico is still not back, after over 2 years.
That is cause P.R. relies on America.
Very interesting. I would love to visit Jamaica one day.
I love it here.I think you will like it as well.
I see that they copy British government a little too well in Jamaica.
We were a colony until 1962. So our system is the British kind.
Yes, governments and committees are not practical,,,often have to do things myself here too.
I reckon people could also change their cars into electric cars, but too much red tape of the legality of doing it..
Good point you make here. Committess and organisations are frustrating here in NZ it takes 10 years to get results..
The way everything is set up, the one at the top with all the power is usually an idiot and those beneath are appointed via corrupt means.
Probably right monkey business and monkeys may be more successful than some people
I like the way the things are done there.
We are kind of anachistic if given the chance.
There was a lot of aid given to Jamaica. But you are right, the best thing to do is get things done!
Edward Seaga; who was PM wrote a long piece of Bull Crap when in fact, we got nothing from Gov. Any money was pocketed. Don’t know where you get your info from
Red Cross, US Gov, and many other aid groups poured millions of dollars into Jamacia.
Those all come from FEMA.Gov
Nope. They may have promised to give $$ but most of the activity was community driven.
C & W said it would fix our telecommunications but wanted a share of had been the Jamaica Telephone Company. They had it made into a public company, and shares were available. They had a guy buy most of the shares, and sell them to C &W.
C&W…. or as we know it; Careless and Worthless then gained a monopoly which lasted until the early 90s, when Digicel came in. C & W had made millions ripping off Jamaica.
The only Aid my community got was from Rita Marley and her kid who gave out care packages.
ok so international agencies were duped? Completely? There video and archive footage on all the major US news networks showing the red cross passing out aid.
I do believe Jamaica receives foreign aid mostly from America as the case with African countries. The problem is that the money gets lost in the top seats leaving little or none which was meant for the community.
I have witnessed it in my country several times when we get foreign aid from US and UK.
We get most Aid from China. As do most countries in AFrica.