Neglected, yet fascinating attractions

[Islandman]

That was my most recent experience there too,. I went there when there were few other buyers around so about 5 man circle the car before we could get out. And the prices were uptown restaurant prices, makes no sense.

Still a regular stop if I am going that way though, its just a tradition for me. I suppose there are many of us like that and thats why they can charge such ridiculous prices.

[Assasin]

I can't wait for your post.

It is time for you put up something more than your regular one liners.

I will be frank but I give Barlett his due where it is deserved and he as done some good things since taking office. Yes other moves are welcome but you can't blame Barlett for trying and doing things that others think was impossible.

[Mosiah]

Well, let me tell you, Assasin.

Yesterday, I had two persons accompany me back to the friendly city from Kingston. They both work on cruise ships and have travelled to every cruise ship port in the world - from St. Petersburg to Barcelona to Boston to New Zealand to Aruba to Cayman to Montego Bay to...you name it, they have been there.

When they tell me that it's not odd to see 10 cruise ships in port in Cayman, where there isn't a deep enough harbour to accommodate them properly...

When they tell me that Jamaica has the worst arrival point for cruise ship passengers...

These are two people, a man and a woman, who love Jamaica, but who are disappointed in how we have dealt with tourism over the years. Before we drove to Montego Bay, we made a stop at Emancipation Park, which, by the way, was the worst I have ever seen the grounds! But as bad as it was, they lamented that Montego Bay has nothing remotely close to it. We had also gone down to the Kingston Mall, downtown, which they said reminded them of some of the countries they had visited around the world, but, sadly, there was nothing like that in Montego Bay. (For those who do not know, Mobay is the tourism capital of Jamaica.)

Did I not tell you about that day when I overheard a tourist lady ask a JUTA man which hurricane destroyed the Montego Freeport Shopping Centre? The man responded saying that it was not a hurricane, just old age. Sass, yuh mean fi tell mi dat tourism ministers over the years could not understand the importance of beautifying/fixing up the first point of welcome for cruise ship passengers?!?!

Sass, that article by Kerr-Jarrett, yuh tink is just two place in Jamaica that are underdeveloped and underpromoted?!? And don't think because someone as important as Kerr-Jarrett has talked about it that something will be done!

Sass, wi joking wid dis tourism ting! And it's time for us to stop the political crap and deal wid it. Yes, the minister is doing something but when yuh check it, he is not doing even 40% of what he could do!!!

I don't have the time to go thru everything, Sass. If I find the time I will list other areas where we have failed the country and the tourists.

[Assasin]

Mo I share all the sentiment you just posted.

I was trained at HEART in Runaway Bay and hold a two year degree in Travel and Tourism. I use to write articles about tourism development which was posted as letters in the gleaner and was contacted by JTB about them. I recieved a commonwealth scholarship to study in Cyprus which was later withdrawn for some political reason. Can't say why the "englishman" them did this.

I have watched the port in Port Antonio died, the rise of Ochi. We are not close to potential. There is a lot of development and training to be done in this area. I have seen too many tourism ministers shake hand and laugh and provide no clear leadership. The one on the radio is one of the worst(Abrahams). Portia was given straw fi carry water by PJ.

Barlett is the first one I see who provide some form of leadership. You know where he stands on position and he works everyday not only been an ambassador but selling and I have to give him credit for this.

I was not sure about him been a good tourism minister but check his record even as opposition tourism spokesman and you can see his honest opinion, not tribalism.

There is a lot to develop and our mentality has to change and leadership has to their. For the last 2 years Barlett has provided leadership and put some of the best people in the industry behind him.

There are somethings the government can be blamed for, many but what is holding back tourism most is Jamaicans don't see it as an important industry and Jamaicans(most) don't think how to motivate their communities and take advantage.

If you go to the Bahamas the man on the street will tell you they have to take tourism serious as their bread and butter depend on it.

"Sass, yuh mean fi tell mi dat tourism ministers over the years could not understand the importance of beautifying/fixing up the first point of welcome for cruise ship passengers?!?!"

a whole heap of thing tourism ministers did that made no sense like close JamVac, our arm of selling, I can understand restructuring and rebuilding but not closing our marketing arm. The tourist board and ministers practically stop assisting smaller properties to promote themselves in the north American market in the mid 90s.

What have the Tourism minister done for the workers in the industry over the years? many had no pension and not a chance of owning a home, even with decent salaries that are better than teacher's and police.

We can go through this but Bartlett has put tourism on the front Burner and open dialogues and is trying to sell. Ministers after minsters has be wishy washy on things like Casino gambling and tackling many issues. Hopefully by his four years out he will be able to leave a mark or we can have someone better but don't tell me bout McNeil as he knows nothing about the industry.

what we have to do is provide honest pressure and criticisim and dialogue with the tourism board to go forward.

[Historian]

Yes, That Was It!

Historian, if you are talking about the "No Reservations" program with Anthony Bourdain, I was also very disapointed with the Jamaica episode of the show.

I don't understand how they did such a poor job of it because that is one of the few Travel Channel programs that I like to watch, they have had some great "off-the-beaten-tourist-path" shows in places like Columbia, Laos, The Azores etc so I was looking forward to the inevitable Jamaica episode to see where he would end up. The Cockpit Country? Faiths Pen? Accompong maybe? Nope, a dark cave in the middle of nowhere (where the hell was that anyway) and a meal cooked by Muta. Truly disapointing.

Yes, that’s it, Islandman! “No Reservations” with Anthony Bourdain it was, and what a disaster that episode on Jamaica turned out to be (at least in my mind)! And how could I forget Mutabaruka and his green, salt-free foodstuff, with Muta asking how it tasted every flipping minute. Then, after Anthony resonded approvingly each time, Mutabaruka would ask something like, “Yu not just saying it for the camera?”

So let’s see: Despite the immense beauty of Jamaica, all that the Travel Channel producers decided to cover in that extremely disappointing episode was a cave way up in the mountains in the middle of nowhere that contained a million bats and a lost black cat, an anonymous man selling jerk chicken on a sidewalk in Kingston, Mutabruka and his salt-free food, Coronation Market (where Anthony bought a beef patty), and some Blue Mountain coffee workers.

Trust me, I was downright ****************ed off and therefore relieved when that program finally ended!

[Assasin]

Well while I didn't see that there are many positive ones I have seen on the travel channel. However if we as Jamaicans don't even visit the areas we want to highlight, how is travel channel going to know about them?

[Mosiah]

Fine, Sass, but you will not hear me bigging up the minister for doing a better job than the rest. Leadership is one thing, talk is the next. We need plain action! Yes, it might not be his fault, because he does not have access to the nation's purses, and that's why it's not even about "the minister of tourism".

Fact is our govts have failed royally. I have long believed that tourism alone could pull this country out of its mess. There are several countries that rely on nothing else despite the theories on monocultures, etc. They have all weathered the Cold War, 911, the global recession and H1N1.

Joke ting, Assasin!

[Mosiah]

However if we as Jamaicans don't even visit the areas we want to highlight, how is travel channel going to know about them?

No, Sass. Nuh mek excuse fi dem.

[Mosiah]

Went there yesterday, first in a long time, and I was reminded why I had stopped eating at that place. Expensive, cold food. My fish was undercooked! Everybody selling di exact same ting.

Faith's Pen? Faith nah see mi in har pen again anytime soon!

[Assasin]

Mo without a doubt the ministry is not in a vacuum and the government plays a role but when you have someone trying we need to encourage him and you can't tell me Barlett is not trying. I have to give him credit because last year this time we too many even in the industry was laughing at him and it is not just luck why we don't haven't lost 15% of our tourism, it is hard work. Check our neigbours and you will see. They said the tourism money is best spent other places, even our esteem Lazie.

The differnce with Barlett is he actually plan himself and bring stuff to the cabinet, which is totally different from the rest of ministers. That saying he has a mamouth task to do and I wish him the best.

I will criticise when I see fit but I can't criticise him for trying to open up more avenues to Ja which includes gateway to China, Eastern Europe and South America etc. He was the first to support Casino openly, making retirement packages for workers within the industry and other little things that needed to be done for a long time.

[Assasin]

Mo travel channel has had a lot of lovely pieces on JA. I can forgive them for one bad piece. My point is we don't even visit these places and don't even accept what we have so how will they be discovered?

[Assasin]

them have any bathroom up deh yet?

[Historian]

Relevance??

Well while I didn't see that there are many positive ones I have seen on the travel channel. However if we as Jamaicans don't even visit the areas we want to highlight, how is travel channel going to know about them?

Assasin, both Islandman and I watched that episode, and we both apparently feel the same way over what was shown. Now, I’m not sure about the relevance of your comment above about where Jamaicans visit and don’t visit!! What I know for a fact is that every Jamaican knows of other areas aside from Coronation Market, the Blue Mountain Coffee sorting house, and a cave in the middle of hell, and every Jamaican knows of cultural stuff other than what that jerk chicken man had to offer on the sidewalk and what Mutabaruka cooks in his kitchen!!

[Mosiah]

You have not heard me tearing him down, but I certainly won't be bigging him up.

Everybody deserves encouragement and praise if they are doing the slightest positive thing.

[Mosiah]

From long time! And the best kind too! You quickly forget that you needed to go once you step inside!

Now, the equivalent on Melrose Hill has one of the best public bathrooms in Jamaica. Squeaky clean wid all toilet paper. There is a cost to use it but it is worth it!