Nice Carib cruise shipping colums

[Don1]

=Assasin;440572]Again, Whose fault they don't pay the head tax?

I guess you have no idea about the spin off to transportation, and local business if done correctly. Beat any spanish all inclusive any day.

If done correctly??

You are being ridiculous with this asinine comparison. Firstly GOJ doesn't borrow money to build Spanish All Inclusives...investors do.

Secondly the average cruiser spends $100 in Jamaica. The average spend of a stop over guest is over $1000

Take the scales off your eyes and do the math

The government have part ownership and it is possible for them to make profit on the port if run properly. The return for Trelawny can can be huge if done properly.

This is daft. The port is a loss leader. Cruise ports in the Caribbean are not profitable entities...they are subsidized.

Again you just a talk from one side without looking at the true picture so I will low you. An example is Disney cruise was interested in coming to Falmouth. Everybody in the industry know that Disney cruise is a demaned cruise liner, now where is it? What happen. If we continue to run it with your kind of negitivity it will always prove negitive and you will be proven right but if Jamaia like other places decide to double up and do it right like other places you will have to go in the background.

LOL. I am not being negitive (sic) yuteman. I am being logical... if yuh nuh like dat mi nuh bizniz. I predicted this thing would be sub-optimal. It's actually worse.

Mi deal wid reality...not yuh tourism nirvana

Again I grew in Portland and knew most business and people in that economy made a much better living when we had 2 or 3 ships coming in in a week. The spin off is what a lot of people used to educate their children and raise their standard of living. Today you can see the effect. Now imagine a port with more ships and bigger ones coming in and see how people can capitialize on it. Selah.

I am happy for the people who do benefit..... that is at the micro level.

At the macro or policy level one has to focus on the efficacy & ROI of the overall investment of vast amounts of borrowed funds in a debt-ridden economy.

It is clear that this project you supported is not worth the debt burden it imposes... and that projects with a better ROI for the people would be preferable

[Assasin]

I think some have always been crying. You have realise still that Buffet skill is really stock and buying at a good deal but if you specialize in trucking and gas price raise then it will hurt you. If you involve in production and labour cost go up it will also hurt you.

No doubt we on similar page but the external evvironment also affect the business. The fact is many businessmen are part of advocacy group and will fine something to squeal about. Is like asking JFJ or AL sharpton to be quiet. That is the good thing about democracy still as it can be used to cancel out some of the injustices

We can't make the environment stop us and if we fail, we have to try again and think smarter. One of the big problem we have however is lack of business education ( not necessarily univerity trained).

[Muadib]

Oh... mebbe dem shoulda did spend di money on making the tourism product safer and the tourism towns more palatable..

Den mebbe wi wouldn haffi ah worry bout Cruise Ship market..

[Stonigut]

Excellent last point. I am actually working with a team that is training and teaching the poor, homeless and survival entrepreneurs of which we have Nuff in Jamaica, financial skills and changing fundamental behavior as a way of being able to build for the future and more importantly to build emergency funds so they don't wipe out when they face an unusual situation.


Btw oe key point on Buffett, he is not just buying stocks like a corporate raider, he is buying full companies, there is a massive difference,he is running those companies or getting people to run those companies and he is not doing it the typical way of vulture capitalists, he is actually buying brick and mortar companies, keeping staff and building even greater success he is not buying Internet, high tech poof stocks, but railways, food, banks, all companies that have massively high operating costs and are buffeted (no pun) by rising costs, uncertain financial situations etc. still that is why I have so much respect for that man, even when everybody hanging them head and were preaching doom and gloom all big man that big business love like Jack Welch get caught up in the foolishness welfare economics talk, just amazing, I have lost almost all respect for Welch. Mr Buffett is a one of a kind and we probably will not see one like that for a while, humble, communicative without ego and just go bout him business without fuss.

[Assasin]

Respect the venture you are involved in. We need more of that mi bredda. Respect for that again.

Yes I know Buffett invest and turn companies around but some of it is just politics and that they don't support policies that raise any tax, any cost or more authority for workers or government. The good thing is that Democracy balance out the overzelous capitalists. If the policy should get real unfair for them then they will get some traction but until then they just have to live with 1 billion in profit as oppose to 1.2(if you get the drift). A company like Cosco doesn't cry because they pay above minumum wage and give good benefits and try to keep workers.

However the big advantage Buffet have at this stage is capital and cash flow to do what he wants. Not all have that but that shouldn't stop them. If Admin change some wouldn't be squeeling. Now is a time of economy growth so it can't be that bad for investors with capital.

[Muadib]

Highway was was dubbed Highway 2000.. by di time dem dun recession come and lick wi clean.. window close pon NUFF project a wait pon Highway..

Man can tek 15 year to improve stetch a road ?

Bettah dem did tek di money and mek immediate improvements of the tourism product including security.. dat wouldn tek 15 years and ROI would have been MUCH more..

[Don1]

Highway was was dubbed Highway 2000.. by di time dem dun recession come and lick wi clean.. window close pon NUFF project a wait pon Highway..

Man can tek 15 year to improve stetch a road ?

Bettah dem did tek di money and mek immediate improvements of the tourism product including security.. dat wouldn tek 15 years and ROI would have been MUCH more..

You can make that argument...no worries.... although you asked about the North Coast Hwy...not Hwy 2000..no?

I recall the project was suspended for years early on because of a contract dispute with the gravalicious Trini contractor originally engaged...it took years of court battles to sort that out generate new tender offers and get a new contractor who naturally would have to do their own surveys & prep work all over... tremendous delays

Poor execution of a project with great value add...wayyyyyy beyond mere tourism

[Karl]

Wonder what Ed Bartlett and Wykeham McNeill have to say in response?

[Assasin]

good question.

[Muadib]

Apologist suit fit yuh...

and the reason for the Spanish Town to Ochi delay ?

If I recall they were trying to finish in time for World Cup Cricket 2007.. must be another Trini contractor...

[Don1]

If you have a different story don't hesitate to share ... I'm always up for a good Black Scandal Bag

[Don1]

BTW... why are you constantly transposing the NCH and Hwy2K?? Aren't they different projects??

Here's the PIOJ report on the NCH giving the "official" reasons for the delays...essentially contractor capacity & financing problems .. http://www.pioj.gov.jm/Portals/0/ODA...n%20Report.pdf

Now gi wi di inside scoop Ben... per party HQ or S'nandrew Verandah Tawk

[Karl]

Yuh rite - It must be for Jamaica(ns) to 'tek weh wi (the visitors) money'.

Tru ting sah, bout 20 attractions within easy reach needed....that provide good value in 5 - 6 hour turn-around time for the visitor.

Mi nuh tink Falmouth ave dat...yet!!!

[Muadib]

Contractor Capacity ???

Mi nuh unnastan.. dem nevah measure di capacity of di Contractah ?!

Call di Contractah !!

[Don1]

lol