Encore '09 - by American Retiree in Jamaica
Once again Sandals/Beaches Resorts demonstrated why they are the leader in the hospitality industry in the Caribbean.  “Sandals Style” isn’t just about what they can do for their guests.  They take the same dedication to train and nurture the staff to be the best they can be.

Best of Jamaica 2009 Results
The votes are in !!! The question was asked in our Jamaicans.com 2009 survey "What is the best of Jamaica" in Jamaica or in the city you live. Categories included Tourist Life, Jamaica Life, Jamaica Shopping, Restaurants, Jamaican Foods and Diversions/Entertainment !! See the results today!!!

"I Once Was Blind..." by American Retiree in Jamaica
Well…, I wasn’t REALLY blind, but my sight had deteriorated to a point seeing clearly was almost impossible.  In June of 2009, I wrote an article entitled “Health Care in Jamaica.”  In the article I talked about the problems with my eyes.  This month I will tell you the complete story starting with excerpts from the previous article. 

"Retiree Jamaican Driver's License - Then & Now "by An American Retiree in Jamaica
In just seven years the procedure for obtaining a Jamaican driver’s license has changed dramatically. Perhaps the process has remained the same but is now being strictly enforced, but I don’t know for sure.

Yardie in South Africa - Jamaicans coming to SA for Soccer 2010 or otherwise
I’ve played host, tour guide and restaurant sampler for Jamaicans and other West Indians visiting South Africa for the first time during the 8 years that we’ve lived here. I love to hear their impressions, to de-coding South Africa through my eyes, and to check out what they find fascinating about SA. I can hardly remember what I thought of SA before I set hit  Joburg for the first time in 96, but each time someone shows up, they take me right back to a memory or two--Crisp, dry air. A sense of space. Occasionally, a sense of being caught in a social time warp. A country that’s pretty on the outside, comfortable on a superficial day to day level, but sometimes gritty and cringe-evoking on the inside once you stick around for a while. 

Life in a Jamaican Community
For those of you who want to live in Jamaica, it is important to find the right community. Homes can be found all the way from the ghettoes to the exclusive homes with swimming pools and can be found from the city into the country. There is a community for everyone’s taste and budget.

In Memory of Michael Jackson- The Gloved One Who Visited Jamaica
It was 1975; I was 13 years old and in third form at St. Andrew High School for Girls, when I heard the news that Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5 were coming to Kingston to perform. My mother, a strict Pentecostal Christian, forbade my sisters and I to play secular music or to dance. Yet, I could not help watching Michael Jackson while she was at church, which was several nights per week.

Food Shopping in Jamaica
Food shopping in Jamaica, while having some resemblance to the American experience, can be challenging at times. The Jamaican supermarkets are laid out with aisles of packaged foods and general merchandise similar to the US. Around the perimeter of the interior is the meat, dairy and produce sections. Glaringly absent is the ever popular and ever busy deli department. The only cold cuts I have seen come in blister packs and a very limited variety.

Back in the Old Days, Agriculture Was King in Jamaica
Before bauxite was discovered and mined, before Jamaica had a "financial sector," before various governments sold the island’s birthright to attract screwdriver industries and garment-industry sweatshops, Jamaicans made their living mostly from the land. As I recall, it wasn’t easy. I wonder what became of all that hard work? How did it change? And who let it happen? I suppose it’s useless to point fingers now. I can only cheer the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries on and wish him luck in reviving the island's aricultural tradition.

In Real Life, as in Fiction, Jamaica's Future Depends on Agriculture, Not Bauxite
In my book, "Hill-an’-Gully Rider," I have the Prime Minister resisting the efforts of bauxite companies to invade his fictional Caribbean island. Despite the wealthy companies’ efforts – including political machinations and even violence – the Prime Minister succeeds in protecting the island and eventually reaps great rewards through pursuing a policy of environmental preservation and innovation.

Health Care in Jamaica
Quality medical care in Jamaica is one of the prime concerns of many of my readers. Between my wife and I, we have had seven years of experiences with doctors and other medical facilities in the Montego Bay area. We have found the quality of medical care to be quite adequate, although not perfect. Considering this Third World country boasts over 1,000 people above the age of 100 one would have to say that the medical care throughout the island is more than adequate. 

Caribbean Country Profiles
Every June we celebrate Caribbean American Heritage month. This month we profile all the Caribbean countries with their rich heritage, people and culture.

Meet the Jamaicans.com Writers
This month we are having a "Meet the Jamaicans.com Writers" discussion in our forums. Each writer will participate in discussions. Post your questions and chat with your favorite Jamaicans.com Writer during the month of May in our forums.

Lost In Words - Weekly Story
Check out our new weekly story titled "Lost in Words" by Jamaicans.com community member "Phatty" . The story takes a look at  how tough the music industry can be tough for the people behind the scenes.  You will meet Nancy Clarke is more about the business than the music.  Administrative assistant to Hip Hop's most powerful man, Robert Phillips. 

Reflections on a Trip Back Home That Almost Was
When I read of gang members slaughtering women and children, as well as each other, of policemen being gunned down and rampant corruption and crime, I picture an island full of danger. As a child and even as a youth, I wandered freely in the country and the city, even venturing into the worst parts of Kingston when I was a reporter for the Gleaner. But I gather from the news that it would be suicidal for me to do that today.

Permanent Residency In Jamaica - An American Retiree in Jamaica
Permanent residency can be granted for retired people and those who have been employed in Jamaica for at least five years.  The process takes three years to complete, but it took five years for me.  This department of immigrations is not the most efficient.  My extra two years was a result of lost paperwork and lack of investigation by the clerks.  Each year you are required to visit the Kingston immigrations office where they will extend your temporary residency for another year. 

Spay/Neuter Clinic Comes to Jamaica - Retiree in Jamaica
On December 8^th and 9^th of 2008, Jamaica had its first spay/neuter clinic in Kingston sponsored by the former Noah’s Ark Spay and Neuter Group, now called International Spay/Neuter Network, (ISNN), and the Jamaica Veterinary Medical Board.  The clinic was held directly after the monthly veterinarian’s meeting.  One of the highlights of the meeting was a presentation by Dr. Bruce Langlois, director of Remote Area Medical, located in Michigan, USA, of a quick spay technique.

Jamaican in DC for the Presidential Inanaguraion of Barack Obama
When I received the notification from the Presidential Inaugural Committee that they wanted us to be among the first to know about the sale of the 5,000 tickets for the historic Inaugural Parade to begin on January 9th, at 1:00 p.m., together we began to call at 1pm sharp. As luck would have it, we triumphed – so off to DC we went.

It May Not Be the End of the Road for the "Banana Man" in Jamaica
Perhaps Mother Nature is coming to the aid of the Jamaican "banana man." A recent article in the London Independent predicts that the Gros Michel bananas grown so profusely and cheaply - and by such questionable tactics - in mainland Latin America may be doomed by disease. And Jamaica already has been through that calamity. 

Jamaican Wedding
It has been over six and a half years since I’ve moved to Jamaica.  During that time I have attended more funerals than I care to think about, but not one wedding.  Perhaps I am at that stage in life where all those around me are moving on to the other side and not down the matrimonial aisle.  On December 18^th, my wife and I finally attended our first Jamaican wedding.

Bob Marley Would Have Been At Obama's Inauguration!
It's a natural fit to not only celebrate Marley's birthday in February, but February is also the official celebration of Black History month in the U.S.A.  We celebrate the birthday of The Honourable Robert Nesta Marley, O.M., on Friday, February 6.  Marley would have been 64 years of age. With the ushering in of a new era in America's political landscape of the first African America President, Barack Hussein Obama this celebration becomes even more poignant as was seen by the tremendous outpouring of emotions by Americans and people worldwide regarding such an achievement.

A Year In Review
Another year has come and gone.  It has been a very busy year for me.  Life has been anything but boring since I retired to Jamaica.  The year began with my having tendonitis of the left knee which made it impossible for me to drive my standard transmission car.  Try as I might, I just couldn't teach my wife how to use the clutch.  The alternative was to purchase a newer car.  This led to my February article about my new car. 

Jamaica Year in Review 2008
This year, it was the natural resilience of the Jamaican people which helped them overcome social, financial and natural disasters such as escalating crime mainly among young males,the ravages of Cash-Minus and of seasonal hurricanes.Then there were the  sparks? showers? of gold emitting out of Beijing, the achievement of a clothing designer who copped the contract for the Miss World gowns, the local Choir placing 14th (at their brand of Olympics in Austria) out of 96 countries fielding 100 entries.

Reggae Boyz Year in Review 2008
In the year 2008 Jamaica football had it’s highs and lows. Though the Reggae Boyz did not get pass the first qualifying round for the 2010 World Cup the year ended with a championship and a move up in the world rankings.  Here is a chronological summary of the Reggae Boyz Year in Review for 2008.

Presentation to the Jamaican Olympic team
In September we asked many of you to sign our online guest book to show your appreciation and congratulate the Jamaican Olympic team. We compiled all the well wishes into a printable book. It was presented to the the Jamaican Olympic team on our behalf by Liz Burns of Jamaica United Relief Association (JURA).  Feel free to download a copy of the PDF version of the book.

Barrel Kids?
I was sitting in the monthly meeting of a Jamaican based organization in the U.S.A. when the attendees were challenged by one of the officers sharing a story that “touched her heart.”  She had read an article stating that the rate of suicide amongst the “barrel kids” (children whose parents are overseas but receive the regular barrel filled with clothes, shoes, food, etc.)  is greater than those whose parents are with them; and compared to the other Caribbean nations, Jamaica’s children fared worse. 

Jamaicans Should Prepare to Feed Themselves as Global Food Crisis Looms
Sometimes simple logic can provide answers to complex problems. Take the looming food crisis, for example. Many informed and intelligent voices have addressed the problem recently, warning of the ripple effects of the global financial crisis and the meltdown of stock markets around the world. But the answer is as plain as the nose on your face.

Hope For The Wild and Loose in Jamaica
My September article, Wild and Loose, dealt with abandoned dogs and cats on the streets of Jamaica.  Much has happened in the two months since then.  To begin with, the male and female dog did what comes naturally and produced four puppies. 

Technology Breakthrough Offers Hope for Jamaica's Ethanol Project
Reading an item in The Daily Gleaner recently about the Jamaican Government’s proposed waste-to-energy facility, I felt a familiar sadness. Before the proposal was even unveiled, naysayers were at work. It seems the same old spirit of “Choh! No waste me time” is alive and well in Jamaica.

Summer Vacation Over
Decision time again in regards to the new school year, summer vacations are over and the children are out of school for the summer and as parents, we are faced with the task of finding money for back to school expenses which is escalating everyday. Not only does one have to worry about these additional expenses, but one has to also worry about the safety of our children as well. This is not even a political thing. It is not a JLP or PNP issue.

Honoring Our Olympians
I continue to read, with excitement, the outpouring of accolades, and the national pride that is being experienced as a result of the stellar performance of the Jamaica contingent to the 2008 Beijing Olympics. With the unprecedented number of medals won, and the records set.

Weathering the Weather by American Retiree in Jamaica
With Jamaica located in the tropics, most people tend to think of the island's weather as constant balmy breezes, and blazing sun.  While this is true most of the time, we do have our changing weather patterns, like rainy season.

Wild and Loose in Jamaica
Abandoned animals are found throughout Jamaica.  These dogs and cats roam from place to place looking for whatever food they can find.  It isn't unusual to hear dogs fighting over choice morsels throughout the day while cats seem to confine their confrontations to the evening and overnight periods.

Driving in Jamaica - An American Retiree in Jamaica
 Driving in Jamaica isn't for the faint of heart.  Much can be said for the cultural differences between this Third World country and that of my native America.  The art of driving is just as different.  Most of my tourist friends shudder at the thought of getting behind the wheel of a rental car here.  The bulk of their fears is largely that of driving on the left side of the road.  In Jamaica, left is right or should I say correct. 

No Yamaye Taíno Heroes in Jamaica – The Jamaican Coat of Arms Debate
During a recent stay in my island home of Jamaica a local television announcer posed a question about the island’s Coat of Arms. The query was, “Should Jamaica change its Coat of Arms?” One interviewee said, “The Coat of Arms should have black people on it.” The theory was that the island’s Coat of Arms should have images that reflect the island’s African Jamaican majority.

Our Olympians, Our Ambassadors
It is great to see that crime has taken a back seat to the wonderful performance that our athletic ambassadors are doing in the Olympics. The athletes are performing and the world is responding and taking notice.

What Has Happened to the Jamaica I Remember?
There was undoubtedly social injustice in the Jamaica I remember. The rich enjoyed a far different lifestyle from the poor. And it seemed most of the rich had light skins, while most of the poor had dark skins. Money was scarce for nearly all of us, and luxuries were few. But, mostly, we got along with each other, and crime was much less prevalent than it is today.

A Vote is a Terrible Thing to Waste
The next time you can’t be bothered to vote, consider this: 1) More that 40 million Americans participated in the recently concluded Democratic Party primaries and only a handful of votes separated Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton at the end  2) American women won the right to vote less than 90 years ago 3) Black Americans’ right to vote was restricted by various state laws until the 1960s. 4) In Jamaica, only those who paid significant taxes or owned significant property could vote before Britain granted the island “adult suffrage” in 1944.

Why Travel?
As a child, growing up on the Island of Jamaica W.I., I was intrigued with the tourists who visited our Island and was so fascinated about us as a people, as well as our cuisine, music, beaches and most importantly, our spirit. Our motto then and still is now “No problem man”!  As I grew older, I would travel vicariously through books to places such a Venice, Italy. I saw myself sitting in the gondola traversing the narrow waterway, walking through the mysterious alleyways and the endless mazes of backstreets, or visiting Europe to see the Eifel Tower, “Big Ben” or the changing of the guards. I decided, there and then that when I became an adult, seeing the world would be a MUST for me.

Work Permits Revisited
One of the most asked questions of me is "How can I get a job and work in Jamaica?" For most people this is extremely hard, if not impossible. Unemployment is double digit with no signs of easing. All work is offered to Jamaicans first. Some fields in highly skilled professions are open to the world primarily because there aren't enough Jamaicans with expertise in those areas.