Video shows downside of Jamaica’s tourism industry
(Environment News Service): The Jamaica Environmental Trust on Thursday night launched "Jamaica for Sale," a 92 minute video documentary highlighting disturbing issues behind the island’s normally rosy sun, sea and sand tourism image. "We want to raise hard questions about the tourism industry, especially in light of the recent rise in a certain kind of tourism. There are costs. We are asking questions about these costs," said Diana McCaulay, chief executive officer of Jamaica Environmental Trust. The video features the faces and voices of Jamaicans and other Caribbean personalities talking about life in the wake of a burst of construction of mega-hotels across Jamaica’s coastline. The film shows how gains from tourism development come at a high price to the people.
Category: Science and Nature
Puhleeze…the tourist business didn’t make Jamaica poverty stricken and crime ridden. Take the hotels away and what you have left is an English-speaking Haiti.
I can’t believe CNS is referring to a 2008 article and a mek it seem like NEWS.
Chances are, this comment won’t be posted, but whatever!
Well, I found the article interesting – I’d never seen it before and it IS applicable to what may happen (or is happening!) in Cayman so thanks CNS … keep em coming no matter how old!
CNS proved you wrong again and that is not news! 🙂
CNS is better than you.
Do not mess with CNS, their right hot.
It is all about making money the wrong way with no laws in place to protect the people and their environment.
It is like I buy a piece of land which had the only mango tree in the district. Before local people came to that tree to enjoy its shade and eat of it’s fruit, but because of capitalism and property to the one who has money, the locals are boycotted and restricted from ever going near the tree. I as the new landowner don’t know any better by putting a tall fence around my property. Soon after many years of properties bought out, the locals are jammed in small pockets where they and their children can move about. This is the end result of capitalism – the poor suffer and those who have money are oblivious to what is happening around them.
What should be taken into consideration and I learn this from the socialist, is that any natural and vital resource of the earth, should never be owned. In its natural state, it should be for the people, and no one or entity should have the power to block local people from having access to it. And pretty much land and the sea are natural resources. Always the problem is when there are laws already to protect the people and certain lands and properties, someone wealthy always comes along and pays a politician to sell out the properties to them. And those same foreignors come to the Islands andexploit people and younggirls because they have money.
I don’t care what anyone says – Like the moon or sun, land belongs to everyone! "Private property" like your claiming ownership over woman or man, is a manmade invention! I take the Georgian approach: Any man-made thing or invention can be owned, bought or sold. But any thing that is God-made and came from its raw state, belongs to God and man. No one should claim ownership of the land just like no one should claim ownership of the sun. Therefore private property should be certain meters circuling a man-made dwelling place like a house where privacy in needed and one is able to have one’s own yard and protection. Not acres upon acres of land beyond one’s dwelling. Government should set certain amount of land one should have and restrict lands adjacent to natural resources. If one wants to use more land that is beyond his/her dwelling that person has to pay the Government rent for such use. If it is for a business or for cultivation, it should still be rented. The monies generated from such lands would be Government revenue for good causes.
In sum, Capitalism unchecked with this false property notion is more worse than Communism, because money is used as a bait for weak and vulnerable politicians. So Capitalism is still good system. The problem is our sense of ownership – what we can have, shouldn’t have, and what belongs to all. But the love of money is strong, I don’t think in this life time, the world will become a better place. It would have to be revolutionary changes in the global economic systems before powerful and influencial people begin to see that it is not all about "ME"
This is one of the most ridiculous posts I have yet to read!
Well said expat eric!!!
A Caymanian
Jamaica is now having trouble and losing their natural habitat as well. Why, well they are now friendly with the premier of Cayman, and he is responsible for the decline and erosion of Cayman’s natural habitat and in just a few years time the once Beautiful Cayman Isle the Pearl of the Caribbean will be nothing but a concrete jungle and a victim of hurricanes to come with no natural buffers such as mangroves to protect them from the hurricanes unleashing their strength on the island.
Why do yu Jamaicans allow it?
XXX
Overall, pretty weak post.
As far as renting the land from the government, as opposed to owning it outright, in most countries this is called property tax.
Of course, call it property tax, but what I like about this post is that he believes in charging those who claim to own lands along side beaches, sanctuaries, and national resource centers. He does not condone property tax upon which one’s house or dwelling sits. So I agree with him on these lines. You should read his post carefully before judging.
He mentions "rent" not tax! I think that is a Georgian perspective indeed
Good ideas!
But will mankind mature enough to see that it is not all about "me." It looks more like we will end up destroying our own planet and neglecting the less fortunate and helpless along the way
Where do I find this so called video?
If you would like a copy of the video I am sure that you could follow the link provided to the article. I did and found this contact information:
Panos Caribbean Jamaica Office:
9 Westminster Rd
Kingston 10
Jamaica
Tel: (876) 920-0070/1
Fax: (876) 920-0071
Email: jamaica @panoscaribbean.org
If you wish to borrow a copy to view then call 916-0707.
William H. Adam