My Humble Opinions

Role of Jamaican Immigrants Abroad

The brave people who stayed put in Jamaica through and post the 1970's have had to struggle through hardship to recover some sense of normalcy. It may be understandable if some are defensive about "outsiders" seeming to criticize "their" country. I've come across that sentiment from Jamaicans of different backgrounds. The 1970's are brought up frequently, the time when many of us on social media left for foreign shores. I don't know about others, but I'm not in the least bit concerned with the 1970's. I'm much more interested in the present and the future. I have the same attitude to Jamaica that I have for places in the US where I've lived and tried to make a difference. And I try to make a difference everywhere I live. Not surprisingly, new residents in those places insist on how much things have changed since I left. They don't understand that I track global trends and that nothing which is happening where they are is of surprise to me. The same thing is happening everywhere else. We live in a highly networked and interrelated global system. So, if the same things are happening everywhere and I wish to address them, where should I locate myself? If I'm not supposed to discuss any place other than where I currently live, what kind of global opinion can I express? If I know something that I consider useful to Jamaica or elsewhere, or a danger I am specially equipped to see, what rule says I must shut up about it?

Internationalism

In an international world linked by NEW social media technology, we relate in new ways. We have Facebook groups like Vintage Jamaica and Jamaica Colonial Heritage that are administered by emigrated Jamaicans. These sites stimulate and interest local Jamaicans, Jamaicans abroad, potential tourists to Jamaica, potential investors in Jamaica, etc.. In a nutshell, Jamaicans abroad can contribute to their native land by sending money, but they can also use social media to learn, inform, keep in touch, share expertise, bring together, share stories and memories, and help keep Jamaica's heritage thriving at home and abroad. Foreigners of all sorts, who were not born in the island, are taken seriously and appreciated for their input. Why not apply the same receptivity to Jamaicans abroad? Is the idea to tell Jamaicans abroad that their money is welcome, but they can go to hell with their opinions?

Soul/Character

Soul: I'm sure Browns Town, in the same parish, is busy losing its heritage like every other place on earth, but, from a recent video clip I posted, it still evokes the old Browns Town, and it's not hard to see colonial buildings with their original wooden roofs and louvers. These lend to the place what I call a quality of soul. So far, I see less of this soul in SAB. Being in the epicenter of north coast tourist development that is not geared to preserving Jamaican heritage, this is not surprising. But retention of soul might be a matter of degrees. Restoring as feasible colonial structures will contribute rather than detract from soul in SAB.

Diversity: Why should places like SAB not celebrate their uniqueness? Why should every place be exactly the same? Just take one possible issue of diversity and uniqueness: As Cuba is opened up to American tourism, it will increasingly be in competition with Jamaica for those tourist dollars. Cubans are capitalizing on their Spanish Colonial heritage. I'm not sure if Jamaica is to say it has no cultural heritage, but wants to be like every other place--Miami, California, etc. Why is ensuring that Jamaica looks like every other place in the world helpful in competing with Cuba?

Tourism

Tourists treated as if they are stupid are likely to rise to the occasion. If they are encouraged to act like lemmings rushing to the sea, then that is what they'll do.

Tourism doesn't have to be dependent only on the beach; it can benefit from knowing the interior. It can benefit from uniqueness of the interior, its unique cultural landscape character, and how different it is from the tourist's home. Tourists also like places and experiences they can't get at home. People who live abroad have as much knowledge of the tourist's character as people in the tourist destination. A collaboration between these two groups could be useful. 

Conclusion

Restoring SAB is administered by somebody from Jamaica and somebody from abroad. Could this combination be something different or even practical? Among the stories, ideas and observances that fill out the picture, my interest for this group is to identify SAB heritage, see where it stands on the ground at present, and try to integrate it with the trends we have no control over. If we take the Burrowes printery as a metaphor for the unnecessary destruction of SAB heritage, then there is clearly work to do. I don't see a case for complacency. I obviously have a stake in it, since it's a part of my family heritage. So why am I not entitled to have opinions and make suggestions about SAB? I am categorically opposed to the removal of historic structures and replacing them with concrete in the name of progress. SAB could develop its economy AND retain some of its historical colonial character. It's lost way too much of the latter already. 

I'm not interested in looking at shiny new concrete buildings and celebrating those as a sign of progress. If others wish to do so, I will respectfully disagree with them, and say so.