HEALTH ARTICLES

Eloquence, Inc. is a regular reader of “Jamaican Till I Die” and makes some of the best comments on various issues. I especially love her comment on the blog "You Ungrateful Wretch! " and think it should be a separate blog post for all to see and I would like to thank "Eloquence, Inc." for all the comments since I started this:

In response to: "You Ungrateful Wretch!"

EXCELLENT POST and PERFECT timing as we come to the end of Jamaica's 50th anniversary!

Add the Issa's and the Simonitsch's (founder of Half Moon and the all inclusive resort concept) to that list of big names!

No matter how long I have been away, I know if I could sort out a decent career opportunity down there, I would love to move back home. I am not one of the ones that ever thought anything as a child but that the sun rises and sets on Jamaica... Didn't even want to leave, parents made me. But I realize as I run into Jamaicans from other walks of life, that most think "likkle Jamaica caan do nutten fi mi" and in some cases it's true, because of the social standing they were born into and the lack of the right connections (mostly from not going to the right schools), they are achieving things in America that were not happening for them back home. BUT in some cases they apply themselves to their books and to their job opportunities in America in a way they were not doing when in Jamaica!

I met a great woman in Jamaica who yeah she mixed and red with long hair and lives in big house on Jacks Hill now, but she told her story of how she came from country bush where she use to walk with river water in bucket on her head when young, to now an entrepreneur that moved up in life!

And is not just the light and white doing it anymore. It does take links to get around the red tape but as a minority you have a better chance of respect and making the links in the first place in a place like Jamaica than somewhere like America where as you said, the same things that make you special in Jamaica make you exactly nobody here compared to the 300 million other people that might fit your racial or economic description.

My ability to get put 2 years ahead in US schools is directly due to the Jamaican education system that produced me. I thank Jamaica's culture and education all the time for making me the person that can adapt and survive and have admirable qualities as a person and make me distinctive to folks here, not just another black face. Without being Jamaican that would not be possible. And people don't realize down there that there is a GREAT power and influence on having your child grow up seeing black people in successful positions of every corner of society, in your bank, in your schools...not just out on the streets. America might be the land of opportunity but as a professional most of the black faces you see are at the bottom of the totem pole or out on the streets loafting, especially the men. In Jamaica positive black achievement is everywhere, in the classroom, bankroom, sports field... we don't grow up feeling less than everybody else or with the minority complex.

The culture and education and focus on relationships/links and not just paper contracts and money and the love of children in the society (read how many professional Americans complain of the terrible fight to live up to corporate demands which do not care about family obligations even when they say they do)...these all help people to have opportunities in Jamaica or at least a mentality that allows them to get ahead elsewhere. But I don't think even the poorest among us realize the pride and values and strength instilled in us AS JAMAICANS is what helps them no matter where they are when they get their opportunities.

Some of course are exceptions but for the most part the overall Jamaican culture produces very smart people who value relationships (part of why links end up so important to get anything done!) and family (even if the downside is people might have too many kids at times, but most of the people having them whether rich or poor genuinely love kids and having that family life!).

.... Eloquence, Inc.
eloquence-inc.blogspot
Eloquence, Inc. Career Services

More about → "By Eloquence, Inc." ...The Advantages of being Jamaican

Some time ago I watched a program where various American millionaires and billionaires were being interviewed about how they came to be so rich and during the program I noticed a certain trend. They all at some point, made the point of asking God to Bless America, while declaring that only in America could they have achieved so much and if it was not for America, they would not be who they are today. I am sure loads of Americans watched the program and felt good about being from the Land of Opportunity… Real or Imaginary.....

6 of the Richest Men in America

Things like this ripples through a society and contributes to the feel good factor, as young people can grow up with something to believe in, they may not achieve all their goals in life but their minds are imprinted with that "Only in America Concept", spouted from role models in business and industry who made it in life. One guy declared that anyone can make it in America if they just apply themselves.

Highlighting the good things in life is even more important than highlighting the bad things. I believe that by promoting what is good about your society, will create a chain reaction of good vibes, causing good things to happen, as it leaves a positive impression on people’s outlook on life and making them more productive. I remember my economics teacher coming to the conclusion that Optimism and Pessimism are two of the most important things in an Economy, here we have a science that means nothing without people’s feelings. I also believe that promoting negative things will cause a negative chain reaction, causing people to seek out all the negative things around them.

The speed of Bad, Negative, disgusting things happening in a society like Jamaica travels 500 times faster than the speed of Good, Positives things and as such people are more likely to tell you about the bad things that happened, not the good. In Jamaica’s case this negative, Pessimism transcends space and time as our people take it with them even after migrating and disseminate this misery the first chance they get.

Some Real Wealthy Families of Jamaica

Mafood, McConnell, Matalon, DeLisser, Henriques, Beckford, Clark, Azan, Marzouca, Kerr-Jarrett, Watson, Hart, Sangster, Ashenheim, Zacca, Younis, Gore, Messado, Melhado, Bromfield, Rousseau

Jamaica has its fair share of rich families, who have been and still are movers and shakers of our society, whose fore parents came to Jamaica with nothing but their lighter complexion. Europeans, Chinese, Arabs, Jews, Indians all descended on Jamaica, some with only their two long hands and because they were not black, the doors of opportunity automatically opened for them, they did not have to kick it open because colonial Jamaica was perfect for them, the ideal climate and attitude from a population that equates anyone not black to be of up standing character and welcome them with open arms while declaring "Anything too black, No too Good". They were more likely to be giving the benefit of the doubt and they took advantage of that. Jamaica also have many rich colonial and post-colonial families who are black, some had to kick open doors and demand that they be given equal access to our resources, it was an uphill struggle but they made it against the odds. Others aligned themselves with various political factions in order to gain political favours, wealth and power.

Some will say that Jamaica is a “Out of Many One People” country I have heard various stories about these wealthy families going to great lengths to import their significant others when local options are limited, one not only must ensure the family wealth remains intact but also the family colour and heritage.

God Bless Jamaica?

Regardless of who these wealthy/rich people are and how they came by their money, one thing is common… I have never heard the rich and well to do in Jamaica asking God to "Bless Jamaica" in a thankful way or declare that if it was not for Jamaica they would not have achieved such wealth and comfort. Jamaica’s rich, it seems, believe that Jamaica is not in any way shape or form responsible for their good fortunes. It is as if these people believe that, ...it is they who made Jamaica and not the other way around. They do not see their relationship with Jamaica as symbiotic and if they did, they will never say so.

Where would Butch Stewart be without Jamaica, who would he be? In a country like America or in Europe, he would be just another white face in the crowd, nothing special, he would be seen as equal to the people around him and as such his rise to power, wealth and glory might have been much harder. However in Jamaica he was special, a member of a unique small group of people and who he is today, is because of the unique set of circumstances that existed in Pre and Post colonial Jamaica.

I am not saying that these men and women do not have the spirit of entrepreneurship, what I am saying is that Jamaica was the right place, at the right time for them and if they were in any other place or time they might not have been so fortunate, so where is the big ..."Thank You Jamaica"! In all my years going up in Jamaica I have never heard it. Some of these people driving around Jamaica like their shit was used to make Tastee Patties would still be in the middle east throwing rocks during Arab Spring, trying to fight oppression.

These now rich Middle Eastern colonial immigrants should wake up every morning, go out onto the Balconies of their mansions, breath Jamaica's fresh air and shout to all of Jamaica, Thank You Jamaica, for accepting us and making us who we are today and God Bless Jamaica…

As I said in a previous blog, by the time a Jamaican child reaches the age of 10 he is well versed in all that is negative and disgusting about Jamaica and Jamaicans. This child is already thinking that there is no hope for him in Jamaica and like a caged animal he is already looking to escape, why waste education and innovation on a country one believes is not going anywhere and there is no hope. This is what we tell our children, the future generation of Jamaica, we brainwashed them into believing that they will never amount to anything, that they will never be all they can be in Jamaica.

Most of our well-to-do Jamaicans live in Jamaica but not in Jamaica, they exist in a bubble, taking great care not to share themselves or promote good values to the less fortunate, things like giving back, offering a helping hand, paying respect to their country and its people are a lost concepts… Philanthropy what’s that?

Most of the Philanthropy organization that exist, exist to pay lip service to helping people, the real reason for their existence is not to better other people’s lives but to make their members feel better about themselves, feeling like they are important, these are ego stroking groups, the place to be and to be seen, networking clubs, many associate themselves with these so called charitable organization because of the prestige it gives them.

Our Rich, Wealthy families would never stand up and declare that they owe everything to Jamaica, there power, their wealth and if it was not for Jamaica and all Jamaicans they would never be the successful mover and shakers that they are today, living a life of luxury, in style and comfort for generations. The last statistic I saw on income distribution showed that 51.61 % of total income is earned by the richest 20% of the population and the richest 10% earned 35.90 % of total income. I think the rich in Jamaica thinks that they did not become rich because of Jamaica but in spite of Jamaica and as such they owe Jamaica nothing but I wonder where they would be if their ancestors did not find this goldmine of an island that made them possible.

The Arrival Of:

More about → You Ungrateful Wretch!