The harm of rumour and speculation...

Over the years, Negril.com has always tried to "keep things real". It has not always been easy, but facts are facts and truth is the truth. We want to thank all of you for helping us "keep it real".

I am sure that virtually all of you are aware of our policy of no posting of rumour and speculation here on Negril.com. There is already too much "fake news" readily available on the Internet, print media and even televised news programs. Negril.com will not add to the fake news cycle.

Our Negril Message Board has been referred to as an "always irie board". While I find being "Irie" makes life more pleasant, the truth of the matter is that you will always find the most accurate and useful information about Negril here than you will anywhere else. Negril is a real place, with real people who live real lives with all that comes with reality. Reality is not always "Irie". But rumour and speculation, of which there is no lack of, is helpful to no one and can actually be harmful.

Last month we had to remove inaccurate posts and close a thread based on pure rumour and speculation. Someone was demanding more information about a murder that never happened, and another was claiming a conspiracy theory between the government and the media. Both were false and based purely on rumour and speculation. Any first timer visitor would be given an inaccurate view of Negril and only serves to do harm and mislead.

Along the lines of misleading our thousands of viewers, there was a recent robbery at a beloved local bar. The story was first posted on Facebook and literally took on a life of its own. The story was rumour filled and libelous in nature. So as also not to be held in possible libel, we contacted the bar owners directly and verified the truth and posted it in response to one of our member's question after reading the FB libelous "news" story. The version we posted was not as "colourful" as the first story, but ours was truthful and accurate. We don't need to rely on sensationalizing already tragic events to drive up our traffic. We rely on accurate, useful and helpful information to do that for us.

Jamaican citizens and businesses are not taking this irresponsible sensationalizing of "news" stories involving them lying down. Being a grieving family member or victim of a robbery is bad enough without having to be further violated by strangers by having to read and answer questions about events that never even occurred, and then having to hire lawyers to stop the libel. I know of three cases where "cease and desist" letters were sent out to the offending parties. The "fake news" stories were removed by the offending parties so as not to face court cases based on their desire to sensationalize already sad events.

Let's not encourage these offenders who want to gain on the misfortune of others by these sensationalization tactics. If you do hear or read something that concerns you and you want to find out the truth, please feel free to ask here. If we cannot verify that something happened, then chances are it did not. The Negril Rumour Mill is as crazy as ever.

Thank you for your understanding.

Very well said Rob

Keep up the great work Rob. Negril.com has always been a reliable source of information.

http://www.reactiongifs.us/wp-conten..._and_order.gif

Negril.com is much appreciated!

Rob,

Are you saying that a big reason you shut down coversation on this board when it runs into being not "irie" because you fear a libel suit? Im no lawyer, but im pretty sure it doesn't work that way.

This is not the only place one can gain information about Negril, and to say that if it cant be confirmed here its not true, well thats hard to believe... That an expat would have ALL the answers and be the arbiter of what is real and true, and what is not.

HarryS:
Rob cares about his advertisers...don't you get it?

Rob, so are you saying Booby Cay wasn't sold last week????:rolleyes:

Maybe I am crazy ..but when I look on this board for info..I just want the facts..especially when it comes to matters of crime..safety..ect..that is what is nice about how this board is run and why I use it as an information source..no BS ..no speculation..just factual info on all the things that go on in Negril..we as human beings have a tendency by our human nature to judge..speculate and leap to conclusions..just the facts maam..

When you look into a friend's eyes who's faced a tragedy and to top it off they've found out there are vicious lies circulating about them and/or their incident on the internet...then maybe you'd understand Rob's feelings.

Who's got the cheapest beer on the beach ?
all kidding aside-

Unfortunately... it's the world we live in ...
all you have to do is turn on your TV ...turn on a computer
take 1 look @ a phone ..
unless we all unplug & start to give a damn about the planet & ALL of those who inhabit it
-it's not going to change -human contact has all but disappeared
& that's no rumour or speculation
Just the cold hard facts

Quote:

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Originally Posted by HarryS

Rob,

Are you saying that a big reason you shut down coversation on this board when it runs into being not "irie" because you fear a libel suit? Im no lawyer, but im pretty sure it doesn't work that way.

This is not the only place one can gain information about Negril, and to say that if it cant be confirmed here its not true, well thats hard to believe... That an expat would have ALL the answers and be the arbiter of what is real and true, and what is not.

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HarryS,

You are correct, it doesn't work that way. I never said it did. I never mentioned anything about conversations being shut down when they are not "Irie". What I said was "Reality is not always "Irie". Conversations get shutdown for various reasons, but the most common reason is when a thread ceases to serve any useful purpose and turns absurd with bizarre rumour and speculation as I mentioned above.

As for libelous comments, we have had to remove parts of posts or even remove whole posts when posters do post libelous statements. It helps to keep the poster protected as they would be sued. Jamaican libel laws are rather strict.

And the mere fact I made reference to a Negril "news" story originating NOT here shows implicitly that I know that there are other places to gain Negril information. But you have to consider the experience and track record and the source of that information.

I have been living here for some 25 years now, and in that time I have gotten to know nearly all the business owners on a first name basis. I have helped businesses start up and watch them grow and change over the years just as Negril.com has since 1995. I live in a neighborhood surrounded by business owners. My contacts run deep. Our staff is made up of Jamaicans who also have their connections. It is not difficult for us, as a company, to determine what is real and what is false. We never post anything until we can verify it from multiple sources. An expat does not have all the answers or is the arbiter of what is real and true, but Negril.com, as a company, has more than enough resources to obtain those answers.

But I am surprised that after answering this many times over the years that a few people still don't get it. Negril.com is a Jamaican company.

There are some others sources of information that are responsible. But there are more that are irresponsible sources and some that could almost be labeled as "hate sites". They dwell on the suffering of others, placing blame on people who do not deserve it, post completely false stories as fact and are gaining income from the "rubberneck" Internet traffic that comes with sensationalizing this "information".

This is unfortunately the world we live in, and Negril.com will always be here for the most accurate, useful and helpful Negril information available anywhere on the Internet.

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Originally Posted by Papa Georgie

HarryS:
Rob cares about his advertisers...don't you get it?

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Papa,

As any business owner knows, you have to care about your clients. You cannot remain in business for 22 years and not care about them.

But I also care about people who live in Negril and because of that I want Negril to do well. That is why we spend so much effort as a company to provide accurate, useful and helpful information for all visitors to Negril and Jamaica.

I just want to let you know Rob, that I support your business model 100 percent. For those of you that feel the removing of non factual speculation is a form of censorship, then perhaps negril.com is not for you. I would suggest moving on to another form of media.

EXTREMELY well said Rob! After 30 years of being in Negril, rumors sure do go crazy! Carry on what you do.

I'm glad I go through life with 'blinders on'.....whether it be here in US or Jamaica....."I know nothing...."

harrys....>
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I dont post often but lurk "lots" :) and I appreciate how you run the board Rob. Without it I would not have gotten to experience Negril the way i have over the years.. And yeah... the internet and social media have many benefits but sadly it also has its down side. So easy for people to cause pain needlessly.

certainly been interesting and "hot" times here in Negril that last few years......
and didn't even know about the Red Dragon till mi read it here....
things like this wear on mi.......and mi on mi guard more than mi have been in the past.......
when Jamaican people that you know get killed or die here........
it makes you think a lot.....mi try not to dwell on it......
but honestly it does bother this guy a lot.....but life goes on in paradise

there are a lot of challenges in Jamaica.....
trying to create more jobs, better education and making the infrastructure stronger are just a few of the things
hopefully in time things will improve...but for right now things are real difficult for Jamaica and it's people....jah bless

Cool Runnings, Marko

Harry S,

Repeat after me:

Negril is a paradise.

Negril is a paradise.

Negril is a paradise.

Negril is a paradise.

You are getting sleepy...your mind is turning to mush...relax

Why come to this board if you don't care for how it is operated and you think you are being fed fake news?

I hope this board and the visitors of negril become a generation or 2 younger sooner rather than later.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Papa Georgie

Harry S,

Repeat after me:

Negril is a paradise.

Negril is a paradise.

Negril is a paradise.

Negril is a paradise.

You are getting sleepy...your mind is turning to mush...relax

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If anything you're consistently predictable or is that predictably consistent...

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Originally Posted by Flipadelphia26

Why come to this board if you don't care for how it is operated and you think you are being fed fake news?

I hope this board and the visitors of negril become a generation or 2 younger sooner rather than later.

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Flip. I just read this post over on TA, and laughed after reading your post...

'' Negril is just a bunch of old people, and family and kids these days.....it's people who started going there in the 70's, 80's , and 90's , and never stopped.
There just isn't a big 20/30 year old crowd anymore "".

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Originally Posted by Flipadelphia26

I hope this board and the visitors of negril become a generation or 2 younger sooner rather than later.

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Hmmmm...this sounds like a familiar conversation... ;)

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Originally Posted by jojo p

Flip. I just read this post over on TA, and laughed after reading your post...

'' Negril is just a bunch of old people, and family and kids these days.....it's people who started going there in the 70's, 80's , and 90's , and never stopped.
There just isn't a big 20/30 year old crowd anymore "".

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Originally Posted by Bnewb

Hmmmm...this sounds like a familiar conversation... ;)

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It's true! A bunch of old crotchety miserable people.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Flipadelphia26

It's true! A bunch of old crotchety miserable people.

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Especially when being old and bitter is bad for your health...

Of course not all of us old folks are miserable or crotchety, and we have noticed the dynamics changing a bit this year. It has been great the last few weeks to see and meet so many 20-30's on the beach. We oldsters even had a great time with a group at Dru's Bar at Wavz! (grin)

Good news! I hope the trend continues.

Let's talk about whether we should take route taxis. :p

Turning 61 this Sunday & feel younger now, than when I first started going to Negril when I was 40 ~~ Must be something in the air :rolleyes:

Dog gone it...let's ALL just try to get along! No matter what age group. One love.....remember???

thats it...................
im buying you a beer
r you a rock or a roll farmer

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Originally Posted by Flipadelphia26

It's true! A bunch of old crotchety miserable people.

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Hey young whippersnapper...lmao...not all of us oldies are crotchety!! :D

But, I understand your feelings...some oldtimers live in the past and I'm not talking about just recalling events in their life...some can't get past that the world didn't live up to their expectations...heavy topic...and unfortunately they have a tendency to share their disappoint in places that maybe they shouldn't.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Patricia

Turning 61 this Sunday & feel younger now, than when I first started going to Negril when I was 40 ~~ Must be something in the air :rolleyes:

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Patricia...you got it going on!! This is what I hope for everyone to achieve/feel!!

Hey Patricia, I am right there with you!
Mighty Aquarius!!

The young folks are caught up in the "artificial stuff"
Way too much tech gadgets.
Young folks (20-30) don't even talk to each other anymore,
then how can they laugh together??

I always turn into a kid when my plane touches down.
Jamaica is my fountain of youth.
Wish I could bottle it and bring it home. :-(

I've been going to Ja. for nearly half my life
although we don't get back as often as we would like
- my son (17)- his entire life ...
If the "oldtimers " left for another destination -it would leave a massive hole in the economy
If you took a poll of the average age of those on this board - my guess would be 40 +

My guess would be more like 50 plus !

That's the point. I would venture to guess the miserable attitude and negativity on the internet from the "Old Timers" is a turnoff for some of the younger people thinking about Jamaica.

Imagine if someone stumbled on to reject board (which will be remain nameless) first. They would probably not want to visit Jamaica.

Rob is doing his best to make sure Jamaica gets a proper reputation, to boost tourism, which helps the economy where he lives. A bunch of ass hats with nothing better to do, mucking up the waters here spouting nonsense about things they have no idea about, and picking fights with Rob does nothing to help or promote negril or Jamaica. Jamaica and Negril doesn't need anymore help getting a negative rep for tourists abroad. Most people already think it's very dangerous and they shouldnt step foot off the AI compound.

You guys might visit a week or 2 at a time, or a month at a time. Seems silly to pretend like an authority on what's going on somewhere thousands of miles away,while freezing your asses off.

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Originally Posted by Slightly Stoopid

If you took a poll of the average age of those on this board - my guess would be 40 +

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Maybe my 74 years is tilting the scale? :cool:

Cap

"Imagine if someone stumbled on to reject board which will be remain nameless first. They would probably not want to visit Jamaica."

filpadelphia,
I love and identify with the 2nd sentence of your post as I am one of those "someones". I still lurk there, but I am often confused about some of the threads...it is a great place to find interesting music and there are occasionally posts regarding parts of the Island that I have never visited, but the content of many of the other postings do not draw me to Jamaica. I posted something regarding it not being a very kind or welcoming place and that I wondered why so many negative/sarcastic things were being posted regarding this board....well, the responses were not very polite. I went on to ask why I see many of the same user names on other forums (including this one) and pointed out that possible newbies that stumble on to that board would not want to meet up or even visit Jamaica...I did get a few kinder responses and a couple of private emails.

I do appreciate the more documented information on this board and I definitely do not understand why so many want to participate here and then go back to the other board and post so many negative things about this board. If you don't like or appreciate this board, then you should not use it.

As with all things, we are each entitled to our own opinions and I appreciate that we are allowed to voice those opinions on both message boards, however, I do really appreciate the time, work and thoughtful consideration that appears to go into most of the content of this board...we do not have to agree on life situations or personal thoughts, but ultimately, we all love and appreciate Jamaica.

I'll just say that there is a reason that I don't post or participate much here anymore.

Hi TAH,
When I posted my comments on one of the other boards, I got lots of reasons and examples of why there is negativity. All I can say is that we are each entitled to our own opinions, but for me, it is a real downer to see many people holding on to old grudges and continuing to post about them. IMHO, holding on to grudges makes us "old and crochety, miserable people", LOL!

Again, in my opinion, the administration and participation of this board is kind of like an employer/employee relationship. I clearly know what my employer expects of me and if I cannot or will not live up to those expectations, then it is time for me to move on to a new employer/employee relationship. Rob, in my thoughts, is like the employer. There are a number of rules and expectations that he has for this board and if some don't like them, it is time to stop participating and being negative and just move on. Life is too short to keep grudges and being negative all the time just makes us "old and crochety".