URGENT - Need your INPUT by 4:30pm TODAY (Tuesday) on a Jerk Chicken Centre

Here is the proposal:

Re: Proposal to Develop Jerk Centre


Negril as a major tourist area, and contributor to tourism income to Jamaica is
without a central area for visitors to consume our famous Jamaican Jerk. To
compound the issue, some property owners have shared their concerns with the
haphazard nature of the operations of persons who Jerk along the beach road.

As Member of Parliament, I submitted a request for approval for lands to be
used for the Jerk Centre and for funding for construction. The proposed area is
located immediately across from the beach park. The center will feature, designated
vending stalls, parking area, storage areas for each stall, rest room facilities, outdoor
dining area, and sections to display health certificates. The intention is also to have
persons who operate in this space to undergo TPD.co training and certification.


In the event approval is granted and funding is secure, further communication will be
made with Negril Chamber of Commerce for your support in coordination in the
development of the Jerk Centre.

Best Regards


Morland Wilson
Member of Parliament for Westmoreland Western

--------------------------------------------------------

Let us know what you think below. The jerk chicken vendors and barrels you see along the road will be moved to a single central location by the beach park, no longer near the hotel properties along the beach road.

If you have alternative ideas, please post them as well.

Time is of the essence.

Another place for jerk is fine, but don't forcefully move the barrel guys or the permanent stands! We stay near Wavz Park and there are several jerk guys within an easy walk. Taxis are fine and we use them often, but sometimes I just want to cross the road and walk to pick up dinner.

'The jerk chicken vendors and barrels you see along the road will be moved to a single central location by the beach park, no longer near the hotel properties along the beach road.'

Bad idea :mad:

I love strolling beach road and smelling (and eating!!) the jerk along the way. I also think a center will take away from the struggling mom & pop establishments that give Negril it's charm. A center will make it feel more like downtown Mobay. You won't catch me eating there.

I like the idea of training and certification, but it could be a long stroll for folks staying farther from the park area. We've stayed at different places up and down the beach and I always appreciated getting my evening jerk chicken fix with a barrel fairly close by without cabbing it. So I would prefer leaving it as is.

I don't think the location will do the vendors much good. Only makes sense if they were to have maybe 2 smaller locations in the 'boutique hotel' area (you rarely get the all-inclusive patrons off their properties to spend money on food). I do like the the idea of some health dept over view.

I think a Jerk Center will be the death of the vendors we have known and loved forever. The competition between vendors will be extreme. Much, much more than it is now. Who gets what spot? How much will their spot cost? Can they move to venues for shows (I think not)? If we are stay near by we might make a visit but if we’re at the other end of the beach we would not. If they make this move i feel we won’t have jerk barrels anymore. It’s part of what makes Negril Negril.

I agree with the others so far. The Jerk barrels are spread out along the road giving people a spot to grab dinner without having to walk too far from their hotel. I like walking across the street to BITW for jerk chicken. Wouldn't like to walk too much further along the road at night. Couldn't they do both? Have a Jerk Centre for those that want to go there and let the guys who have their own jerk barrels stay where they are if they want. The jerk Center could add other booths like produce or desserts. Kind of like a food truck gathering. Just a thought.

One of the long simmering issues with the "Independent" Jerk barrel vendors is the lack of hygiene available to the cook and customers.
Simply having the cook and food prep vendors able to wash their hands adequately has always been an issue for the safety of the customers. Almost all established restaurants are REQUIRED to have these facilities available. This adds additional cost to the restaurants that the "Independents" haven't had to bear. Check out Best in the West vs any Jerk Barrel on the beach road.

Ukran1ans and other comments are spot on regarding location. My daily walks up and down Norman Manley Blvd this April took me past several VACANT properties closer to the Boutique Hotels.

I have frequented many Jerk Barrels over the years, but as I get older, I'm more concerned about hygiene. Maybe it is time to put the "Independents" on the same playing field as the established restaurants.

Enjoy,

VVHT

It just occurred to me that Tourists aren't the only one's that frequent the Jerk Barrels.
So maybe two locations, one across from the Crafts market and another further north along the beach road near the boutique hotels.

Bad idea, especially if it affects the few jerk sellers on the West End road.
Regards,
Bob

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Rob

To compound the issue, some property owners have shared their concerns with the
haphazard nature of the operations of persons who Jerk along the beach road.

---

It may just be the cynic in me, but I see this as meaning that some of the hotels are pissed about the amount of restaurant business they are losing to the roadside jerk pans ( as can be seen in this thread ) and see this as a way to move them away from their businesses. If the roadside barrels are removed, tourists who want to eat in the area will be forced into the hotel restaurants.

Add to that the potentially devastating effects on the barrel owners, many of whom have been in the same location for years or even decades and have built up a good clientele, and you have what I consider to be a monumentally bad idea.

It might be a good concept on paper and could be marketed to tourists staying outside of Negril as another attraction. Maybe even get folks to Negril that might not otherwise come. BUT…for those of us staying in Negril that probably give them at least 90% of their business, this is a terrible idea! In reality…it will kill the independent jerk barrel business.

First, who’s going to walk that far? Second, “The center will feature, designated vending stalls, parking area, storage areas for each stall, rest room facilities, outdoor dining area, and sections to display health certificates” All of which costs money these guys don’t have. Third, I would be willing to bet that they make most of their money outside the live music venues. Would this Jerk Centre even be open that late? And, even if it is, the attendees will not go that far. Fourth, one of the best parts of walking down beach road is smelling the delicious jerk.

All of us have our favorites and don’t want to see their businesses die!
For example, everyone knows Smokey Joes is across from Grand Pineapple or that Steppa was always next to Villa Mora.

A jerk center in addition to the street vendors yes. Replacing the vendors, No.

I also think this a bad idea. I love being able to walk outside my hotel anywhere along Norman Manley blvd or the up on the west end and grab some chicken or soup. I hope they don't do this. I don't mind somethings changing in Negril but this would take away from why i like going there.

Isn't jerk sauce a natural antimicrobial?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ol'yardie

Isn't jerk sauce a natural antimicrobial?

---

All kidding aside, a shot of rum after dinner helps dramatically.
The food trucks / carts here in NYC are licensed and inspected routinely. They should have the barrel owners get licensed, requiring a certain amount of FREE courses on hygiene and food prep to do so, meet certain criteria, and leave them where they are!

Change is inevitable....I understand why they would want to do something like this, but.......sucky idea !!

I like the way things are, with carts and establishments scattered around the area - it's easy to get great jerk chicken in Negril. Pork is a different matter - I miss Ossie's on the beach road. I stay at Great Huts frequently and while I love the liveliness of the row of cook shops out front at Boston Jerk Center I only need one jerk pit at a time. It's a bit awkward to say "No thanks" to the others and it's a bit of a process to make sure I spread the love over several vendors over the course of several meals.

bad idea for all the reasons everybody else said

I don't like the idea. I don't think a lot of people will go to the jerk center because it's inconvenient. I like it he way it is.

A resounding no if the intent is to model it after the Boston jerk center near Port Antonio. We have never felt overly hassled on the beach in Negril but the BOSTON Jerk Center was uncomfortable, overpriced and poor quality. We went a second time just to make sure the first time was not an anomaly. It was not. It was worse. Street food is sold all over the world in similar conditions and always, it is buyer beware. We have our favs (another shoutout to Smokey Joe) and will continue to accept the very, very, very (IMHO) risk. I will be adding a shot of rum at the end of the meal….just in case.
Maintain the status quo.

coldinNB...you just reminded me of the scrum that always occurs at the roadside fry fish community near White House. When you get out of your car you are besieged by a half dozen plates of cold fried fish shoved in your face. We're always nice but we walk through by the guy actually frying, place our order with him, then sit at the tables on the fishermens beach and have a FEAST.

A Jerk pan pen is a bad idea for everyone except hotel restaurants. Negril has enough compounds already and most of the people who
stay at them never really experience true Negril life, IMHO.

If this does happen, we will most likely not go there to eat.

Why don't they set up a depot where vendors can keep their carts overnight, clean them, have them inspected and maybe even sell a few supplies they may need. They can have a place to replenish fresh water and use a restroom. Rather than corral them, help them improve what they're already doing where they are.