A cautionary tale, especially for returners

[Accompong]

5 to 6 percent haaaaaaaaaaa..so wrong

Never let it be said that facts ever got in the way for a booger or Elmer Fudd.

Page last updated on February 5, 2013

Economy - overview:
The Jamaican economy is heavily dependent on services, which now account for nearly 65% of GDP. The country continues to derive most of its foreign exchange from tourism, remittances, and bauxite/alumina. Remittances account for nearly 15% of GDP and exports of bauxite and alumina make up about 10%. The bauxite/alumina sector was most affected by the global downturn while the tourism industry was resilient, experiencing an increase of 4% in tourist arrivals. Tourism revenues account for roughly 10% of GDP, and both arrivals and revenues grew in 2010, up 4% and 6% respectively. Jamaica's economy faces many challenges to growth: high crime and corruption, large-scale unemployment and underemployment, and a debt-to-GDP ratio of more than 120%. Jamaica's onerous public debt burden is the result of government bailouts to ailing sectors of the economy, most notably to the financial sector. In early 2010, the Jamaican government created the Jamaica Debt Exchange in order to retire high-priced domestic bonds and significantly reduce annual debt servicing. Despite the improvement, debt servicing costs still hinder the government's ability to spend on infrastructure and social programs, particularly as job losses rise in a shrinking economy. Jamaica was hard hit by the effects of the global economic crisis, experiencing economic contractions from 2008-10 and growth remains low. The SIMPSON-MILLER administration faces the difficult prospect of having to achieve fiscal discipline in order to maintain debt payments, while simultaneously attacking a serious crime problem that is hampering economic growth. High unemployment exacerbates the crime problem, including gang violence that is fueled by the drug trade. As of late 2012, the SIMPSON-MILLER government was working to negotiate a new IMF Stand-by agreement to gain access to additional funds.

[booger]

5 to 6 percent haaaaaaaaaaa..so wrong

Than what is it? I Googled it before I posted it and that is what returned. According to the CIA World Factbook it is 10%. http://www.theodora.com/wfbcurrent/j...a_economy.html. That is if you believe what the CIA has to say. So several searches returned results from 4-10%.

So I stand corrected. It is a roll of paper towels, roll of toilet paper, and throw in tube of toothpaste for all those wonderful Jamaican smiles. Remittances account for more than tourism at 15%, so the folks who left add 50% more to GDP than the folks who are visiting. Facts are facts and tourism will not grow until crime and corruption are dealt with.

[jar77]

Than what is it? I Googled it before I posted it and that is what returned. According to the CIA World Factbook it is 10%. http://www.theodora.com/wfbcurrent/j...a_economy.html. That is if you believe what the CIA has to say. So several searches returned results from 4-10%.

So I stand corrected. It is a roll of paper towels, roll of toilet paper, and throw in tube of toothpaste for all those wonderful Jamaican smiles. Remittances account for more than tourism at 15%, so the folks who left add 50% more to GDP than the folks who are visiting. Facts are facts and tourism will not grow until crime and corruption are dealt with.

Let's say 5% is right for giggles....5% percent of 15 billion dollars are some expensive paper towels even if you throw in a few million tubes of toothpaste...

[Lola]

Gerry, yes. You have my email if you have any questions.

[gerryg123]

Gerry, yes. You have my email if you have any questions.

So you continue to recommend that place even after the $500 was stolen?

[booger]

So you continue to recommend that place even after the $500 was stolen?

Why not, it was THERE fault for stashing their money in a cup. What were they thinking??? They should expect thieves would hit their room.

[Flipadelphia26]

Trying to follow thread. But....

[shellyk]

I have got to pipe up here because my head is about to burst steam. These same people offering up how they would physically take on the thieves are you 8 foot with a machine gun in your pocket and the mind of NASA?
For freeking real. If your mind is in sleep cycle and you awake from your cycle in mid cycle, NO WAY IN HELL your body ready to properly respond. Fight or flight neutron response will occur, however: your balance is impaired , your vision and many other factors impaired. How do I know this? My Doctorate says so.

Does it suck your stuff is missing yes. BUT use your darn adult minds here: they have entered a property illegally in middle of the night when they know most all residents are onsite and the chance of one on one encounter is very real. They have not been sleeping, their minds, their balance their vision is all centered on one thing: Leaving with your items. Do you think they are scared of your half asleep ars that they just watched snoring for the 5 minutes they were searching your room before you peeked up.Safest and best thing is pretend you are sleeping or lightly start to muffle or shuffle not making any indication you are fully awake. Then again if you have the Incredible Hulk in bed next to you like some of these guys posting think they are no worries right boys? KMT

Straight up fact of the matter, these people doing the room invasions go in knowing there is a very real chance they will have to use physical violence. You will not come out ahead here no matter how much alcohol or sub induced ego have you going on.

Also I don't generally make it practice to agree with Gerry on anything although he does have more experience than I in this whole being robbed in Negril scenario but the room invasion thefts are definitely on the rise hugely in the last couple years. Regular room thefts items left in open those are all common for decades but this breaking into rooms while occupied is getting very unsafe and frankly many many woman travelers are stopping visiting because of it. When I looked and asked advice about this upcoming trip one of my requirements for a new place was that they not have had any room invasion burglaries in the last twelve months. Most all of the recommendations I got I knew of these events occurring and didn't understand how others didn't it had been all over webs, Rondel was one mentioned and I asked that 5 months ago.

The advice to not bring your communication devices I have to roll my eyes. If it is my vacation, my relaxation that i spent my money on to relax and part of my relaxing is reading on my kindle, checking in on facebook. Those are parts of my vacation why would I leave the things I like or want or need to do at home. I have been to 15 other vacation destination countries in the time I have been going to Jamaica, never have I nor would I leave behind the things that are part of my relaxing or that I want to have along. That is a dumb suggestion. Do I need diamonds and Gold to relax not at all , i didn't take those to haiti during the Hurricane relief but i did take my laptop,and cellphone and miraculously during the lowest time of peoples lives where piles of people were being burned in the streets, my stuff came home with me unharmed. If people have to hinder their vacation because common communication devices make them stick out as a potential victim I say it is time to find a new country.

This subbed out night security is what happened at NBCC when the night stuff started happening also. The change was astounding from one visit to the next 3 years ago in a matter of 3 months. One visit I was wasted drunk went down to use lobby wifi at about 3:30 am Charlie was chatting with taxi drivers, I went back up to my room and next thing I was being awoken by Charlie rapping on my door way and yelling at about 5:30 when he brought up my key I had left in lobby and pointed out I had went to sleep with door wide open on my condo. Next trip as I came and went all evening had to ask locals to get out of my doorway so I could go in, watched them reaching in the 2nd floor bathroom windows taking shower items, having sex in whirlpool around 3 am and thankfully for me got the view from my room of night beach guard being serviced by multiple woman throughout the night while remaining in his beach chair, this was when he wasn't sleeping. Something has to be done to make sure these sub out companies are solid and tourists demanding it is the only thing that will change this. charlie was old and thin and frail but nobody got on that property without himself coming to my door to know if I wanted to meet that guest at the front desk.

Stepping down from my soapbox and head feels much better.

[Oncedeported]

I have got to pipe up here because my head is about to burst steam. These same people offering up how they would physically take on the thieves are you 8 foot with a machine gun in your pocket and the mind of NASA?
For freeking real. If your mind is in sleep cycle and you awake from your cycle in mid cycle, NO WAY IN HELL your body ready to properly respond. Fight or flight neutron response will occur, however: your balance is impaired , your vision and many other factors impaired. How do I know this? My Doctorate says so.

Does it suck your stuff is missing yes. BUT use your darn adult minds here: they have entered a property illegally in middle of the night when they know most all residents are onsite and the chance of one on one encounter is very real. They have not been sleeping, their minds, their balance their vision is all centered on one thing: Leaving with your items. Do you think they are scared of your half asleep ars that they just watched snoring for the 5 minutes they were searching your room before you peeked up.Safest and best thing is pretend you are sleeping or lightly start to muffle or shuffle not making any indication you are fully awake. Then again if you have the Incredible Hulk in bed next to you like some of these guys posting think they are no worries right boys? KMT

Straight up fact of the matter, these people doing the room invasions go in knowing there is a very real chance they will have to use physical violence. You will not come out ahead here no matter how much alcohol or sub induced ego have you going on.

Also I don't generally make it practice to agree with Gerry on anything although he does have more experience than I in this whole being robbed in Negril scenario but the room invasion thefts are definitely on the rise hugely in the last couple years. Regular room thefts items left in open those are all common for decades but this breaking into rooms while occupied is getting very unsafe and frankly many many woman travelers are stopping visiting because of it. When I looked and asked advice about this upcoming trip one of my requirements for a new place was that they not have had any room invasion burglaries in the last twelve months. Most all of the recommendations I got I knew of these events occurring and didn't understand how others didn't it had been all over webs, Rondel was one mentioned and I asked that 5 months ago.

The advice to not bring your communication devices I have to roll my eyes. If it is my vacation, my relaxation that i spent my money on to relax and part of my relaxing is reading on my kindle, checking in on facebook. Those are parts of my vacation why would I leave the things I like or want or need to do at home. I have been to 15 other vacation destination countries in the time I have been going to Jamaica, never have I nor would I leave behind the things that are part of my relaxing or that I want to have along. That is a dumb suggestion. Do I need diamonds and Gold to relax not at all , i didn't take those to haiti during the Hurricane relief but i did take my laptop,and cellphone and miraculously during the lowest time of peoples lives where piles of people were being burned in the streets, my stuff came home with me unharmed. If people have to hinder their vacation because common communication devices make them stick out as a potential victim I say it is time to find a new country.

This subbed out night security is what happened at NBCC when the night stuff started happening also. The change was astounding from one visit to the next 3 years ago in a matter of 3 months. One visit I was wasted drunk went down to use lobby wifi at about 3:30 am Charlie was chatting with taxi drivers, I went back up to my room and next thing I was being awoken by Charlie rapping on my door way and yelling at about 5:30 when he brought up my key I had left in lobby and pointed out I had went to sleep with door wide open on my condo. Next trip as I came and went all evening had to ask locals to get out of my doorway so I could go in, watched them reaching in the 2nd floor bathroom windows taking shower items, having sex in whirlpool around 3 am and thankfully for me got the view from my room of night beach guard being serviced by multiple woman throughout the night while remaining in his beach chair, this was when he wasn't sleeping. Something has to be done to make sure these sub out companies are solid and tourists demanding it is the only thing that will change this. charlie was old and thin and frail but nobody got on that property without himself coming to my door to know if I wanted to meet that guest at the front desk.

Stepping down from my soapbox and head feels much better.

"My Doctorate says so" What an arrogant comment. That's like saying I have read all the books on karate so I know I can kick your ass.

[booger]

^^^^^^ LoL^^^^^^

before I read Shelly's novel I thought to myself "I bet she doesn't make it thru this without a Gerry mention."




Midway thru I read this: "Also I don't generally make it practice to agree with Gerry on anything although he does have more experience than I in this whole being robbed in Negril scenario but the room invasion thefts are definitely on the rise hugely in the last couple years."


Gerry, What did you do to Shelly?