Recommendations for No HUSSLE bar on beach!!

[Westenders]

Hi rob

Thanks for your post. I completely hear what your saying, but I would like to add that not all the children employ these tactics, not all these children don't go to school, and not all are doing it to purchase Luxuary items. I know that you will be aware of that.

I think that your post is very obviously specific to a certain group of youngsters, and it's good you have found a route in through one of the young lads.

I actually don't think that it's a bad thing that these older kids have gotten involved in tourist based economy, after all it is the major economy in Negril, but as long as they are not missing school to sell there wares.

If some are involved in selling stuff for money to buy things like a bike. Absolutely brilliant, as long as again they aren't missing school to do it. I said in an earlier post, it's the same as having a paper round or yard job to earn extra money. A bike is a productive purchase, will help them get to school even.

Maybe if there was a project to help them develop these skills productively, to equip them for work as an adult. Most of the skills they will have are already transferable into a business model.
A few years ago now I delivered a number of programmes in my city to young boys involved in dealing drugs. We worked with them on recognising the skills they already had developed in this role and helped them link into larger programmes that helped them train, develop and grow their own business with start up funding. We had some very good outcomes by working outside of the box.

Their behaviour is not the problem it's the answer to the problem.

Just to clarify that I am not some gullible tourist who feels sorry for these kids. I am new to this forum, but not new to Negril. I have lots of family and friends who live there, my husband grew up in the West End and we spend a lot of time there. We don't come there as tourists or on holiday, it's still home to my husband.
We also support people in a lot of ways when we are there, and from here. Currently building up socks and belts for st. Anthony's kitchen.
I also understand children, especially disadvantaged children, as this is my professional background.

I think I certainly have a different view point, and I don't agree with your first point that "we all care" about the children, because some of the descriptions some people have used are very negative, and see these kids as a problem without further thought than that. That's okay, People can choose their own cause to support, it's just these are children. For me that's the important point. You clearly care and are offering the everyday guidance that these kids need.
You mention buying the candy bars and trinkets as not helping these children or Negril as a whole. I do think it helps the individual children, but as a whole it would take a lot more than that to help the people living in and around Negril. This would have to be something politically driven, or driven by a pro active NGO, which is a much bigger discussion perhaps for another day.