Why do Jamaicans think Americans always need something?

[uscgamecock]

Just venting a little bit here...

I love visiting the amazing beaches of Negril, but it would be great to be able to walk down the beach without 100 hustlers trying to scam me. It would also be nice to be able to take a nap in a beach chair without someone waking me up every 5 minutes. Just because I am walking down the beach or down the road does not mean that I need anything at all. I just like to walk. No, means NO. Leave me alone scammer.

No, I don't want to ride a jetski. No, I don't want to go parasailing. No, I don't want any ganja. No, if I don't want any ganja, what makes you think I want cocaine. I don't want to meet nice Jamaican girls. (yeah right) No, I don't want your handmade bracelet. No, I don't want any fruit. No, I don't want your cooked lobster that has been unrefrigerated in the hot sun walking up and down the beach for 2 hours. etc, etc, etc...

Respect? I will respect you when you back off and give me some peace & quiet. When I need or want something, I will go buy it. I spend plenty of money every visit, but won't give these fools on the beach a dime because they annoy me.

Oh and my favorite... "It's better to beg than steal so give me a 5 dollars..." Those guys probably make more money per day doing that than I make in a day working my butt off.

Beaches in Jamaica are like the internet: full of annoying spam!

[Jdub]

USC, have you considered that this is the way people earn a living? There are very few jobs in Jamaica, so tourism and selling things to tourists is the #1 economy in this poor country. The majority of Jamaicans are proud people and if given the chance, would not sell items on the beach to make a living. No one has a choice of where they are born or the conditions they are born into. We who were born in a country that offer opportunities really had no decision in the matter. I work in social services and on behalf of people in need. If they had a choice, they would not be in the situation they are in. I know all the lines about "pulling yourself uo by your bootstraps" and that whole line of thinking. One thing many of us in the US, Canada, and many other countries have is access to opportunity. We didn't do anything to deserve it, we were fortunate enough to be born into it. A few words for your consideration. Blessings on you.

[Rob]

Why do you think this is an American thing? Are no other country's tourists subject to the same?

You are visiting a tourist area in a developing country. Tourist areas ALL OVER THE PLANET cater to their visitors. If no one would ask a tourist what they would like, then many people (not you obviously) would never have the gumption to ask.

Why are they asking you for a jetski ride? Maybe because tourists like jetski rides. Why are they asking if you want to go parasailing? That is because tourists do like to parasail. Why are they asking you if you want ganja or coke? Maybe that question is better answered by why is the demand for marijuana and coke so astronomically high in the good ol' US of A?

Asking if you want a girl? Hmmmm, isnt that referred to as the "world's oldest profession"? Can Jamaica stop something that has existed since mankind has been mankind?

A handmade bracelet? Dont you think millions of tourists like yourself have bought handmade bracelets?

Fruit? Dont you need to eat? And something healthy at that! The lobster thing does kind of creep me out too, but to each their own...

When it comes to respect, isnt that a two way street? Does one automatically deserve unconditional respect, or does one earn it? Have you considered what it is like to live in a developing country and seeing people who are much better off than you come to your country and then say they dont want anything of what you are offering? How long would be able to take it? I am not saying you need to buy anything, but why in the world think everyone is trying to scam you?

Was the person who offered the jetski not going to get you a jetski ride at the agreed price? Was the fruit vendor going to scam you on the fruit? Why think everyone you meet is a scammer?

It is perfectly fine if you dont want to give anyone on the beach a dime - that is your dime to give. But why not try to be a bit more open minded and understanding. If you want to walk a beach without anyone disturbing you, you can find that in Jamaica. But dont expect there to be resorts, beach bars or activities of really any kind in those locations. Negril is unique in what it does offer, and that is something for everyone.

[DConkle]

Thanks Rob! My thoughts exactly.

[ed kennedy]

Rob....let me be the first? to observe that you all too frequently rush to defense of anything Negril, when you should try understand both sides. I realize that you have a need to be a mouthpiece for the Chamber...but the originator of this thread was making some very legitimate points...to which, unfortunately, there is no solution. Many visitors,, even the seasoned Negrilite, often becomes frustrated with the over the top higgling.......

Over the years, not much progress has been made in 1) educating the local population as to what is and is not in their best interests, and 2) on a much broader scale, dealing with the inappropriate harrassment....

Why do you think this is an American thing? Are no other country's tourists subject to the same?

You are visiting a tourist area in a developing country. Tourist areas ALL OVER THE PLANET cater to their visitors. If no one would ask a tourist what they would like, then many people (not you obviously) would never have the gumption to ask.

Why are they asking you for a jetski ride? Maybe because tourists like jetski rides. Why are they asking if you want to go parasailing? That is because tourists do like to parasail. Why are they asking you if you want ganja or coke? Maybe that question is better answered by why is the demand for marijuana and coke so astronomically high in the good ol' US of A?

Asking if you want a girl? Hmmmm, isnt that referred to as the "world's oldest profession"? Can Jamaica stop something that has existed since mankind has been mankind?

A handmade bracelet? Dont you think millions of tourists like yourself have bought handmade bracelets?

Fruit? Dont you need to eat? And something healthy at that! The lobster thing does kind of creep me out too, but to each their own...

When it comes to respect, isnt that a two way street? Does one automatically deserve unconditional respect, or does one earn it? Have you considered what it is like to live in a developing country and seeing people who are much better off than you come to your country and then say they dont want anything of what you are offering? How long would be able to take it? I am not saying you need to buy anything, but why in the world think everyone is trying to scam you?

Was the person who offered the jetski not going to get you a jetski ride at the agreed price? Was the fruit vendor going to scam you on the fruit? Why think everyone you meet is a scammer?

It is perfectly fine if you dont want to give anyone on the beach a dime - that is your dime to give. But why not try to be a bit more open minded and understanding. If you want to walk a beach without anyone disturbing you, you can find that in Jamaica. But dont expect there to be resorts, beach bars or activities of really any kind in those locations. Negril is unique in what it does offer, and that is something for everyone.

[Rob]

Rob....let me be the first? to observe that you all too frequently rush to defense of anything Negril, when you should try understand both sides. I realize that you have a need to be a mouthpiece for the Chamber...but the originator of this thread was making some very legitimate points...to which, unfortunately, there is no solution. Many visitors,, even the seasoned Negrilite, often becomes frustrated with the over the top higgling.......

Over the years, not much progress has been made in 1) educating the local population as to what is and is not in their best interests, and 2) on a much broader scale, dealing with the inappropriate harrassment....

Ed,

Being born American and living my first 31+ years in America and subsequently living for the last 20 years or so in Jamaica puts me in a very unique position to clearly see both sides of this issue. I understand this far better than you may assume. My comments to the original poster were derived precisely from being able to clearly see both of these sides.

My comments were my own and only my own - not dictated by anyone or anything other than the desire to help others to understand what their frustration may be preventing them from understanding. I am not in the employ nor take direction from the Negril Chamber of Commerce. Your speculation that I need to be a mouthpiece for the Chamber is incorrect. You are mistaken. The Negril Chamber is fully able to speak for themselves on this forum, and have done so in the past.

While you may feel that there has not been much progress, I feel that you are misinformed about this as well. You must not be aware of the local school programs for the primary and secondary students to educate students about tourism and how it impacts their future and the Jamaican as well as Caribbean economy. You must also be unaware of the JTB tourism education classes required for tourism permit holders. Add in the fact that the highly visible "Courtesy Corp" now patrol the resort areas with uniformed police allows anyone who is informed to see that the Jamaican government is knowingly working on the inappropriate tourist harassment.

Is there still room for improvement in the harassment issue? Of course there is. But although you may personally be frustrated, there is no need to post your incorrect speculations as fact. Being frustrated is no excuse to throw the truth as well as common sense out the window...

Rob,
I'm going to cancel my next two trips unless you can guarantee me that before I arrive that you have reached out to and trained every single higgler in Negril on how to interact with all visitors. Can you make this happen? I need to know as I do not want to lose my deposits.

Oh, and how can I forget the need for sidewalks on the West End. I know with the relationships that you have built over the last 20 years that you can make this happen. Problem is, around 5 PM or so I have simply partake'd way too much and I become a hazard while walking the road to all motorist whom are driving.

Oh, can you get someone to deal with the Lionfish. A lot of us out there are deathly afraid of these little buggers and we need to wipe them out quickly. Maybe a daily fish fry where it's buy one lion fish get one free?

And one last thing, stop defending Negril. If it wasn't for guys like you I would have never come. And now that I have found it and love it I do not want anyone to book my favorite rooms when I want to use them.

Booger,

I will get right on that.... (grin)

[ed kennedy]

despite the programs that you cite, and the "policemen" that you count, it is clear that the aggressiveness has increased rather than decreased......

Ed,

Being born American and living my first 31+ years in America and subsequently living for the last 20 years or so in Jamaica puts me in a very unique position to clearly see both sides of this issue. I understand this far better than you may assume. My comments to the original poster were derived precisely from being able to clearly see both of these sides.

My comments were my own and only my own - not dictated by anyone or anything other than the desire to help others to understand what their frustration may be preventing them from understanding. I am not in the employ nor take direction from the Negril Chamber of Commerce. Your speculation that I need to be a mouthpiece for the Chamber is incorrect. You are mistaken. The Negril Chamber is fully able to speak for themselves on this forum, and have done so in the past.

While you may feel that there has not been much progress, I feel that you are misinformed about this as well. You must not be aware of the local school programs for the primary and secondary students to educate students about tourism and how it impacts their future and the Jamaican as well as Caribbean economy. You must also be unaware of the JTB tourism education classes required for tourism permit holders. Add in the fact that the highly visible "Courtesy Corp" now patrol the resort areas with uniformed police allows anyone who is informed to see that the Jamaican government is knowingly working on the inappropriate tourist harassment.

Is there still room for improvement in the harassment issue? Of course there is. But although you may personally be frustrated, there is no need to post your incorrect speculations as fact. Being frustrated is no excuse to throw the truth as well as common sense out the window...



Booger,

I will get right on that.... (grin)

[spottycatz]

despite the programs that you cite, and the "policemen" that you count, it is clear that the aggressiveness has increased rather than decreased......

Sorry Ed, but you 'appear' to be in a vocal minority, and thats OK, because that's what boards like these are for, but I've never had the problems you've encountered, so I can't relate. The PEOPLE who work the beach are making a living the best they can and the best they are allowed to do. They provide a service that you personally don't want, but there are others of us that go and have gone to Negril regularly and for a long time, that do talk, buy from and enjoy their company. Personally, the beach would be a poorer place without the vendors. I would rather have them on the sand than the hoards of coloured plastic wristband striders, that march stoically ahead untill they get back to their place of 'safety'! Just sayin'.

[Blueallah]

The first time I went to Jamaica I found it really annoying that absolutley everybody wanted to sell me goods or services. Then I came home and immediately had someone ask me to give them something for absoluetly nothing. I much more respect the guy offering something no matter what it is.

[Jaherring]

I understand USCGAMECOCK!!! I know the feeling!! BUT...lol...We are far outnumbered here..lmao!!