The bulk of the history I've read and been told over the past 33 years indicates that dry spices were used to preserve the meat and the crushed peppers kept animals and bugs at bay. The traditional cooking technique DOES involve "sweet wood" which is the wood from the pimento or allspice tree. I have a very large one growing in my garden that I use for flavor when I smoke either jerk chicken or jerk pork.
On a side note, the use of Red Stripe is neither traditional or authentic and does nothing to enhance the flavor of the finished meat.
