Working hard for change...we can help!

[booger]

Not really an attitude that helps much in the promotion of tourism.

Please clarify your point....

Flip, The total vibe of the beach has changed for the better, without the jet skis. But maybe you used the wrong word "begging". I agree there seems to be less hassling without the Jetski promotions. Now if they would only control the horses!

The vibe has changed since the jet skis were given the boot, for the better. Not only do you not get hit up for a ride every 100 ft or so, you are also not getting hit up to buy coke every 100 ft or so. I prefer the West End because I like it super laid back while on vacation and the cliffs offer this. I do however enjoy the beach and the quiet that is now afforded with the jet skis gone as well.

And I still stand by actual experience of "harassment." Being pestered to buy **** is not harassment.......

[Accompong]

Accompong, you post an interesting question.

The guys that dot the beach selling their "product(s)". Are they all freelancing, with their own little slice of the beach or are many of them sub contracted out by a larger entity? It is that larger entity, or perhaps the person, or people he reports to that may have a relationship with those that govern. Palms get greased to keep things running "as is" without any enactment or enforcement of loitering laws or setting up a system of licensing those that can sell their wares on the beach.

I have no proof, but as a Jamaican who spent the first half of my life there I know the rabbit hole can run deep.

I realize how things run in Kingston, I understand how it works there but Negril is not Kingston. What is the reality in Kingston is not understood by those visiting Negril for a week or two.

halfwaytree. I have known you (sort of) from another venue on Jamaica and have always appreciated your insights. So Big Up to you my friend.

I can't honestly answer your question about the freelancing vs the sub contracting. Perhaps someone closer to the Negril scene like Rob or Lisa could comment as I live (as you probably know) deep in the Cockpits and rarely visit Negril area.

I have always sort of assumed that the higglers were mostly operating on their own from the few dozen I know that do just that. I have always admired the Jamaican Spirit for coming up with ways to make money when opportunities are limited.

Even after living almost a year in Seaview Gardens Phase II in Kingston I wouldn't venture to say I know "exactly" how things run there either but it is certainly a different dynamic when mostly Jamaicans are in a group compared to adding tourists to the mixture.

You have me thinking about this and now I want to find out for myself how the higglers run in Negril and who's palms are getting greased just to cure my own case of wanting to know more.

Thanks for your answer.

Respect.

[Rob]

Negril is not Kingston, and being small, things are much easier to deal with from a government level. All the legal vendors are required to be licensed to sell their wares on the beach. There are still many "freelancers" but making a living is getting more difficult for them. Because of the govt's need to repay the IMF, taxes are being squeezed from every source possible. Even trip vendors, artists and roving bands are having to become licensed. The room for "freelancers" is much more difficult to find. If one vendor has to be licensed to be on the beach, they dont look kindly on those who are taking their business without paying the license fee.

This is making even the smallest freelancers have to duck and hide when the police (and other legal vendors) do their rounds on the beach. We have seen many cases of the "freelancers" being targeted by new undercover police "vendors", basically guiding them right into the arms of the waiting uniformed officers as they both run off the beach to "hide". Quite an efficient, effective operation.

These undercover cop vendors allow the police to blend right in and see the "bad apples" discussed above in action. At opportune times, they can and do arrest the offender for tourist harassment. Once again, an efficient and effective way to get those bad apples off the beach.

Not being in the drug trade, any statement I would make here would be nothing but a best guess. But there must be a supplier and then distributors to handle the transactions. Obviously something would have to make it back to the supplier, otherwise they would stop supplying to that distributor. With the decriminalization of small amounts of herb, this will make for some kind of a legal or semi-legal market. We know of legal grow labs being built as we speak. These changes will be interesting to watch.

As for palms being greased, it is in no one's interest, politician or not, to have tourists being harassed. And if you live in Jamaica in 2015, you know the "status quo" is a moving target. Jamaica is truly a "developing" country. Things are moving at an incredible pace.

[Jaherring]

I hate to see my beloved jet skis take the blame for problems such as drug selling, prostitution, harrassement etc. The jet ski guys were always the most polite, respectful vendors that we encountered. We love to ride the fun machines and always found a great deal along the beach in Negril. Made some good friends with the operators also. I often wonder how those guys are making a living now?? I hope they are doing ok and the jet skis will be back for our enjoyment soon!

[jojo p]

I hate to see my beloved jet skis take the blame for problems such as drug selling, prostitution, harrassement etc. The jet ski guys were always the most polite, respectful vendors that we encountered. We love to ride the fun machines and always found a great deal along the beach in Negril. Made some good friends with the operators also. I often wonder how those guys are making a living now?? I hope they are doing ok and the jet skis will be back for our enjoyment soon!

I know for a FACT, that most of the jet ski guys,at least the ones that hung by Margaritaville, are all giggilos,and hustlers, I'm sure there doing just fine selling there ''wares'' without the jet skis!!!

[murph]

They may have banned jetskiing... but what are they gonna do when murph zips by at 80 mph!!! Brap Brap!!!!! Hahahaha

[Jaherring]

Man, jojo, that's a likkle harsh on my jet ski buddies. I guess some of them may have been moonlighting, but hey, ya gotta pay da bills. They were always very helpful to us and my sons really enjoyed the jet skis.

[CosmicMoose]

Or this waterjet powered wakeboard:

https://youtu.be/Pz63KuMRXgU

[jojo p]

Just calling it as I see it, I just thought it was ironic that you said it's not like there into prostitution, or drugs....I'm not a hotshot computer person like some of these peeps on this board or I wpould
post it myself, but you tube ''Rent a Dread in jamaica'', and its all the islands, not just Ja.
Single people get a whole different form of harrasement, not saying that any one form is worse than the other.

[rocknrollfarmer]

We have some favorite vendors, like Norman the pattie guy, he likes to "chat" when he's not bombarded by customers. We always patronize his business, and then the one time we had our Jamaican family stay with us for one night at NTH, Norman gave all of us free juice freezies, with our patties. Nice gesture, I thought. Yamon'