I have 70 posts, but have been lurking here for years, mostly reading and gathering information, I have asked some questions, as well as posted many positive things about the places and people I have met in Negril. Post count is something that is thrown around forums, as if post count = intelligence or knowledge of a subject. It does not.
I have learned that there is a bit of a disconnect between some of the advice given here and the realities of travelling to Negril. I enjoy a spirited discussion, and like to debate. However, it always seems to devolve quickly into an "us vs them" sort of thing. Instead of actually responding to my (and others) statements and questions, people are told that they just don't get it, they are tourists not travellers, that Negril is not for them and maybe they should go somewhere else, to picking apart what is said and then twisted to suit the persons agenda, to at some points insults and name calling. Why is that?
Why does it seem like some people would rather keep some of these things a secret? Why isn't it OK to talk about how you should pay attention to things like exchange rates, to know it's OK to ask for your change, to be aware of being ripped off and being taken advantage of? Where is the line drawn, between cents and dollars? Where is the line between understanding the Jamaican culture and being ripped off? Are some of the business practices such as keeping change or overcharging part of the culture? They treat each other that way? Or just the tourists?
Would we tolerate this in our own backyards? I run a business and in many cases my customers are much better off than myself and even more so my part time employees. Should my employees feel it's OK to take a little bit extra from the wealthy ones? They can afford it, right?