News | Jamaican Living

Cracking Down on Murder in Jamaica

Image by freestylee via Flickr

Crime is a big problem for Jamaica, especially in large city centers like Montego Bay or the capital of Kingston. Violent crime is especially prevalent. Such crimes can damage the moral of not only residents, but also visitors. Jamaica has a booming tourist trade, and in an effort to quash the factors that threaten it, the government recently came down hard on local gangs.

During the first 90 days of 2010, Jamaica had 426 murders occur. The government took a leaf from Brazil’s book and began to confront drug dealers and gangs on their own turf, bring in platoons of soldiers and squads of policemen to blanket crime-ridden areas. By increasing an armed presence, crime is decreasing, as evidenced by 2011′s numbers: in the first three months of this year, only 238 people were murdured. While still terrible, the government has touted this 44% drop in the murder rate as evidence that it’s strategy is working. Parts of Kingston have seen as much as a 60% drop in violent crimes.

However, not everyone is happy about this. Various groups complain that the government is isolating the population and that there have been increased instances of abuse propagated by soldiers. In 2009, 253 civilians were killed. The following year, 400 innocents were killed. Jamaicans for Justice, a civil rights group, is upset that the government is making their presence known in such a martial manner. Jamaica still has a long way to go, but with soldiers down on the corner, residents are safer than they were.

Filed Under: Crime, News, Travel Tagged With: Brazil, Crime, Jamaica, Murder

Sporting Life in Jamaica

In the middle of the Caribbean is this tropical paradise island called Jamaica. It is a very well known fact that the beauty of the island can be spellbinding and simply enchanting. However, there is also another side to the natural beauty of Jamaica and that is the vibrant sporting life of the nation.

In various sports, this island nation has excelled in various spheres and areas. If you are a tourist or a local resident, there can never be a dull moment on the island as there is always one particular sporting event or the other that you can watch. In fact, you can also take part and claim your own trophy and medal.

The major sporting activities in Jamaica are varied and diverse. Therefore, no matter what type of sports that you like, there is always a place for you in Jamaica. Some of the most popular sporting activities around are soccer, athletics, golf, cricket, horseracing, swimming, mountain climbing, basketball, rugby and lots more. Cricket happens to be one of the most popular and that of Jamaica is one of the most developed in the West Indies.

Because of strong governmental participation and the support of private businesses, there are numerous stadia, training grounds and facilities at your disposal. If you are new and you do not know where these facilities are and you really want to get the feel of sports, you just tell that new Jamaican friend of yours or you contact the local tourism or sports authority.

In order to derive maximum enjoyment from the Jamaican sporting life, you can form a team with the locals and take part in whatever game that you desire. On the other hand, you can be a spectator in one of the numerous sporting championships that are organized every year. Whatever you choose, you can be sure it is fun all the way.

Filed Under: News, Sports Tagged With: Bruce Golding, Caribbean, Jamaica, Ocho Rios

The History of Jamaica

As it is with other nations of the world, the island nation of Jamaica also has her own story to tell. In all sincerity, the history of Jamaica has been a very eventful one, one full of valuable lessons and admonition. Most historians trace the history of this beautiful island back to thousands of years before Christ. At such times, the island was said to be populated by the indigenous tribes.

These tribes were called the Arawaks and it was they that gave the island the name that it bears until today. It will interest you to know that the name Jamaica was derived from the Arawaki name xaymaca, which means the land of the woods and waters. That is an apt description of the island you might say, considering the tropical nature and geography of the islands.

The Arawaks engaged in agriculture, especially the cultivation of maize and fishing. They lived peacefully and in harmony until the coming of the Europeans. From mainland Europe, the Spanish were the first to set foot on the pristine island in the 15th century. When the legendary Spanish explorer, Christopher Columbus saw the island, he confessed that it was one of the most beautiful he had seen. Thereafter, Columbus decided to rename the island Santiago but this attempt was not successful.

The Spanish were brutal lords of the Arawaks and they drove them into slavery and torture. They were required to work extra hard for the benefit of the Spanish invaders. This was so much so that in less than two hundred years, there was virtually no Arawak left on the island. The inhumane treatment of the locals and slaves was to continue even after the British took over as colonial masters. However, as the saying goes, tough times never last, the nation of Jamaica gained independence in 1962 and has been progressing steadily ever since.

Filed Under: News, Travel Tagged With: Arawak people, Christopher Columbus, Columbus Day, Jamaica

A Brief History of Jamaica

Like human beings, nations too have their own history and the fact is that we can always learn from history. As the saying goes, those that do not learn from history tend to repeat it. In this regard, it is interesting to know that the history of the little island of Jamaica is a chequered one and one that is full of valuable lessons for everyone of us.

Although most people know Jamaica as a tropical island where reggae is in the air every hour of the day and tourists gyrating to the cool calypso rhythm on the spotless beaches. Some others simply know Jamaica as the land of Bob Marley or Usain Bolt.

However, when we dig deeper into the history of this enchanting nation, we see that Jamaica is much more than that. There is more to it than meets the eye. Although Jamaica today is a prosperous nation, it had a more troublesome past. The indigenous Arawaks inhabited Jamaica until the coming of the European colonists who held the island to ransom and turned the people into slaves. As a matter of fact, Christopher Columbus was to claim the island for the Spanish Crown. Those that resisted the colonization were brutally crushed.

As if the torture of Spanish colonization was not enough, the island was to be further colonized by the Empire of Great Britain and that is why it became a member of the Commonwealth until this moment. All through the years of colonization, it is important to know that numerous activists called for independence from the Spanish and British monarchies.

The struggle for independence was not to yield any tangible result until the year 1962 when the nation gained independence after long years of struggle. Ever since, the young nation had to contend with domestic problems especially crime. On the whole, the experience has been very challenging but there is hope.

Filed Under: Entertainment, News Tagged With: British Empire, Caribbean, Christopher Columbus, Jamaica

Historical Voyage of Jamaica

In the middle of the enchanting Caribbean Sea is the island of Jamaica. Known to the locals as Xaymaca or the Land of Woods and Waters, the island of Jamaica is truly a pearl from paradise. The natural beauty and splendor of the island is unrivaled and this accounts for the millions of tourists that throng the island on an annual basis.

That is the picture that Jamaica presents to the world at the present. However, it is very interesting to know that apart from natural beauty, the history of this magical island is also equally captivating. Historians trace the earliest human settlement on the island to as far back as 5000BC. That length of time no doubt accounts for the spectacular history that Jamaica has.

History also tells us that the earliest indigenous settlers on the islands were the Arawaks. The Arawaks were more of agriculturalists who live off the land. They survived by cultivating subsistence crops such as cassava and maize. They also survived on fishing. It was the Arawaks that gave the name Xaymaca to the island.

The indigenous settlers lived peacefully on the island for centuries until they were “discovered” by the European explorers. The first European to discover the paradise island was the famous Spanish explorer, Christopher Columbus who appreciated the beauty and splendor called Jamaica. Because of the deposits of natural resources such as gold, the Spanish took over the island and embarked on a callous colonial expedition. The locals were made to work the gold mines in the searing tropical heat as thousands other were condemned to perpetual slavery.

The inhuman acts of slavery and colonization were to continue until the British Empire took over. Little changed until the island became politically independent on the 6th of August 1962 and was recognized as a sovereign member of the Commonwealth.

Filed Under: News, Sports Tagged With: British Empire, Caribbean Sea, Christopher Columbus, Jamaica

Traveling Around Jamaica

The fact is that almost all of us have traveled at one time or the other. The distance or destination is not the issue here. The simple point is that we have all traveled before. However, one thing that must be observed is the fact that some travels are more memorable than others. There are some splendid travels that we simply find difficult to forget.

In case you do not have such a memorable travel experience and you really wish to, you should not bother yourself or trouble your mind. This is because traveling around the island nation of Jamaica is one experience that you will never forget in a hurry. It is one lovely experience that you will cherish for life. As a form of introduction, the island of Jamaica is an exotic island situated in the Caribbean Sea.

The sheer natural beauty of the nation is attested to by the fact that it receives over a million tourists every year. This is even more staggering in view of the fact that the population of the island itself is less than three million. Without any doubt, Jamaica is a place to visit.

To enjoy your travel around the island and ensure your own safety, it is very important that you schedule your visit at an appropriate time of the year and also ensure that you register with accredited travel agencies that will take you to places that matter most. These agencies will also ensure that you do not have any skirmishes with the local authorities. All these measures and steps are very important especially concerning the fact that Jamaica has one of the highest crime rates in the world. However, you do not have to worry about that once you are able to stick to the various rules and regulations that concern your safety.

Filed Under: News, Travel Tagged With: Bruce Golding, Caribbean, Jamaica, Jamaica Observer

Fighting Crime on the Island

It is a known fact that the phenomenon of crime is one that is universal. It is universal in the sense that there is no country on the planet without one form of criminal activity or the other. This is a glaring fact that we have come to live with as humans even in the 21st century where science and technology have taken over everything.

The enchantingly beautiful island of Jamaica is one that is not immune from the criminal activities of the nefarious minds. The case of Jamaica is a unique one in the sense that the beauty of the island has been tarnished by the various crimes and criminality recorded all over the island. The capital city of Kingston is one where the situation is particularly disturbing.

For a country that once had the world’s highest rate of murders, Jamaica is not treating the issue of security lightly. The issue is a very challenging one no doubt but the government is also doing the very best to rein in the dubious activities of the criminals.

Some of the measures taken include the fact that the government has increased the supplies of arms and ammunition to the local police to help combat the rising wave of crime. Apart from the weapons, the government has also supplied the police with increased number of patrol vehicles. In addition, they have also been trained and re-trained in order to be able to face the challenges of modern criminal activities.

The government of Jamaica has also collaborated with various governments, especially those of the United States of America, the Caribbean nations and the nations of Latin America that have united to combat transnational crime. These include drug trafficking, kidnapping and other criminal activities. Although a lot still needs to be done, considerable progress has been made.

Filed Under: Crime, News Tagged With: Caribbean, Crime, Jamaica, United States

Sports in Jamaica

: Image via Wikipedia

Like many other nations on the planet, the nation of Jamaica is one where the people are really much into sports. Right from time immemorial, sporting activities have always been of paramount importance in the country. Jamaica has even been popularized with the enviable feats of Usain Bolt who shattered the records of the world of athletics at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Even until the present moment, both indigenes and tourists enjoy the amiable atmosphere that Jamaica offers. If you are an ardent sports lover, then Jamaica is the naton to be. Apart from the fact that it is a paradise in the ocean, Jamaica has a lot to offer you in terms of various sporting activities. Some of the most popular sporting activities in the nation include soccer, basketball, swimming, athletics (especially racing), cycling, baseball, golf and cricket. There are also other intellectual sporting activities such as chess and scrabble.

Sports in Jamaica has been structured in such a way that either you are a citizen or tourist, it is easy for you to enjoy the various sporting games and the facilities that are available especially in and around the city of Kingston. Apart from its vibrant sporting life, this city also doubles as the capital of Jamaica. For citizens, there are numerous sporting academies and institutes that have been provided by the government. It is important to know that some of these academies are in private hands. Therefore, those that have talented children are always encouraged to register with these institutions.

Apart from these, there are numerous championships organized every year all over the nation. Some of the most interesting of these championships are those that involve horseracing, soccer, golf and athletics. Therefore, there is never a dull moment in Jamaica.If you are not enjoying the soothing vibes of reggae, then you may be participating in the local soccer team. Whichever you choose, it is fun all the way.

Filed Under: News, Sports Tagged With: Bruce Golding, Caribbean, Jamaica, Usain Bolt

Jamaica: Disturbing Trends in Crime

Without little doubt, the nation of Jamaica is one of the most beloved in the whole world. The reasons for this are quite varied. One is the fact that it is the nation that gave the world the priceless gift of Bob Marley, the greatest reggae musician that has ever lived. Another is that the nation of Jamaica is one that is one of the pearls of tourism, with unmatched potentialities for tourism.

However, these are real facts when Jamaica is being discussed but there are grim facts that must also be considered when Jamaica is the issue. The nation has one of the highest crime rates not only in the Caribbean but also in the world all over. To many people, Jamaica is one of the most violent nations on earth.

Understandably, this is a serious concern for the Jamaican people and government. Just as any responsible government will react, the Jamaican government has put the necessary measures in place to tackle the soaring crime rates. The capital city of Kingston is one that is notorious for unresolved murders, drug trafficking, armed robbery, kidnappings, rape, carjacking and many other criminal activities.

For both local residents and the millions of tourists that pour into this tropical paradise every single year, security is a major issue. Tourists are especially targeted since the prevailing belief is that they are always loaded with hard currency especially dollars. Apart from this, quite a number of tourists are quite naive and trusting. In this regard, they are quite easy prey for the criminally minded elements that litter the island of Jamaica.

In order not to fall prey to these acts of insecurity, there are various tips that are useful for both local residents and tourists alike. It is always useful and beneficial to walk together and one should always avoid suspicious areas.

Filed Under: Crime, News Tagged With: Bruce Golding, Caribbean, Jamaica