Educate me..... - Jamaica Talk

JaGoBi · #1 (**permalink**) 04-07-2005, 11:25 AM

We all know to varying extents the trials and tribulations that Jamaica and it's people have endured over the years. But with all the struggling and the poverty that seems to be on the rise, I have a naggin' question. Where the hell is all the tourism dollars going?? Shouldn't some of that money be plugged into Jamaica as a whole and not just a pool upgrade on the resorts?? What am I missing here??

Blingee$ha · #2 (**permalink**) 04-07-2005, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JaGoBi

What am I missing here??

Well I can`t be 100% about Jamaica, but the BIGGEST issue on my family`s island is really misappropriation of money. It gets given to things that serve the wants or needs of the current governing party... as opposed to creating a better environment for the citizens of the island!

Anther thing maybe to consider is that Jamaica, like a lot of other islands, have to spend money to make money! That means that all the tourism that comes into the island COSTS $$$$$ .... therefore they have to put that back into that insdustry to break even, & then to generate more revenue each quarter .... so the industry continues to thrive!

Lastly ... tourism ISN`T where ALL the foriegn money comes from in the West Indies! A BIG factor that often gets over looked is IMPORTING & EXPORTING of goods! There`s money there too & again .... a lot of the time it`s misappropriated!!!

I also think that you have to consider that many of the luxuries that we are afforded in North America, in terms of quality of living & programs to battle some of the issues you mention like violence, crime etc... are afforded from the collection of tax dollars. Those taxes are constantly being INCREASED, weigh that, and the average income of a working North American with the population & you have a bit of a picture.

Now compare that to the West Indies. They can only raise taxes so much, the population isn`t even comparable & now talk about the average income of a working WEst Indian person.... Jamaica or otherwise. Quite a different picture isn`t it??

~~

JaGoBi · #3 (**permalink**) 04-07-2005, 12:08 PM

I understand your point with taxes, avg. household income, import/export, etc. I do know that these things and more bring revenue to the island. It's a CONTSTANT irritation to me to know of the strugglin over there, yet see advertisements, examples and even mentions of Jamaica everywhere. I can watch some of the most obscure programming on TV (drama, comedy, game show, blockbuster) and here of talk of Jamaica. Many people think of Jamaica first when the term 'Island Paradise' is used. Guess I'm just raning, but it just seems pretty lop-sided to me. Maybe placing the spending habits of the 'powers that be' should be placed under some serious scrutiny. From budgets to so-called perks. I dunno, guess I'm just ranting........

Blingee$ha · #4 (**permalink**) 04-07-2005, 12:09 PM

PS: Wicked THREAD... Big Up JaGoBIZZLE for this thread lol
I can`t Wait for Bounty`s reply ...

bountyx · #5 (**permalink**) 04-07-2005, 12:10 PM

Do you know what's funny though? Next time you take a trip to Jamaica, check out all the name brand cars out here. My fam from North America always marvel that they see more of the hype vehicles here than they do back home.

Go figure.

Blingee$ha · #6 (**permalink**) 04-07-2005, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JaGoBi

I understand your point with taxes, avg. household income, import/export, etc. I do know that these things and more bring revenue to the island. It's a CONTSTANT irritation to me to know of the strugglin over there, yet see advertisements, examples and even mentions of Jamaica everywhere. I can watch some of the most obscure programming on TV (drama, comedy, game show, blockbuster) and here of talk of Jamaica. Many people think of Jamaica first when the term 'Island Paradise' is used. Guess I'm just raning, but it just seems pretty lop-sided to me. Maybe placing the spending habits of the 'powers that be' should be placed under some serious scrutiny. From budgets to so-called perks. I dunno, guess I'm just ranting........

No ranting at all! I think the frustration is legitimate
& if you`re frustrated ... think of how the residents
of these islands feel.

~~

bountyx · #7 (**permalink**) 04-07-2005, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JaGoBi

Where the hell is all the tourism dollars going?? Shouldn't some of that money be plugged into Jamaica as a whole and not just a pool upgrade on the resorts?? What am I missing here??

Alright, for the tourism thing, you have to understand how things work.
The hotels, airline (until govt. took it back over) vendors etc. are all private enterprises. Therefore any money they make goes to them. How tourism benefits the Jamaican economy is through the injection of the foreign exchange the tourists bring in, and as a result of the increased circulation of money due their spending habbits etc. So it's not like the govt. collects this big "Tourism Fund" per se. You do have agencies like the Jamaica Tourist Board which promote the island as a tourist destination, but I doubt they get revenue from it.

JaGoBi · #8 (**permalink**) 04-07-2005, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bountyx

Do you know what's funny though? Next time you take a trip to Jamaica, check out all the name brand cars out here. My fam from North America always marvel that they see more of the hype vehicles here than they do back home.

Go figure.

Maaaaaan, my cuz sent me some pics a while back and I couldn't BELIEVE what I saw. Not only are these dudes driving about in BMW's etc., but they're also TRICKED OUT to da max!!!! But they live in a shack... Hmmm.....

bountyx · #9 (**permalink**) 04-07-2005, 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JaGoBi

Maaaaaan, my cuz sent me some pics a while back and I couldn't BELIEVE what I saw. Not only are these dudes driving about in BMW's etc., but they're also TRICKED OUT to da max!!!! But they live in a shack... Hmmm.....

Yuh see it. It all reach di stage now weh yuh haffi careful how yuh drive 'pon certain road like all Hope Road a night time, cause di likkle yout dem wid dem Evo an' dem Impreza, an' dem Integra nuh stap race and bun up dem engine dem.

But yow, don't be fooled. Money deh yah eena Jamaica. Memba mi tell yuh so. Ah di distribution weh nuh all dat level. But even then, money deh yah. When yuh see how much cell phone penetrate di place, an' how nuff people have all 3 phone - down to di likkle hand cyaart man, den yuh realize seh as bad as tings may appear, more time, there's another side to it.

JaGoBi · #10 (**permalink**) 04-07-2005, 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bountyx

Alright, for the tourism thing, you have to understand how things work.
The hotels, airline (until govt. took it back over) vendors etc. are all private enterprises. Therefore any money they make goes to them. How tourism benefits the Jamaican economy is through the injection of the foreign exchange the tourists bring in, and as a result of the increased circulation of money due their spending habbits etc. So it's not like the govt. collects this big "Tourism Fund" per se. You do have agencies like the Jamaica Tourist Board which promote the island as a tourist destination, but I doubt they get revenue from it.

I do understand that they are private enterprises and it's 'their' money. But am I naive to assume that these corporations have to pay some sort of tax/fee, etc. to be there? Although said fee may not be substantial, but then again, if they are paying something back, where is it going??

Blingee$ha · #11 (**permalink**) 04-07-2005, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bountyx

Alright, for the tourism thing, you have to understand how things work.
The hotels, airline (until govt. took it back over) vendors etc. are all private enterprises. Therefore any money they make goes to them. How tourism benefits the Jamaican economy is through the injection of the foreign exchange the tourists bring in, and as a result of the increased circulation of money due their spending habbits etc. So it's not like the govt. collects this big "Tourism Fund" per se. You do have agencies like the Jamaica Tourist Board which promote the island as a tourist destination, but I doubt they get revenue from it.

See why I couldn`t wait for his reply!! That`s true but I didn`t even think of it! LoL ... yeah but even though the enterprises are private ones ... isn`t it regulated by government? Therefore shouldn`t the country see some benefit from that too, if the politicians appropriate the money correctly???

~~

bountyx · #12 (**permalink**) 04-07-2005, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JaGoBi

I do understand that they are private enterprises and it's 'their' money. But am I naive to assume that these corporations have to pay some sort of tax/fee, etc. to be there? Although said fee may not be substantial, but then again, if they are paying something back, where is it going??

Yeah, there are taxes. There's General Consumption Tax, as well as the Income Tax. Not to mention the tons of other ways Omar finds to take money. As to where it's going?

Omar outlined weh sum a di money supposed to go...

Some seh a deh so it gawn...

Some seh a ova deh so...

An some a kip up big argument ova sum a it ova yah so...

Dem use some money fi deal wid dis...

Every month I bawl when I see di 33% weh disappear from mi pay.

JaGoBi · #13 (**permalink**) 04-07-2005, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bountyx

Yuh see it. It all reach di stage now weh yuh haffi careful how yuh drive 'pon certain road like all Hope Road a night time, cause di likkle yout dem wid dem Evo an' dem Impreza, an' dem Integra nuh stap race and bun up dem engine dem.

But yow, don't be fooled. Money deh yah eena Jamaica. Memba mi tell yuh so. Ah di distribution weh nuh all dat level. But even then, money deh yah. When yuh see how much cell phone penetrate di place, an' how nuff people have all 3 phone - down to di likkle hand cyaart man, den yuh realize seh as bad as tings may appear, more time, there's another side to it.

Ahhh... food for thought and I sho am HUNGRY.....