Kingston vs. Jamaica

I first felt the urge to add this post about a week ago when I saw a news report on CVM regarding poor business at the Kingston Craft Market. And then I felt even more inclined to when I saw a report a few nights ago regarding the last minute rush of students to the SLB. I'll tie it all up.

One of the vendors at the craft market lamented the poor business and lack of foreigners visiting the market. She complained that cruise ships don't dock at Kingston Harbour. "All the ships go to the north coast, it's as if they've forgotten us", she said. At this point I started boiling.
Then there was the SLB story. Let me start by saying, people need to wise up and get their SLB applications in early. That out of the way, one of the students interviewed at SLB made a very good point. She said that it's unfair that students all over the country have to travel all the way to one side of the country to submit applications. And some are made to suffer even more sometimes when they are told that they need to go back home and come back with other document(s) to accompany the application.

Back to the craft market lady. I understand that she would be bothered by their dilemma, afterall it is their livelihood at stake, but she has no idea just how many things us north coast folk (and pretty much anyone outside the corporate area) have to go through in our daily lives. Every damn office is based in Kingston. Any major business we need to do has to be done in Kingston...

I remember back in 2002 when I had to get passports renewed for me and my father. My padre followed me at 4 in the morning to go get a bus to travel to Town. It so happened that we missed the bus, and would have had to wait another 2 hours before another bus came and left. Lucky for us, there was one solitary car driving by on the road (and now you'll see why I say I'm convinced my father knows everybody... or maybe it's just God's grace), and the driver turned out to be my father's friend, who so happened to be on his way to Kingston. So I got a ride with him, and got to the passport office at 6:30am. I was number 41 in line. So whereas all the HWT and neighbouring area persons could wake up at 5 or 6 and still get there before me, I had to wake at 3:30, travel 70+ miles to be #41 in line. And then you're gonna tell me that Kingston is 'forgotten'? Lady, please. Maybe if y'all would keep your harbour clean someone would consider giving you cruise ships. But stop your whining, y'all have everything else.

So I stand in support of my SLB friend. I frown on her complacency, but applaud her conviction. These major offices and institutions need to have outlets so that the country is properly supplied. And I'm not talking about an office per parish, but how about one in Ocho Rios, one in Montego Bay, another in Mandeville and one in Port Antonio, or something like that. Why should I call in to TVJ, answer some cricket question correctly, travel all the way from Westmoreland to TVJ to collect my prize- a water bottle, a cap and a bag. I might as well use the bus fare and buy those things at the corner shop. It just doesn't make sense.