Confronting racism!

As a black Jamaican, I had been very aware of Jamaica's racist past which had been manifested from 1492 and had lingered for centuries. 

I personally, had never experienced it so blatantly after independence however, until visiting Laughing Waters in St. Ann in what was supposed to be the modern era.

 

This occured in the 1980's, some two decades after we had gained our independence.

Some friends and I had been having a great time at a north coast resort at Mammee Bay, in St. Ann.

One day we took a coastal tour with one of the companies in the area.

 It was as we sped along the coast, enjoying the wonderful vista, that we saw this attractive waterfall and the gentleman piloting the boat asked if we wanted to stop and enjoy a great water massage. 

Naturally, everyone was enthusiastic to experience that section of the Roaring River as it gushed out into the warm Caribbean Sea.

As we approached falls, we noticed that there was another boat from the same company we rented from, there. Its passengers were Germans, so naturally all white. 

We joined them under the tingling, clear gushing falls and even participated in small talk with a few.

Then they left.

Almost immediately after their departure,  we were approached by a uniformed guard who informed us that it was private property so we had to leave!

Incredulously,  I enquired from him how it only became private property after the white people had left? 

Appearing embarrassed, he pointed sheepishly to an off-white woman standing on the beach and indicated that he was just the messenger. 

Angrily I strode over to her and posed the same question "how come the beach only became private property after the white people departed?"

She immediately went into a long diatribe about how much she had leased the property for, was paying thousands of scarce US dollars for it, so could decide who could use it.

Long story short I dared her to move us and told my friends who had gathered around that we were going back under the falls and would come out when we were good and ready.

 At the time I was a columnist at the Jamaica Record, a broadsheet daily, which is now defunct.

 On returning to Kingston, I wrote two articles entitled, "Racism in Jamaica" and the newspaper published them prominently.

I don't think I have ever received more kudos for a series as I did from many quarters, after those articles were published! 

However,  I did not stop there but investigated whose property it was. 

That's when I discovered that it was owned by the government of Jamaica through an arm called Urban Development Corporation (UDC), then headed by the outstanding Jamaican technocrat Dr. Gloria Knight.

 I sent a complaint directly to her and outlined the case of blatant racism we had experienced at the property.

 I soon heard that the off-white woman did have a 30 year lease with the UDC, but it was immediately cancelled on the grounds of inappropriate use of the property!

I further understood that the UDC was going to take full control of the property and run it themselves, as they did nearby with Dunn's River Falls.

I never returned to that area or those falls until decades later, actually in July 2023, when I was invited to a beach party there.

 And it was only on hearing where the party would be that the details of that disgusting incident sprung back poignantly the into my consciousness😡.

Apparently though, since the government took back control, it has not only become a beach resort for top politicians, but also is available to anyone who wants to have functions there and can afford the US dollar price tag.

Quite properly too, anyone who wants to use the beach and falls without accessing them through the property, no longer has to put up with indignities or pay any kind of fee!

This time, since I was there as a guest of someone having a beach party there,  I took the opportunity to tour the house.

l must say I am impressed with how well kept the place is. 

That exquisite property had originally grabbed international attention from the 60's, when it was featured in the first James Bond film, Dr. No.

The famous scene which had the star, the late Ursula Andress, singing as she emerged from the crystal-clear, blue, sparking Caribbean sea, was actually shot there.

That was then a very popular movie scene worldwide. 

More Jamaicans need to visit public beaches like this, as our beautiful assets should never be there for the use of foreigners or the privileged only!

Nb.

 The photos above are of the beach and falls from different angles. Some were contributed by David Johnally but they were all taken some 40 years after my disgusting experience.

Let's hope there are no lingering or brazen acts of racism still remaining in our beautiful island today.

The pics below are of the inside of the house which I  had never visited before this trip.