We are unwanted 😡

 We Jamaicans tend to hold ourselves in high esteem and based the performance of many of our nationals at home and abroad, we have some reason to feel so.

For on an individual basis, so many Jamaicans tend to be world beaters!

This is s especially so in sports, music, the arts, etc although when it comes to, operating collectively, especially in sports, we tend to bomb out.

I am not at this time thinking about sports though but our reputation as a country.

A paradox is that despite our terrible reputation at home and abroad because of crime, we remain among the most desirable vacation destinations in the Caribbean

 But that’s for another debate.

The latest statistic which gave me a jolt recently, was when at I heard on Radio  Jamaica (RJR) that in the Caribbean, our passport is one of the least desirable. It’s something, I have never really mulled on, although I travel a lot.

This is demonstrated by the extent to which countries are prepared to refuse to take a chance on us, by allowing us into their countries without visas!

According the report, Barbadians, can travel to over 160 countries without needing a visa and Bahamians are next on the high list with over 150 countries not asking them to get visas.  However, Jamaicans can only travel to 90 countries without a visa. (The entire list and ranking are online).

Even other Caribbean countries don’t particularly like those of us trying to travel to their countries with a Jamaican passport, despite us holding something marked a Caricom passport.

I remember the last time I went to Trinidad, how they scrutinized my documents from top to bottom.  I was just attempting to get home next day after leaving Guyana!  This while other Caricom nationals just ‘zoopsed’ through. 

At that time, I had to catch a connection through Trinidad .

 I was just overnighting there to catch my connection!

As I have been mainly been travelling to Africa recently, my esteem was lifted a bit by the fact that quite a few countries on the Continent, welcome us without visas.

These include Botswana, Zambia, Ghana , Kenya, South Africa.

 I must admit though, I was shocked when no such privilege was extended to us by Ethiopia!

 Shocked, because so many Jamaicans hold Ethiopia in such high regard, with some of our nationals even considering their former King a high prophet.

Besides, quite a few Jamaicans have made that country their home.

Could it be because of the actions of the Jamaicans there why they put in the visa restriction?

On the other hand, more Jamaicans have made Ghana their home and they haven’t slapped any visa restrictions on us!

(According to my research, 1000 Jamaicans live in Ethiopia and around 4000 in Ghana).

Our government needs to tell us why we are the personae non gratae in the Caribbean and why they are not negotiating bilateral agreements for us to travel more easily?

Visas are quite expensive documents and considering how we open up our country to the rest of the world, isn’t it time we get a break?

I forgot, politicians travel on diplomatic passports so don’t have the hassle of getting visas.

Anyway, our passports are probably blacklisted because the world knows our governments are so notoriously corrupt with no one ever being held accountable for anything, so they don’t want people who consider corruption the norm, to visit them!

So, I guess we will continue to be the pariah of the Caribbean.

 

 

 

 

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 [jw1]

'Indestructible' Pompeii!

Mount Vesuvius hovers ominously in the background

I think from I was born I have been hearing about Pompeii.

You see, my late father just happened to have been a history buff and he reveled in the stories about ancient Greece and Rome, so naturally tales about Pompeii  which was established around the 6 to 7th century BC and which was overrun by both these colonisers at one time or the other, became part of the almost daily fabric.

According to history, Pompeii grew in importance until it was destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in Ad 79, and it remained buried for over 1500 years. Wikipedia also reports that Mount Vesuvius has erupted several times since then and is the only volcano in Europe which has erupted in the last 100 years.  

Our tour guide also revealed that the last eruption was in 1944 and although it is still considered one of the most dangerous volcanos in the world, some 3,000,000 people have made the surrounding areas their home. I suppose they take comfort from the fact that the oldest observatory is stationed there and everyone (residents and tourists alike) get totally free medical care once they are on Italian soil!

Quite frankly, despite this early exposure to that famed city, visiting it was never on my bucket list, however when I discovered that the Mediterranean cruise I  was taking was calling at the port of  Naples,  a mere half hour drive from Pompeii, you know who had to join that tour and it is probably the best decision I have made for the entire year too! 

The first inspiring thing I  learnt on the the tour was the fact that the tour company we were using, only used history majors as their tour guides. What wonderful news for someone who just revels in history, as no matter how many stories one hears and publications one reads, nothing beats actually walking on the soil with someone who sounds like he has actually lived during the years when the great city was a force to be reckoned with. 

These skeletons dating back 1000 years were preserved by the volcanic eruptions

And we actually saw skeletons of some of those residents who lived there before the Romans arrived which had been found  well preserved by the larva. 

A really impressive aspect of the ancient Pompeii is the grid system they used to design the streets, something so practical and relevant today that it was copied by those who designed New York city many centuries later. 

To actually walk on the streets that were constructed centuries ago with even humps that pedestrians could walk on to prevent them getting their feet dirtied and soaked by the sewage which ran freely on the streets in all those ancient cites, gave one a real insight into the brilliant thought process of those who lived so many centuries before we did.  

The streets were made with humps on which pedestrians could walk to avoid stepping in raw sewage

What is absolutely amazing about this indestructible city is that despite many assaults from earthquakes and volcanoes, so much remains behind to indicate the level of sophistication of those who lived in the ancient city or used it as a vacation destination. For example, it really bowled me over seeing the evidence that around 80 BC, while the Romans occupied Pompeii, they actually established a complex hydro system, gymnasium and even a spa and sauna. 

Wall papered family home!

At the ruins too we saw a well preserved family home with all the creature comforts of that period and remnants of a bakery.

Walking among those ruins was the experience of a lifetime.

Ruins of Pompeii

A PICTORIAL JOURNEY

JOAN WILLIAMS,  moderator of Joan Williams on Line  broadcast on POWER 106, describes herself as an unapologetic addict to the Jamaican outdoors. A foundation member of FUN AND THRILLS ADVENTURE CLUB, she explores the island at any given opportunity cycling, hiking or swimming with that group, family, Jah 3 and anyone else who will have her. In 1995, she published the popular TOUR JAMAICA and the 4^thedition is now an ebook available at;

http://www.amazon.com/Tour-Jamaica-Joan-Williams-ebook/dp/B00EJWCSHS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1389464644&sr=8-1&keywords=tour+jamaica+by+joan+williams

Contact; gratestj@gmail.com