The Jamaican Characters

by Brian Tagg
(London England)

I am a white Englishman married to lovely Jamaican woman and have been visiting Jamaica since 1980 when we traveled to Jamaica to visit her family.

I fell in love with the island straight away. Nowadays when I land at Montego Bay I see an airport that is a typical tropical airport you see anywhere.

Driving along the north coast road I see hotels to match anywhere in the world. We then turn off at Falmouth and enter the Jamaica I love arriving in Stewart Town we are greeted by the village people with genuine warmth, how are you? Pleased to see you, glad you are back.

On Sundays the churches are full of worshipers singing to the lord in full joyous voices.

Weekdays the children leaving for school impeccable turned out in their uniforms by their proud mothers, even the poorest family children are immaculate.

The farmers taking their donkeys up to the mountains to grow fresh produce. Going to Browns Town on market day (this should be on Wellesley’s places to visit), my wife and I often use the local transport and made friends with a lot of the drivers.

For instance, we were visiting nearby friends and were toiling up a steep hill when one of drivers pulled up, said get in, and took us to our friends and wouldn’t take payment saying your good people. Another is an Arsenal supporter which my team in England.

In Brown’s Town we always buy our vegetables from a large cheery lady who always has a laugh and looks after us regarding the produce. There is an elderly mountain farmer who walks around with a big bag of yams. In his mouth is the largest spiff I have ever seen, another man who for years has been walking around with religious messages, the higglers selling everything from hats to scouring cloths.

Food vendors on the roadside sells delicious food, the patty shops…
I could go on and on.

I know Jamaica has it's problems but positives far out way the negatives.

-Brian