jamaica

J A M A I C A
• Capital: Kingston
• Population: 2,758,124 (July 2006 est.)
• Languages: English, patois (English)
• Currency:Jamaican dollar (JMD): Jamaican dollars per US dollar - 62.51 (2005)
• Ethnic groups:
black 90.9%, East Indian 1.3%, white 0.2%, Chinese 0.2%, mixed 7.3%, other 0.1%
• National Sport: Cricket

B A C K G R O U N D

The island - discovered by Christopher COLUMBUS in 1494 - was settled by the Spanish early in the 16th century. The native Taino Indians, who had inhabited Jamaica for centuries, were gradually exterminated, replaced by African slaves. England siezed the island in 1655 and a plantation economy - based on sugar, cocoa, and coffee - was established. The abolition of slavery in 1834 freed a quarter million slaves, many of which became small farmers. Jamaica gradually obtained increasing independence from Britain, and in 1958 it joined other British Caribbean colonies in forming the Federation of the West Indies. Jamaica gained full independence when it withdrew from the federation in 1962. Deteriorating economic conditions during the 1970s led to recurrent violence as rival gangs created by the major political parties evolved into powerful organized crime networks involved in international drug smuggling and money laundering. The cycle of violence, drugs, and poverty has served to impoverish large sectors of the populace. Nonetheless, many rural and resort areas remain relatively safe and contribute substantially to the economy.

J A MAICA & S E A N P A U L

WHAT DOES JAMAICA MEAN TO SEAN PAUL?
“I was born here, I grew up here and I represented this country at water polo for many years and a lot of people don’t know that. A lot of people think that when you’re successful, you shouldn’t be in the same place any more; you’re going to be like a big fish in a small bowl. I don’t really see it that way. I see it as I have something to offer society. There’s time when it’s a bit slower than life in international circles, but it’s where I grew up, and I can’t turn my back on myself. I’m proud of Jamaica and where I grew up.”

WHY IS JAMAICA SPECIAL TO SEAN PAUL?

“First of all it is just a beautiful place in terms of the scenery and the fauna. I’ve been to a lot of places and I come back and tell people: ‘you need to take care of Jamaica because, its so beautiful.’ First of all there’s the beauty, then there’s the beauty of the people, because we’ve had 400 years of blood sweat and tears of different influences, from Africa to Asia to Europe. Different music, different cultures and different stories.”

“What I love about my country is the trees. I go to other countries and I see concrete and asphalt. I get a vibe from this just to sit sometimes in a car look out and think about people, things in general. Right now I’m in writing mode, I listen to a lot of CDs and I don’t want to be sitting in a studio. Things like the tamarind tree where you can find a fruit that you can pick and eat yourself by the roadside. That’s inspiration to me to know that I live in a place like that. Those things to me are a part of being Jamaican.”

TO BE CONTINUED…