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+--- Thread: Two Million Tourists in 2014 (/showthread.php?tid=100798)
RE: Two Million Tourists in 2014 - macyoder - 02-09-2015
Each trip to Jamaica is divided between a family visit and vacation, traveling to several parts of the island, at least 3. The last 2 land trips plus a cruise, I had stays or excursions in Montego Bay , Negril, Ocho Rios, St. Mary, Port Antonio, Trewlany, home, and stops in between. If I stayed put for most of my stays, I guess my experience would be different. I do mostly A/I because I can never budget for the up charge, with all the other things I intend to do.
I have three trips plan for Cuba, as I do most places. The first should be an island tour to experience different areas. Next a visit to one area then finally a cruise.
RE: Two Million Tourists in 2014 - CardBoardBox - 02-10-2015
I mean no disrespect Flintstone, but when I read "Looks like you pulled this out of the trash", I infered you actually saying it to him and I almost lost my cookies (ie, laughed) right there. However, and I agree about the lose of respect.
I have my own nemesis (An opponent that cannot be beaten or overcome) with a salesman just before the No Limits bar and his bangles/pipes/jewery on a table.
Since becomming a West Ender in '92, I know the beach road is there if I want it. I have been hasseled, hustled, and conned regardless of location (W.E.,Beach,citycenter), but I'm stronger because of it.
I am one of those two million tourists, three times in 2014. Maybe they overcounted.
RE: Two Million Tourists in 2014 - fatty pondirock - 02-10-2015
Flintstone...the fellow you're referring to is Ally Minott....he's been there for years, as you mentioned! Life appears to be getting harder and harder for him....I think it was last year the owners of his property tore down the little shack that was connected to the back of his display area. I would venture to say that they want him GONE!!!! He's probably desperate and you're feeling the heat!!! Next time try just walking past his place...if he speaks to you, tell him 'hello' with a smile and keep walking. If he says anything more to you...just tell him you're not interested and keep walking. Hopefully he'll get the hint!!! If not....the next time you pass his shop...just don't say anything and walk briskly past him....ignore him if possible!!!
RE: Two Million Tourists in 2014 - TAH - 02-10-2015
(02-10-2015, 09:27 AM)fatty pondirock Wrote: Flintstone...the fellow you're referring to is Ally Minott....he's been there for years, as you mentioned! Life appears to be getting harder and harder for him....I think it was last year the owners of his property tore down the little shack that was connected to the back of his display area. I would venture to say that they want him GONE!!!! He's probably desperate and you're feeling the heat!!! Next time try just walking past his place...if he speaks to you, tell him 'hello' with a smile and keep walking. If he says anything more to you...just tell him you're not interested and keep walking. Hopefully he'll get the hint!!! If not....the next time you pass his shop...just don't say anything and walk briskly past him....ignore him if possible!!!
I think he's actually talking about the guy just to the south of the shop you're talking about. If that's who he means, I know his frustration. Both of those guys are pretty pushy, neither has a very good attitude.
RE: Two Million Tourists in 2014 - macyoder - 02-10-2015
Who are they counting as tourists?
RE: Two Million Tourists in 2014 - Mike_D - 02-11-2015
(02-10-2015, 09:27 AM)fatty pondirock Wrote: Flintstone...the fellow you're referring to is Ally Minott....he's been there for years, as you mentioned! Life appears to be getting harder and harder for him....I think it was last year the owners of his property tore down the little shack that was connected to the back of his display area. I would venture to say that they want him GONE!!!! He's probably desperate and you're feeling the heat!!! Next time try just walking past his place...if he speaks to you, tell him 'hello' with a smile and keep walking. If he says anything more to you...just tell him you're not interested and keep walking. Hopefully he'll get the hint!!! If not....the next time you pass his shop...just don't say anything and walk briskly past him....ignore him if possible!!!
I immediately thought of Ally, too, when I read Flintsone's post. I've never found Ally to be pushy or aggressive, so these must be difficult times for him. Yes, he did ask me if I wanted to buy something every time I passed (even though I would buy a patty or some fresh-squeezed from him every now and then), but if I said "no thanks" he would end it there.
I first met him a few years ago when he still had the full shack (The Little Sandwich Hut). About a year and a half ago I stopped by and the shack was gone. All he had was a little stand and tarp to protect him from the rain. The only merchandise I saw was fruit, but he still made me some fresh squeezed juice by hand. On my last trip in November, I didn't see Ally at all. Occasionally, I would see a young guy with dreads sitting in his spot, but I'm not sure what he was selling.
RE: Two Million Tourists in 2014 - captaind on Zion Hill - 02-11-2015
(02-09-2015, 11:09 PM)Flintstone Wrote: Cap.that's wonderfull must be a force field around you.
I think it's a combination of body language, a comfort with my surroundings, my ability to understand and speak patios.
I've been approached now and then but it doesn't last long. I think it becomes quickly obvious that the BS won't work.
I do however reach in my pocket for a hundred or two if I think the higgler's situation warrants it.
RE: Two Million Tourists in 2014 - Flintstone - 02-11-2015
Fatty and Tah your both right, and they are very close to each other, those boys have a lot to learn. Turn's out they bother a lot of folks here. Cardboard box I did say it to him the next day, after buying a beer and some fruit from him, he says was that you? He is the only vendor that does not remember me. Yesterday another guest was offered the same p.o.s. as me and he also laughed at Ally. I hope he gets his act together no one is going to buy something that looks like someone s leftovers. I can deal with the clowns but they really do nothing to help negative publicity on the west end.
RE: Two Million Tourists in 2014 - CardBoardBox - 02-14-2015
Missing / Lost tourists? 2 million visitors? In 2009 it was 2.9 million. Maybe they didn't count me 3 time this year.
Major points of the above topic/posting about where the tax money goes, follows:
In 2009, the 50% figure (income used to pay debt, but not the principal) was only 45%. (the above 2 items are in the same story. See very bottom of this post)
Be it 50% of government income, or 65% I read several years ago, to pay just the interest on outstanding loans, the fact remains that it is interest. One can hope that the reduction is because they repaid some of the principal, yet it is possible that creative accounting has lead to the change. When one reads of the loans and grants from China, for example, and deals which are never fully explained in the press beyond the obvious, I do worry about the future.
The rest of this post jumps around dates, but hopefully each paragraph is interesting by itself.
As of 2005 (approx), the Jamaican debt-to-GDP ratio was 135 percent. Compare this to the 2015 news story that Greece is lumbered by huge debts, which stand at around 175 percent of GDP.
Jamaica might just get thrown out of the European Union if it was in it.
Slightly interrelated; A 2011 news story of Greece and Jamaica had the following two paragraphs, quoted:
Jamaica – a middle-income developing country of 2.8 million people – has one of the worst debt burdens in the world, with a gross public debt of 123% of GDP.
At first glance this looks better than Greece (166% of GDP) but the more important number is the interest burden of the debt: for Jamaica it has averaged 13% of GDP over the last five years. This is twice the burden of Greece (6.7% of GDP), which is in turn the highest in the eurozone.
(REFERENCE) http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/cifamerica/2011/jul/22/jamaica-debt-crisis IS ONE URL, and I lost the other one.
A 3rd source says: At the end of January, 2011, the national debt of Jamaica was J$1.536 trillion, or 15 billion US dollars (MOL or approx). Considering we give Israel 4 billion every year, 15 billion is just chump change but percentage wise, it is a burden on the residents.
But the US isn't perfect either. I think 35% of America's GDP is just paying interest, and we know The national debt equates to $44,900 per person U.S. population, or $91,500 per member of the U.S. working population, as of December 2010. Fact. (Thank you free spending Washington DC *** Stop being so free with my money.)
*** = Don't you wish you could go to your boss and say: You MUST pay me more; I have to feed my family. continuing
But your needs have a quiet or secret "rider" about building a swimming pool which has nothing to do with food. I used this example because I bet hardly anyone knows of the off-topic amendments to, or riders, to bills for appropriations. Defense, or Farm Bill; totally unrelated allocations in each, such as my 'food and swimming pool' when you are only overtly asking for food. The power to tax is awesome and credit-card spending is frightening and the truth is not always the whole truth, if any at all.
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Whole bunch of stuff removed from my draft copy, including corralation about Berma (the old country name)
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http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20090408/lead/lead8.html about tourism
RE: Two Million Tourists in 2014 - rastagirl777 - 02-15-2015
Ally...does he have brothers named Tony and Dave?
If he is the same guy I think he is - OMG! I haven't seen him in over 20 years but I see his brother Dave at least once a year...never mentioned anything askew...wow. Sad.