The Jamaica Me Krazy Restaurant. At right, Mr. Wilson with Shaggy during the entertainer's recent tour of Aruba.
DANNY WILSON is perhaps the most laid back consular representative you will find. But, considering that the pigtailed restaurateur lives in the island of Aruba where tourists play all day and dance all night, the image is appropriate.
Wilson, honorary consul for Jamaica to Aruba, takes his duties quite seriously. He is the owner of the singular Jamaica Me Krazy restaurant outside of which the consular ensign is prominently placed. Guests who arrive at his doors may be there either in search of information/assistance on Jamaica, or looking to experience the great taste of Jamaican food.
Long before Danny Wilson was appointed to the consular post, his neighbours and friends in Aruba will tell you that Danny pursued a one-man campaign to sell his home-island. On the walls of his restaurant are Jamaican art and framed articles which chronicle the achievements of Jamaicans. It is a library-on-the-wall.
But, perhaps, by far the best selling point for Wilson's island of origin, may be the restaurant itself.
Jamaica Me Krazy serves up a staggering menu a long list of Jamaican favourites including jerked pork, beef and chicken, curried fish, red peas soup and stewed beef, boiled breadfruit and yams, a Jamaica black cake, sweet potato pudding and much more. All entrees are served with rice, peas, festival and plantains. The consul also has the most extensive collection of Jamaican music on the island, and patrons come to hear reggae which plays round the clock at the restaurant which is open 24 hours a day.
Wilson was an employee at the Sheraton Hotel in Kingston in the 1970s when he opted to transfer to the Sheraton in Aruba in the position of assistant financial controller. He later left the Sheraton for the Divi Corporation which was to become the largest Caribbean-owned chain with hotels in St. Kitts, Aruba, Jamaica, Bonaire, Curacao, Antigua, St. Martin and more. But, when Divi became listed on the New York stock exchange and the pressures of the job became too much, Danny decided to leave and let his hair down.
After 15 years with Divi, he left the hotel chain and opened up his own financial consultancy, helping several hotels and businesses to restructure. But, when businesses proved more willing to get help than to pay for it, Wilson again began to look at other options.
Since there were no Jamaican restaurant at the time in the small islands, he decided to open the first Jamaican eatery on the waterfront in Bonaire. His decision was linked to the veritable explosion of the Jamaican population in the mid 90s. At that time, there were about 500 residents in the island, according to official figures, coming from a few dozens decades before. The total population of Aruba is approximately 95,000.
However, hurricane Lenny destroyed this first initiative and Wilson went back to "the drawing board". In 2000, after two years of strategic planning, Jamaica Me Krazy was opened, to rave reviews.
Now the only "Jamaican and Caribbean restaurant in Aruba", as it is described in 'Island Gourmet' magazine, the restaurant is reflective of the personality of its owner, who chooses every opportunity to paint Jamaica in a favourable light in the Aruban press.
The arrival in Aruba of the Jamaican runaway success, Shaggy, for a tour in the territory since this year, was one such chance. Wilson met the entertainer and his team at the airport. Shaggy and his crew were to eat at his restaurant several times before the end of the tour. According to the winter 2002-3 edition of 'Island Temptations' magazine, "Shaggy was spotted enjoying some downtime on the beach front...(he) made his way, on several occasions, to Jamaica Me Krazy... satisfying his craving for some home cooking from the 'yard' here in Aruba."
Danny says that he accepted the post of honorary consul, because he "wanted to give back". He has visited Jamaicans in prison, spending whole days sorting out documentation problems. Currently, there are only two of them in Aruba's prison, he says, a fact which he is glad about. Wilson, happily, spends most of his time acting as a point of contact between the national airline, Jamaican business interests and Aruban bureaucracy. He is also a source of information on Jamaica, going into schools, at their request, to speak to students.
Consul Wilson says that he would definitely like to see more trade between Jamaica and Aruba. Currently, he is the only importer of Jamaican foodstuffs into the island. One problem, yet to be overcome he says, is the transport arrangements between Jamaica and Aruba, which are circuitous and expensive. Recently Aruba also increased its tariffs arrangements.
"Promoting Jamaica is just my hobby," the honorary consul says. "I have a case to prove. Jamaica is a nice, peaceful country with lots of opportunities." He plans to implement, soon, a reggae night for the Aruba's annual tourist calendar. For the restaurant, other potential marketing tools include a Jamaica fish market, featuring fish served in seven different styles, and an oldies night of Jamaican music with Winston 'Merritone' Blake. In September Jamaica Me Krazy will also present a display of Carib-
bean greats, looking at the heroes of all the Caribbean islands as well as Martin Luther King and Malcolm X.
Wilson explains, "A lot of Americans know about Marley and ganja, but really they know very little about us (Jamaicans)."
Consul Wilson is determined to change this.
Avia Ustanny
