THE EDITOR, Sir:
I READ with sadness the letter "Ordeal of a returning Resident" and her desire to make her encounter public to educate returning Jamaicans. I applaud her and really wish that more would write both the good and the bad experiences.
I have lived permanently outside of the US since 1969. Unlike some Jamaicans, I have returned just about once a year, sometimes twice. Purpose to visit my family who I have missed every day since I left especially my grandmother who is now 96 years old. I attended Merl Grove High school. Migrated while in 5th form and fully intended to return to Jamaica when I completed my undergraduate studies. However, I joined the US Navy and 27 years later retired.
I returned from Jamaica mid-January this year after a month. It was my last-ditch effort to really evaluate if I could live in Jamaica again. It was my goal/dream upon retirement from the Navy to return. I now have three children including a toddler 2 1/2 years old. The toddler made my last four trips in the last two years. I wasn't robbed on my last trip but I too returned disillusioned that living in Jamaica permanently at this point in my life wasn't possible.
I wasn't worried about crime, I was very concerned about infrastructure. I spent the month in constant fear of what I would do if I needed medical help for my son while in a country area 8 miles from Old Harbour. It so happened, my son did get sick and I was on the road at daylight driving to Kingston for the doctor. Thank God, he is a paediatrician I personally know who returned to Jamaica recently. Last time I visited and my son got sick, when I returned to the States with all the medication he received, his paediatrician almost had a coronary at what was prescribed. Half of it he said they don't prescribe anymore in the US, the other half they don't prescribe at all. I got caught up in the middle of the demonstrations in the New Year. I was trying to drive my grandmother 96, my mother 70, and my toddler from Chapelton to Bois Content.
While my mother nearly had a heart attack in the car from fear, I was not afraid. I was just disgusted that my fellow Jamaicans could not demonstrate without destroying the already bad roads, without killing an innocent taxi driver, without harassing innocent Jamaicans just trying to navigate from point A to B.
And finally, I cannot fathom what the government is doing with the subject of tourism and money for Jamaica. I am a mere mortal with only two Masters degrees. We have PhD's in positions in our government who are supposed to be experts in economics and the likes. I just don't get where money is going in Jamaica. I don't get how and to whom Jamaica markets tourism. I just don't get why we treat our Jamaicans living abroad the way we do. I don't get why we don't market Jamaica to Jamaicans living abroad. Maybe like this lady in the article Jamaicans are afraid of coming but then again, maybe they aren't, especially if we make them feel that we want them to come home if nothing else for a visit.
Frankly, I have come to the conclusion that if you are a Jamaican who has lived out of Jamaica for 15 years or more and you have not been returning on a regular basis, don't pack up, sell everything to go HOME. Jamaica is not the country you left. It never will be. I haven't totally given up yet. I am still holding hope that one day, I can return and 'feel good all over'.
One of my aunts, like many Jamaicans, is quick to remind me when I highlight any negatives in Jamaica that the US has the same problems. I always have to remind her that the US is a place I live, Jamaica is home. At this point, I will have to settle for helping home from the place where I live.
I am, etc.,
DENISE J. McCALLA CREARY
mccalldj@sbcglobal.net
