Dear Editor,
There have been a lot of kudos directed at the management and staff of Red Stripe for the return of production of the beer for export to Kingston — where it belongs. Though I share in these commendations, I don’t think production should have left the island in the first place. This fine product was developed in Jamaica and that is where the production should have been all along.
The real commendation should be reserved for the loyal people in the Diaspora. With virtually no advertising budget in North America, this product has managed to carve out a niche in the beer industry which is inundated with fine beers from all over the world, including the local ones.
I’m speaking specifically about the United States market. Every barbecue or local event that I’ve attended over the summer the beers of choice include Red Stripe, Heineken or Corona. So, a lot of credit should go to those who support this fine Jamaican product.
Additionally, even though people in the Diaspora are loyal to the country and its products, it does not seem to be the same the other way around. For example, I think that whenever a Jamaican overseas seeks help in establishing a business in his county, JAMPRO or any other relevant government agency should be instructed to bend over backward to assist that individual. The lack of assistance and cooperation has been a bone of contention within the Diaspora.
After all, we are the ones who seek out and buy Jamaican products here, thereby supporting our country back home. We are always there for our country, so our country, at the very least, should be there for us. But it seems that oftentimes this is not the case. It is the other way around.
One could ask, where would Israel be without the support of its citizens in the United States? That is why, after tourism, remittances is the biggest foreign exchange earner.
A Jamaican friend of mine who lived in the United States for over 20 years had come home to put a couple hundred acres of land in Manchester into production. He applied for a pistol permit, passed all required background checks, and has still not been offered a permit. There is too much bureaucracy and red tape stifling the island’s development. It is about time things change for the benefit of our people and country.
Noel Mitchell
Westchester, New York, USA
nlmworld@yahoo.com
There have been a lot of kudos directed at the management and staff of Red Stripe for the return of production of the beer for export to Kingston — where it belongs. Though I share in these commendations, I don’t think production should have left the island in the first place. This fine product was developed in Jamaica and that is where the production should have been all along.
The real commendation should be reserved for the loyal people in the Diaspora. With virtually no advertising budget in North America, this product has managed to carve out a niche in the beer industry which is inundated with fine beers from all over the world, including the local ones.
I’m speaking specifically about the United States market. Every barbecue or local event that I’ve attended over the summer the beers of choice include Red Stripe, Heineken or Corona. So, a lot of credit should go to those who support this fine Jamaican product.
Additionally, even though people in the Diaspora are loyal to the country and its products, it does not seem to be the same the other way around. For example, I think that whenever a Jamaican overseas seeks help in establishing a business in his county, JAMPRO or any other relevant government agency should be instructed to bend over backward to assist that individual. The lack of assistance and cooperation has been a bone of contention within the Diaspora.
After all, we are the ones who seek out and buy Jamaican products here, thereby supporting our country back home. We are always there for our country, so our country, at the very least, should be there for us. But it seems that oftentimes this is not the case. It is the other way around.
One could ask, where would Israel be without the support of its citizens in the United States? That is why, after tourism, remittances is the biggest foreign exchange earner.
A Jamaican friend of mine who lived in the United States for over 20 years had come home to put a couple hundred acres of land in Manchester into production. He applied for a pistol permit, passed all required background checks, and has still not been offered a permit. There is too much bureaucracy and red tape stifling the island’s development. It is about time things change for the benefit of our people and country.
Noel Mitchell
Westchester, New York, USA
nlmworld@yahoo.com