retired_ks reddy

You can just up and move. It's just you can't then move back again.

retired_jhr2211

So you cant just up and move if you are planning to retire here. If you are willing to suffer hardship especially when having a kid then itll probbaly work out in the end.

The point being that it, like many other places, is not a life of luxury if you dont bow to sponging of the state (hell it'd be easier if we did, we'd be a lot more comfortable) but then theres that thing called pride.

Nothing compared to downtown Kingston of course (if we can perhaps redirect the thread to its OP train of thought).

retired_ks reddy

Pride is a bastard, right enough.

Hopefully those in Kingston don't suffer too badly from it, and will accept some help. It only takes 5% of ***** to make life an utter misery for everyone else.

Remember reading a few years back of some schools there where they knock the living **** out of the kids to turn them into useful hard men rather than ****ed up ones. Seemed to be working a treat though I've not seen anything of them since. When you have the gang culture you have to present the susceptible young men with something that's law abiding but not in any way wussy, if you want to get through.

retired_jhr2211

It is a very harsh culture of upbringing, one I wouldnt adopt for my own kid.

Trouble with jamaica is that the end person is no position to accept any handout as the government is extremely corrupt.

retired_ks reddy

That's hardly a problem exclusive to Jamaica.

retired_jhr2211

No, but its more shocking in Jamaica given its "idealistic" touristy PR and the fact its still part of the commonwealth.

Jamaica isnt poor on the UK poverty line of scale, its beyond that to a whole new degree.

retired_ks reddy

I know. Spent quite a bit of time prowling around the Caribbean islands and while each has their plush hotels the people outside the tourist zone live in sheds that blow down every winter. It's a mess.

retired_rachelst

Something like 75% of the GDP of Jamaica goes to pay the interest payments alone on foreign aid. Not a good situation.

retired_ks reddy

You suggest less foreign aid is the solution?

Not a UK problem anyway - the money is given away, not loaned.

retired_hvporter

A friend of mine went to Ghana on the back of his teaching qualification and started out teaching there, before moving to the villages and helping with aid and the like. He's still out there eight years later, the last I heard. Had a massive, massive effect on him.