NAME OF FEATURE | THE GLEANER | MONDAY, MAY 30, 2022 12 JAMAICA T 60: TR LAWNY jamaica AT | VOX POP WE HAVE COME A FAR WAY The Gleaner asked Trelawny residents the following question: How do you feel about the Jamaica 60 Diamond Jubilee? Below are their responses. Runell Williams, pharmacy technician, JP “We have come a far way. Far, far way. Technology-wise. Even the improvement in the road structure and so forth. Houses, because long time ago we were used to the wattle-and-daub, and board structures. Now, we have many houses made of blocks and steel. I am looking forward to Jamaica 60th anniversary. It means a lot to me, it means a lot to me. All what the politicians need to do is to do what them suppose to do, to make Jamaica better. And, we must hold them accountable.” Patrick Hylton, long-time ice cream vendor “I would like it to come back to what it was like at first, but it is not gonna make it. Because, guess what? Jamaica corrupt, corrupt. And yuh see because of dem yah young people yah now, Jamaica not coming back. I used to look forward to Independence because I used to make money out of Independence. And mi build my house out a Independence, Christmas, Easter. Nowadays, mi nuh mek nutten much, because the population of children no care bout nutten again ... Yes, mi a look forward because mi would like to see suppen nice come back out a Jamaica.” Franklyn Brown, returned resident/ farmer “Nuh really enuh. Things that we had then not here now. For instance, the road ... There is hardly a playing field now, better part of 40 years ... When I left here there was a general hospital [Ulster Spring], it’s not hospital now, it’s a clinic. We don’t have a post office, we don’t have a fire station, and water is in the pipe once in a while. We can’t get water on a regular basis. There is no pump house no more. Proud a Jamaica, went away, came back, came back right here, retired, living here, but I would like to see a whole lot of improvement. A lot of people would want to come back, but come back to what?” Demar Brown, electrician “The last time I celebrated Independence was Jamaica 50. Mi actually enjoy myself in Falmouth Square, we have a serious drink. I haven’t been to once since. And even now after the pandemic, I don’t think am gonna be in the position to enjoy one more. Because even since the prime minister open up the country, actually I really don’t like any big event, going into the crowd, and so forth, cause I’m actually still scared.” Talya Mair, farmer “If we are independent, we would say, boy, we should have more access to Jamaica as a Jamaican, so me wouldn’t feel say we independent. More likely the beaches, and some a di rivers wheh we have right now yuh cyaan enter dem without a barrier at the gate, because wha, a private man own it. We have to pay to live inna we own country ... It’s all about a celebration of Independence, so we all join the bandwagon just to support it, but deep down there are lots of issues to be solved.” Hermine Hamilton, JP, acting school chairman “It (Independence) is there already, we shouldn’t give up. Let’s embrace it. We must work with it and make it happen. No true!? The celebrations can go on. We can go right back to the first year of celebration. It’s jubilee, we can go right back! We have the Kumina groups. Right down in a place called Freeman’s Hall, there is a cultural group. If you see those people perform you open yuh mouth wide. We are hiding in the bush here. People need to discover us ... Let us go out there, man. Out of many we are one. It’s not dead. Independence is there.” Swimmers enjoying themselves at Burwood Beach in Trelawny. File
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTUzNTI=