Life in Jamaica (some thoughts from 1993-94)

Jamaica, the third largest island in the Caribbean, is a land of many contradictions: for example bobsledding and more recently email.  Known also for its beaches, ganja, Bob Marley, and even Miss World, Jamaica is considered by its nearly 3 million inhabitants to be the first among Third World nations.  Its democratic system, however, is enforced by gun crews (‘Dons’ fighting for turf) at election time, which adds to the frightening annual death toll figure.  Life for the average Jamaican is also disturbingly poor.  The minimum wage is a mere US $8.00 daily.

How can computer networks function in a country beset by tropical conditions and Third World problems – where water supply can be down for days; where roads are repaired only when dignitaries come to visit; where the streets of downtown Kingston are dominated by men steering go-carts; where rain stops everything, including postal services; where mail between Canada and China is faster than that between Jamaica and Canada?

Jamaica’s infrastructure is devoid of much rationalization; roads are chaotic, pot-holed and dangerous.  Impatient bus drivers leapfrog one another regardless of traffic conditions.  Violence – homicidal and domestic – usually headlines both radio and newspapers.

Everywhere the regular support system is breaking down,[1] and now email comes to the rescue.  Donkey carts can be seen on the roads quite regularly, passing by the university.  My female house ‘helper’ (who has no telephone) does not use a washing machine: she does it all by hand.  The average car in Jamaica (certainly if one considers taxis) is thirty year old, usually with proper brake lights and in dire need of repair.

E-mail demands cyborg technology and the latest in equipment. This is seemingly quite incompatible with the spirit of Jamaica.  Miami is only two hours by plane, but it is a world apart.  Anyone who has been to Kingston airport will notice that the arrival and departure television screens are behind schedule by several days: today’s flight arrival will appear in two days’ time.  Also there are no working intercoms.  Anyone who has used a bank’s automatic teller will notice that computerized statements will differ depending on which machine has been used, which will differ again from the passbook statement.[2]

Joerge Dyrkton, “Cool Runnings” (1996)

 

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[1] Consider the toilet facilities in Whitfield Town, an inner city area of Kingston, where life is less than equitable.  In 1982, the last available census, a mere 3 percent of the 905 houses used a pit; another 19 percent used a WC not linked to a sewer; while 46 percent used a WC linked to a sewer.  Significantly, 32 percent of the households did not identify their type of toilet facilities.  This area is known for its sewers breaking down – and taking moths to repair.  When there is a shortage of water, residents can be seen fetching it with pots and pans from the nearest primary school. (Source: Novlet Smith, 1993-94 ‘An assessment of the contribution of the Canadian Jesuits to the social life of Whitfield Town Community in Jamaica, 1986-93,’ Hons thesis. Caribbean Studies. University of the West Indies). 

[2] Extracted from Joerge Dyrkton, “Cool Runnings: The Contradictions of Cyberreality in Jamaica” in Rob Shields, ed., Cultures of the Internet: Virtual Spaces, Real Histories, Living Bodies (London: Sage, 1996), pp. 49, 50, 56, 57.