Jamaica /// "This is your place, your beach, so don’t litter, you understand?"
C2C Interview /// Kingston, Jamaica
Do have a favorite childhood memory of the ocean?
When I was growing up as a child I grew up in the country… you would call it a rural town. There was a river in the back of my house. And then there came this one time this organization came with a bus and we all went to the beach. There was this race and as the time the prize to win was 500 Jamaican dollars… and I won as a little child. Because I was in the river so much all the people were asking how can this boy swim so far… and I did because I loved the water.
What is Jamaican society's relationship like with the ocean?
Well, Jamaicans are close to the ocean. In Kingston, the one of the main beaches is Sugarman Beach… you can relax, have a good time, you can get fish and festival, and just have a good time, you know? Any day of the week, you go and there are people. You go on Sunday, you can’t park! you understand?
Are the beaches clean?
You have people that clean up the beaches. Sometimes I leave people who go and clean and then I come back in the evening and there are people who sweep and make sure that things don’t go into the water.
What can Jamaicans do to keep the beach clean?
Well, I just think everyone must know that don’t throw your garbage on the beach. Don’t throw your plastic. If you are drinking soda, put the can in a bin. Natural things like a leaf, you leave that on the beach. But sometimes people think, this isn’t my place… but it is your place. This is your place, your beach, so don’t litter, you understand? Don’t throw your plastic. You know that I mean?
