Jamaica: Paradise and Paradox

Volume 2

By: Paul W. Ivey

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

Jamaica’s exquisite beauty that encompasses verdant hillsides, rolling plains, pristine coastal areas dotted with white-sand beaches incessantly caressed by the wind and bathed by turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea, plus the ‘Irie vibes’ of Jamaicans collectively conspire to make the Island a unique place on planet Earth. Political independence from Britain in 1962 ignited hope of a better future for all Jamaicans. Indeed, Jamaica made significant early progress, was regarded as the ‘Pearl of the Caribbean’ and a positive example for newly-independent countries. But now, alas, there is pain in paradise - Jamaica toggles between paradise and paradox! Jamaica is still stunningly beautiful and has achieved some notable successes but its dominant portrait is a traumatized nation hobbled by many problems, the most troubling of which is a full-spectrum crime problem resulting in one of the highest murder rates in the world. The author was born after independence and in this multi-volume book, he applies the scholarship of integration to examine Jamaica’s challenges; he also curates 'crowd-sourced' prescriptions for restoring the 'health' of his sick homeland.