Captivated by the warm and welcoming nature of most Jamaicans, Donald Tapia, the United States Ambassador to the island, says the people are what he will miss most about this country when his tour of duty comes to an end in just over one week.

The 82-year-old Tapia was confirmed as the US Ambassador to Jamaica on July 18, 2019, and in his less that two-year stint in the island, has come to love interacting with the Jamaican people and the island’s world-famous jerk chicken.

“The people, the people,” was Tapia’s quick reply when he was asked what he will miss most about Jamaica when he returns to the US on January 12, which is his birthday.

“I have said that before; one of the things you will always remember is the people. The people are kind, they are generous, [even though] they are poor. I relate to them, that is why I think I have enjoyed meeting the people,” said Tapia as he recounted making random stops on the streets to speak with Jamaicans.

“I have been driving down to Negril and I will see a little town, or a little store along the way where people are standing there… and I get out of the car and I go and talk with the people. Of course, the first thing they ask me is about a visa, but one of the things I really enjoy is just meeting the people,” added Tapia.

The outgoing ambassador said he is troubled by the hardship which some Jamaicans are going through.

“I wish I had the ability, or the magic wand to take certain areas of Jamaica… and change the living standards that are there. Some of them don’t have water, they don’t have bathrooms, some of them are stealing electricity.

“These are some of the things that I see, and it bothers me as an individual, as a father, but I know that… the country has come a long way.

“One of the things when I drive and I look up and I see all the [electricity] wires up above, why is the Jamaican Government not telling people that if you are going to build you need to put the wires underground, because if we do have a hurricane, where is our infrastructure going to be,” Tapia argued in a meeting with Jamaica Observer editors and reporters last week at the newspaper’s Beechwood Avenue headquarters in St Andrew.

He said that what Jamaica needs is more planning to ensure its future development and growth.

“But it needs somebody who wants to keep the needle in the Government to say that we need to change this [or that]. I think I have done a pretty good job in keeping the needle out there, and I have taken a few needles,” said the outspoken ambassador, whose views on some issued have triggered controversy during his time in Jamaica.

Despite his concerns about the lack of planning in Jamaica over the years, Tapia had strong commendation for the Andrew Holness Administration which, he said, is welcoming to potential investors.

The ambassador singled out Minister of Science, Energy and Technology Daryl Vaz for high praise as he declared that the Portland Western Member of Parliament, whose US visa was revoked more than one year ago, has been a driving force in attracting potential investors to the island.