Subscribe Login
Jamaica Observer
ePaper
The Edge 105 FM Radio Fyah 105 FM
Jamaica Observer
ePaper
The Edge 105 FM Radio Fyah 105 FM
    • Home
    • News
      • Latest News
      • Cartoon
      • International News
      • Central
      • North & East
      • Western
      • Environment
      • Health
      • #
    • Business
      • Business Bites
      • Social Love
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Basketball
      • Cricket
      • Horse Racing
      • World Champs
      • Commonwealth Games
      • FIFA World Cup
      • Olympics
      • #
    • Videos
    • Entertainment
      • Music
      • Movies
      • Art & Culture
      • Bookends
      • #
    • Lifestyle
      • Page2
      • Food
      • Tuesday Style
      • Food Awards
      • JOL Takes Style Out
      • Design Week JA
      • Black Friday
      • #
    • All Woman
      • Home
      • Relationships
      • Features
      • Fashion
      • Fitness
      • Rights
      • Parenting
      • Advice
      • #
    • Obits
    • Classifieds
      • Employment
      • Property
      • Motor Vehicles
      • Place an Ad
      • Obituaries
    • More
      • Games
      • Elections
      • Jobs & Careers
      • Study Centre
      • Jnr Study Centre
      • Letters
      • Columns
      • Advertorial
      • Editorial
      • Supplements
      • Webinars
    • Home
    • News
      • Latest News
      • Cartoon
      • International News
      • Central
      • North & East
      • Western
      • Environment
      • Health
      • #
    • Business
      • Business Bites
      • Social Love
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Basketball
      • Cricket
      • Horse Racing
      • World Champs
      • Commonwealth Games
      • FIFA World Cup
      • Olympics
      • #
    • Videos
    • Entertainment
      • Music
      • Movies
      • Art & Culture
      • Bookends
      • #
    • Lifestyle
      • Page2
      • Food
      • Tuesday Style
      • Food Awards
      • JOL Takes Style Out
      • Design Week JA
      • Black Friday
      • #
    • All Woman
      • Home
      • Relationships
      • Features
      • Fashion
      • Fitness
      • Rights
      • Parenting
      • Advice
      • #
    • Obits
    • Classifieds
      • Employment
      • Property
      • Motor Vehicles
      • Place an Ad
      • Obituaries
    • More
      • Games
      • Elections
      • Jobs & Careers
      • Study Centre
      • Jnr Study Centre
      • Letters
      • Columns
      • Advertorial
      • Editorial
      • Supplements
      • Webinars
  • Home
  • News
    • International News
  • Latest
  • Business
    • Business Bites
  • Cartoon
  • Games
  • Food Awards
  • Health
  • Entertainment
    • Bookends
  • Regional
  • Sports
    • Sports
    • World Cup
    • World Champs
    • Olympics
  • Videos
  • Career & Education
  • Classifieds
  • All Woman
  • Environment
  • Webinars
  • More
    • Football
    • Elections
    • Letters
    • Advertorial
    • Columns
    • Editorial
    • Supplements
  • Epaper
  • Design Week
Anarchy is bad for business
An aerial view of Jamaica Broilers' plant in Lafiteau, Haiti
Letters
October 3, 2022

Anarchy is bad for business

Dear Editor,

The headline ‘Jamaica Broilers takes flight from Haiti’, published in the Jamaica Observer on September 30, jumped out at me. The journalist’s choice of words is not innocent. The impression one gets is that of an individual who flees a country and is happy to escape with his/her life.

I have a great regard for Jamaica Broilers, unlike Member of Parliament (MP) Lothan Cousins. I believe that they are good corporate citizens. When they cut the price of chicken by $12.50 per kilogram, effective August 18, 2022, the MP for Clarendon South Western could only see “another three-card trick…to prop up the Government”. Partisan politics could not allow him to see the disinterested benevolence of the company.

When they decided to set up shop in Haiti in 2012 I thought it was an excellent idea. Our Caribbean neighbour is only 50 minutes away and has a much larger population than us (11.4 million). Although a company has to look at its bottom line, it was to the benefit of the Haitian economy and its people. Now, a decade later, they have had to pull up stumps. The project was just untenable. No matter how benevolent a company is, it has to make hard decisions after a 44 per cent drop in revenue and skyrocketing losses of $364.51 million. Employees must be able to live in peace and go to work without fear.

Fortunately, revenue from their US operation grew by 26 per cent and revenue from their Jamaican operation grew by 38 per cent.

I have been to Haiti on four occasions, all between 1974 and 1977. I have no desire to go there now. I saw a peaceful country and a hospitable people. A Haitian friend told me on my visit, “Your president [he meant prime minister] is joking with crime.” I asked a Canadian resident about crime. He told me this: “The greatest threat is to be held up by a woman in the streets of Port-au-Prince.” He meant that the greatest threat I faced was being propositioned by a prostitute. I asked about rape. My hostess was dumbfounded at my question because a woman could walk without fear along the dark roads of Diquini at 4:30 in the morning.

There was Reynolds Haiti Mines and tourists came from North America and France. I remember one year waiting to check in for my flight back to Jamaica and I saw a Frenchman, all smiles, vaunting the advantages of Airbus. He had no care in the world. I remember hearing of the rice cultivation in Artibonite and the vegetable cultivation in Kenscoff. I remember, in a period of shortages in Jamaica, taking advantage of a visit to stock up on toothpaste, soap, and batteries. All these now seem to be things of the distant past.

My heart bleeds for the first independent republic in the Americas. However, if I seem nostalgic, it is to declare to Jamaicans that we could easily be in the same situation if we allow the anarchists and “suicidal jihadists” (to quote Guardian Life President Eric Hosin) to have their way. Too many people in this country are Jamaicans only in name. How come the guy who went to school with you is your enemy? How come the people who live in the lane that runs parallel to yours are your enemies? How come people who vote for the other party are your enemies? How come we have invisible boundaries beyond which you dare not go on pain of death?

Investments pour into countries with educated populations and where there is a semblance of law and order. Unlike many Jamaicans, I have no qualms about investments from abroad and foreign banks. I have nothing against the Spanish and Chinese owning businesses in Jamaica. It is not the primary role of Government to provide jobs. Their role is to create a climate in which entrepreneurs — local and foreign — are motivated to establish operations on the island. We don’t have a clue of how good things could be. We could have investments not only from Spain and China but from France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, the UK, US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Japan, Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Mexico, Colombia, Chile, etc. All this after the prospective investors are apprised of Jamaican culture and our labour laws.

As I said, Jamaica could go down the Haitian route if we are not careful. Entrepreneurs, even local, do not invest in countries/communities with a high crime rate.

But so sad for the country whose cars bore the expression: “Perle des Antilles” on their licence plates.

I wish the principals of Jamaica Broilers all the best in their Jamaican and US operations. Perhaps they could think of the Dominican Republic next.

Norman W M Thompson

norms74160@gmail.com

{"website":"website"}{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
img img
0 Comments · Make a comment

ALSO ON JAMAICA OBSERVER

Forex: $159.35 to one US dollar
Latest News, News
Forex: $159.35 to one US dollar
June 11, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica — The United States (US) dollar on Thursday, June 11, ended trading at $159.35, up r cents, according to the Bank of Jamaica’s daily...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Duckie leaves Chapelton Maroons
Latest News, Sports
Duckie leaves Chapelton Maroons
June 11, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica  —  Chapleton  Maroons will be looking for a new head coach for the next Jamaica Premier League season after Donovan Duckie submitte...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Duckie leaves Chapelton Maroons
Latest News, Sports
Duckie leaves Chapelton Maroons
June 11, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica  —  Chapleton  Maroons will be looking for a new head coach for the next Jamaica Premier League season after Donovan Duckie submitte...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Mexico beat South Africa to kick off World Cup
Football, Latest News, Sports, ...
Mexico beat South Africa to kick off World Cup
June 11, 2026
MEXICO CITY, Mexico (AFP) —Mexico ignited their World Cup party with a dominant 2-0 victory over nine-man South Africa on Thursday as the biggest ever...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
28-y-o charged in connection with murder of Kemelia Paul
Latest News, News
28-y-o charged in connection with murder of Kemelia Paul
June 11, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica — A 28-year-old carpenter has been charged with murder following the death of 13-year-old Kemelia Paul, who passed away in hospital ...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
FIFA forces Haiti to change kit design
Latest News, Sports
FIFA forces Haiti to change kit design
June 11, 2026
FOXBOROUGH, United States (CMC) – Haiti has been forced to change the design of its World Cup kit three days before their opening match against Scotla...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
SpaceX to make historic IPO that could make Musk a trillionaire
International News, Latest News
SpaceX to make historic IPO that could make Musk a trillionaire
June 11, 2026
NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — Elon Musk's SpaceX on Thursday confirmed it will begin trading on the Nasdaq exchange on Friday in the biggest initial...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
NHT urges public to beware of fraudulent social media accounts advertising NHT houses for sale
Latest News, News
NHT urges public to beware of fraudulent social media accounts advertising NHT houses for sale
June 11, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica — The National Housing Trust (NHT) is urging members of the public to remain vigilant and exercise caution as it has taken note of f...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
❮ ❯

Polls

HOUSE RULES

  1. We welcome reader comments on the top stories of the day. Some comments may be republished on the website or in the newspaper; email addresses will not be published.
  2. Please understand that comments are moderated and it is not always possible to publish all that have been submitted. We will, however, try to publish comments that are representative of all received.
  3. We ask that comments are civil and free of libellous or hateful material. Also please stick to the topic under discussion.
  4. Please do not write in block capitals since this makes your comment hard to read.
  5. Please don't use the comments to advertise. However, our advertising department can be more than accommodating if emailed: advertising@jamaicaobserver.com.
  6. If readers wish to report offensive comments, suggest a correction or share a story then please email: community@jamaicaobserver.com.
  7. Lastly, read our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy

Recent Posts

Archives

Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Tweets

Polls

Recent Posts

Archives

Logo Jamaica Observer
Breaking news from the premier Jamaican newspaper, the Jamaica Observer. Follow Jamaican news online for free and stay informed on what's happening in the Caribbean
Featured Tags
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Health
  • Auto
  • Business
  • Letters
  • Page2
  • Football
Categories
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • Page2
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • Page2
Ads
img
Jamaica Observer, © All Rights Reserved
  • Home
  • Contact Us
  • RSS Feeds
  • Feedback
  • Privacy Policy
  • Editorial Code of Conduct