Dear Editor,

The recent visit of world-renowned streamer IShowSpeed to Kingston was intended to be a showcase of Jamaican culture. Instead, it served as a sobering reflection of a growing trend: The commodification of hospitality at the expense of basic human decency.

Throughout his six-hour tour, Speed was treated less like a guest and more like a walking billboard.

Despite repeatedly stating he was full, he was relentlessly pressured at every stop to consume food for the sake of brand exposure.

It was a disgraceful display of commercial exploitation by local entities who prioritised global screen time over the welfare of a visitor — especially one who had suffered from exhaustion just a week prior in St Maarten.

Equally concerning is the persistent need for high-level political figures to insert themselves into every popular cultural moment.

The presence of Culture Minister Olivia Grange to “crown” a YouTuber with a Jamaica cap was unnecessary.

While Brand Jamaica is a vital asset, we must distinguish between matters of national importance and digital-age entertainment. This small-time approach — visible also when the minister greeted Lionel Messi on a tarmac for a standard club fixture last year — suggests a lack of priority.

We rarely see the ministers of developed nations hovering over visiting celebrities in such a patronising manner.

If the ministry truly wanted to support this visit its officials could have facilitated a more organic exchange. Rather than political grandstanding, the Government should have funded popular local streamers to host and “show Speed around” the island. This would have empowered our own digital creators and ensured a more authentic cultural connection, rather than a forced photo op.

If we wish to avoid being viewed with condescension by the international community, we must stop acting in ways that invite it.

Our heritage is built on genuine warmth. Last Friday, that pride was overshadowed by callousness and a desperate grab for relevance.

We are a tall nation; it is time we start acting like it.

Rachid Parchment

rachid.parchment@gmail.com