The Island of Jamaica

JAMAICA JEWEL OF THE CARIBBEAN

Jamaica is an independent country, approximately the size of the State of Connecticut, and is 4240 square miles in area, it is 146 miles from east to west and varies between 22 to 51 miles north to south. Jamaica is 600 miles south of Florida and is surrounded by the Caribbean Sea. It is the largest English-speaking Island in the Caribbean. It has a maritime tropical climate, supplied by the northeast trade winds. There you will find rugged mountains and beautiful breath-taking sandy beaches. The people of Jamaica are descendants of African slaves, east Indians and Arawak Indians from Venezuela. The current population is approximately 2.5 million people. Jamaica has a democratic government elected by the people and governed by a prime minister.

The people elect the government in Jamaica every five years. Everyone aged 18 and over has the right to vote, this is called universal adult suffrage. The parliament is the Government of Jamaica, and consists of a senate with 21 members and a House of Representative, and leaders of The Opposition. Jamaica still retains part of its British Sovernity, the queen of England is represented by a Governor General, who is appointed by her on the recommendation of the Prime Minister . The responsibility of the Parliament is to look after the welfare of its people. The principal instrument of policy-making is the Cabinet, which is charged with the general direction and control of the government of Jamaica. There are fourteen parishes (states) in Jamaica, a Mayor runs each, these parishes are divided into constituencies that are represented in the government by a member of parliament. Jamaica maintains an embassy in all major countries and a seat at the United Nations.

The people of Jamaica are in most part very friendly and easy going. The official language of Jamaica is English, but you will hear a dialect generally spoken called “patois” meaning “ Broken English” that is a mixed of English and African influences. The majority of Jamaicans are very religious; the traditional religions are Anglican, Baptist, Methodist, and Seventh Day Adventist. There are also indigenous religion that emerged, called “ Rastafari” which is classified as a cult religion, this is derived from the acknowledgement of the then Emperor Haile Selassi of Ethopia as a direct descendant of Jesus Christ. Many of these Rastafarians are vegetarians and very artistic, they wear their hair in long dreadlocks.