Home Sweet Home Issue 1 Online

Design

Bambu Villa An International Love Affair

12 Designing Jamaica Ann Hodges Designs

The Smart & Stylish Home Office 18 Dezign Diva: New Home? 22

58 Treasure

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Contents Elements

Leisure

Travel

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42

94

On to Greener Pastures

Art for Rest’s Sake

A Traveller’s Dream

Plasma Vs LCD 36 The Housing Sector: 40 Lucrative Investment Options for Developers

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Jamaica’s Art Retreat On Encouraging Patronage & Power 48 Wealth & Wine: Michael Turner 54

India

Destination: Kiteboarding 66 The Real State of Real Estate 70 in Jamaica Seaweed Villa: 80 A Treasure in Treasure Beach 24 Tucker Ave: 88 The Home of a Nation Builder Sandal’s Investment Making the World Sit 104 Up

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Publisher's Note Publishers

Garth Walker Leighton Davis BRAND MANAGER

Simone Riley Editor-in-chief/ creative director

Christina Benjamin Asst editor

Andrea Bickhoff-Benjamin Art Director/ Layout Artist

Denieze Anderson Proof Reader

Home is where the heart is. This publication will help you find somewhere to rest your heart, whether it be in a home or in travel plans. This is our inaugural publication, however, Home Sweet Home is a brand that has been on the lips of many Jamaicans for some time now. Initially a television series, we decided to try something new, do the reverse and delve into print. This is the result. Our new home and travel magazine. This publication’s primary focus is real estate in its entirety. We’re looking at homes, commercial properties, travel destinations, decorating and renovating tips.

GARTH WALKER At Wealth Magazine we’re always looking MANAGING EDITOR for new ways to educate, inspire and empower our readers and followers while finding ways to rein in those who are still learning about us. We strive to teach each person we reach something with every step we take. This new magazine will be something different, something fresh and something you have never experienced before. Ancient Chinese philosopher Laozi says, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” Let us help you make that first step. The world awaits!

May Williams Photography

Tricia Bent Kristen Landell Jeremy Francis Denieze Anderson Sales Representatives

Latoya Taylor Alrick Wynter

Printed in Jamaica by

Pear Tree Press.

Copyright © 2014 Wealth Magazine Home Sweet Home Vol 1 Issue 1 All rights reserved.

Wealth Magazine Home Sweet Home accepts no responsibility for unsolicited material. This material may not be reproduced, displayed, modified or distributed without the expressed prior written permission from the publishers.

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LEIGHTON DAVIS MANAGING EDITOR

The Wealth Magazine brand has grown in strength over its existence, putting out publications based on what the market has demanded. Home Sweet Home Magazine is a natural progression for the Wealth brand because of what real estate and travel mean to our country Jamaica in regards to revenue and investments for locals and overseas citizens who see Jamaica as the pearl of the Caribbean.

As you read these pages, be aware that the hard working team at wealth has pushed themselves to a whole new height to bring to the market what will be considered the 'go to' authority for real estate and lifestyle information.

Please email me (leighton@cmeja.com) your thoughts and ideas for what content you want to see covered in our pages, after all, Wealth, produces our publications for your reading pleasure.

Cheers.

For further information on Wealth Magazine Home Sweet Home Contact: Creative Media and Events 15b Trinidad Terrace, Kingston 5, Jamaica W.I. Tel: (876) 754-2075 Fax: (876)-754-2070 Cell: (876)-579-7381 info@cmeja.com

www.wealthmagja.com

/wealthmagja

/wealthmagazine

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Editor's Note I wanted to keep the editor’s note for this magazine simple.

Something short like, “Here it is – this magazine will make you want to travel the world and buy homes across the island, without selling you fairytales.”

This first issue deserves more than that though.

I had the pleasure of being actively involved with the production and conceptualisation of the television show, Home Sweet Home, after which this magazine is named. A real-estate programme that dares to delve into the challenges associated with buying and/or building a home in a struggling economy, Home Sweet Home urges viewers to dream big, guiding them on how to build on a limited budget and showcasing some of our region’s most awe-inspiring properties. This magazine will take it one step further. Home Sweet Home, the magazine, will provide you with tips and tricks in building, decorating and landscaping your ‘dream home’. It will give insight into Jamaica’s real-estate market and take you to some of the Caribbean’s best villas, hotels and restaurants. We made every effort to truly capture and showcase a myriad of unique experiences: beautiful locations, destinations and history distinctive to our region, all while ‘keeping it real’.

Personally, that was the most important part of this project for me – ensuring that we paint a beautiful picture of our island, but that the picture includes the grit and the reality of our Jamaican experience. I’d like you to leave these pages as if you’ve spent your morning relaxing at a resort and your afternoon visiting your favourite museum: inspired, intrigued, rested and more knowledgeable than you were before you entered.

Our cover story takes you through one of Jamaica’s most beautiful properties, ‘Bambu Villa’, which has a history equally intriguing. London-based art adviser, Rachael Barrett, breaks down the importance of investing in ‘up and coming’ artists in a thought-provoking feature, ‘On Encouraging Patronage’. Our feature on ‘The Real State of Real Estate’ provides a critical assessment of Jamaica’s housing market and the state of the low-income market in particular, all supported by vivid, beautiful visuals. Our travel section takes us on an exploration of the state of Rajasthan, India, as our writer Andrea Benjamin journeys across the globe only to discover a good measure of Jamaican cultural influences there. These are just a few of the gems this magazine holds, the rest is an exotic expedition through the worlds of Caribbean architecture, interior design and more! I invite you to relax and take the trip with us.

How big can you dream?

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Contributors

Andrea Bickoff-Benjamin

Rachael Barrett

Shakera Campbell

Joni Wedderburn

Originally from Germany, Andrea has experienced numerous transitions during her 32 years in Jamaica. Initially working as a medical technician in the early 1980s, she studied law while raising her children and is now a practising attorney and mediator. Currently, Andrea indulges in her passion for yoga and travel.

Rachael Barrett founded the curatorial and project management service Three Sixty to facilitate the commission, exhibition and strategical development of fine art in contemporary culture. Barrett remains a primary consultant for Quintessentially Art after rebranding the company. An occasional writer, Rachael has contributed to publications in print and online across different genres and locales including , Post-New, Style.com, Kultureflash, The Jamaica Observer and Apollo Magazine.

Shakera Campbell is an honours graduate of the University of the West Indies with a double major in media and communication and history. She is the director and producer of Wealth Magazine’s Business Access and contributes to the development of a variety of lifestyle television programmes.

Off the set, she can be found house and landscape planning with building contractors, and interior decorating, which is one of her favourite hobbies.

Writer and public relations consultant, Joni Wedderburn has enjoyed a long-standing affair with creative and engaging communication.

Having lived in cosmopolitan Miami, historic London and bustling Kingston, she has been inspired to be bold in her career. She is currently the buzz director of her new, dynamic publicity agency, PR Muse.

Laura Marley

Laura Marley is the president of the Jamaica Kiteboarding Association and fell in love with the sport in 2006. She is currently working with the association on expanding kiteboarding locally and building their membership base.

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Nicole Smythe-Johnson Nicole Smythe-Johnson is a writer and curator from Kingston, Jamaica. She has an MA in postcolonial literary and cultural studies from the University of Leeds in England. In 2013, she completed her tenure as senior curator at the National Gallery of Jamaica where she co-curated the Natural Histories exhibition and worked on the New Roots exhibition of 10 emerging artists. These days, she pursues independent film and curatorial projects, while maintaining her blog at wordsmythen.wordpress. com.

Arvel Grant

Arvel Grant is an IT strategist and technology evangelist who researches and reports on all things related to tech.

Questions and comments may be sent to arvel.grant@ gmail.com or @ArvelLinchpin

Kevon Rhiney

Dr Rhiney ‎lectures in the Department of Geography and Geology at the Mona Campus, University of the West Indies. His research interests span a range of issues surrounding sustainable urban planning, public health and safety and building adaptation to climate change. He was also a recipient of a Commonwealth Fellowship in 2013 and a research fellow in the Masters in Sustainable Urban Development programme at the University of Oxford, UK.

Samira Bowden

A lover of art, history and nature, some of Samira’s interests include bicycle riding, baking, painting and jewellery making. She has a BSc in Zoology (Honours) from the University of the West Indies.

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Design

Designing

Jamaica

By Joni Wedderburn

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With her bold, breath-taking and distinctive designs, Ann Hodges has become synonymous with some of the island’s most iconic buildings.

Photographers: Adrian Boot Tim Street Porter Cookie Kinkead Jonathan Gosse Christian Horan David Yellen Nikolas Koenig

H

istoric Jamaican architecture, with its old world charm and graceful and imposing designs, has offered an enduring blueprint for some of today’s most stylish and luxurious properties. As residents and tourists alike yearn for unique, patently Jamaican experiences steeped in the country’s rich heritage, restorative architecture has become the definition of ‘island chic’. By combining aesthetic beauty and functionality, these predominantly Georgian and Jamaican vernacular styles are as much mesmerising as they are unforgettable.

“I think my designs are quite contemporary, but I like to use older forms,” shared Ann Hodges, while sipping her tea in classic English fashion. “I would describe my style as modern, which learns from the vernacular; it applies local building materials while reflecting indigenous culture, offering solutions to environmental issues and accounting for modern technology,” she explained.

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Within moments of meeting Ann, one is quickly comforted by her easy-going, kind-hearted spirit, no doubt an invaluable asset in handling life’s lemons. Though she acknowledges the rarity of female architects practising in the island, the self-professed optimist is quick to mention that the landscape is changing rapidly, as approximately 50 per cent of students presently enrolled at the Caribbean School of Architecture are women. When asked about her influences, Ann spoke highly about her friend and mentor Nadine Isaacs, a deep-thinking, hardworking and highly principled professional, who was the first female president of the Jamaica Institute of Architects (JIA) and was a ‘powerhouse’ in that position.

While her parents made no conscientious effort to encourage her to pursue architecture, Ann inevitably followed her father into the career, which transferred the family from perpetually rain-

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soaked England to sun-kissed Jamaica in the first place. Born Sarah Ann Hodges, Ann has always preferred her middle name and, admittedly, wasn’t able to spell her first name until the age of eight. She was born in Croydon, England, but moved to Jamaica at the age of two after her dad, Bill, was appointed town planner in Kingston. Ann has fond memories of her childhood: engaging in fun art and craft projects around the house and enthusiastically accompanying her father on his site visits across the island. She revelled in those long journeys along winding country roads, through lush tropical farmlands and quaint towns.

Instinctively, she knew she would eventually become an architect.

“People have a way of thinking of architects as persons who ‘draw buildings’ which, at the end of the day, is true, but it’s a job that covers so many aspects of life: the arts, science, psychology, sociology, anthropology and the

list could go on,” commented Ann. “We have to understand what our clients are trying to achieve.

It’s not just about x number of rooms with y patio, it’s more than a building; it has to be functional, yet reflect their aspirations. Architects also have a concern for the whole environment in which their projects are located; the street, the space around the building - it all has to work together to make a liveable place,” she revealed.

Since there was no tertiary-level architecture programme in Jamaica at the time, Ann had to leave behind her beloved island home and return to bustling London to pursue her degree.

Although she was initially confident that she had found her perfect profession, during her time at school she began to question whether or not it was really what she wanted to do.

She decided to take an extended break from her studies, but eventually went back to university to obtain her qualifications and

“In retrospect, I’m still amazed that we were so cool and confident in taking on such a challenging job as Strawberry Hill”

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started working in the UK. A sombre Ann returned to Jamaica in 1982 to mourn her father’s passing. As conflicting thoughts bounced around her head about staying in Jamaica or going back to England, Ann’s heart, having fallen in love with the island all over again, made the difficult decision for her. She scarcely had time to resettle when she found herself working on several interesting projects and was eventually asked to transform an old estate in the Blue Mountains into a trendy resort.

Chris Blackwell, famed founder of Island Records, commissioned Ann to work on one of his properties, which had been badly damaged by Hurricane Gilbert in 1988. She recalled travelling on a bumpy, narrow road, as the team made its ascent through the hills overlooking Kingston. As the elevation increased, the temperature dipped and a cool breeze tickled their faces and offered much-needed refuge from the steamy flatlands below. After finally reaching their destination in Irish Town, Ann surveyed the landscape with its unforgiving terrain. She knew it was going to be a difficult job, but it also proved to be the project that launched her career and established her as a leading expert in restorative architecture.

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Her interest in traditional buildings led her to Strawberry Hill where she worked on the great house, renovating and extending the structure. It took some time for Ann and her team to get to know the site as they were always discovering something new about the location. To build on the steep slopes around the great house lawn and avoid having to erect extensive retaining walls, the buildings were constructed with timber and stepped lightly on the hillside, anchored with a solid concrete footing and rear wall where the buildings met the slope. The development became a true community effort, as a workshop was set up on site to create windows and doors, and many people from the surrounding area were trained in construction skills. The demanding project was hampered by months of heavy rain and workers on site were at one point shaken by an earthquake.

“In retrospect, I’m still amazed that we had the courage to take on Strawberry Hill. It’s easily my favourite and yet most challenging job to date,” Ann reflected. “I’m very proud of the property because we acted as the contractor so I was involved with its construction, working with a team hired by the client, to design, purchase materials, plan and supervise the project, and directly employing the skilled craftsmen and labourers. I won my first award for ‘best single family house’ for the first cottage, ‘Adinkra’. I was elated and overwhelmed by the

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accomplishment,” she beamed.

Today, one cannot speak about Jamaican architecture without mentioning Ann Hodges. She is one of the recipients of the Governor General’s Award for Architecture, having received this coveted award twice, for Strawberry Hill and the Hallin Bank housing project. Additionally, she received the prestigious Institute of Jamaica’s Silver Musgrave Medal for Service to Arts: Architecture, and was elected a Fellow of the Institute in 2012. A year later, in 2013, Ann was voted president of the organisation, a position once held by her dad. Her daughter, Samora, followed in her mother’s footsteps and is a qualified architect working in New York. The Hodges’ legacy in architecture is thus assured to continue for yet another generation.

Ann’s innate passion for the conservation of historic buildings in Jamaica has had a reverberating impact on architectural trends in the island, particularly those connected to the tourism industry.

With enviable work done on spectacular properties such as GoldenEye and Good Hope Estate, she has made an indelible mark on the country’s landscape. Ann’s creative and timeless designs continue to inspire local architects and effortlessly reflect Jamaica’s allure.

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Design

The

Smart & Stylish Home Office

By Shakera Campbell

Almost every home has a home office; it may be a space to go through mail, for kids to do homework or if you’re lucky enough to work from home, it is your nine-to fie- place of business. But how do you distinguish your home office space in a way that will be conducive to creativity and concentration all day, but then disappear gracefully by evening?

Luckily, with the home office you have full freedom to decorate as you wish.

Here HSH divulges a few design-savvy tips.

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Wood Works Commercial offices are often cold with metals, plastics and shiny surfaces that can make them uninviting. Warm things up a bit at home by using wood whenever possible for your desk, shelves and cabinets. Try to stay away from pinewood finishes, unless no other finish goes with the rest of your décor, as this is often used in commercial offices. Instead, add richness with cherry, oak, mahogany or chestnut.

Declutter In any office, organisation is key, and even more so at home. You don’t want your office to be an eyesore with scattered mail, cluttered books and untamed wires; not only does this deter productivity, but it causes stress. Keep your desk clear and inviting. Go wireless or cordless where possible and, if you can’t, bundle cables together and tape them discreetly along the back of your worktable and down the legs instead of leaving them dangling.

For storage, built-in shelves are an elegant way to store your book collection, while drawers with tray organisers keep track of accessories like pens, pencils, highlighters, tape and calculators. If your desk is not equipped with a drawer, baskets and storage boxes are a simple way to clean up clutter.

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Statement Lamps Light plays a big role on your productivity and the type of lighting you use greatly impacts the aesthetics of your work area.

Ideally, you want as much natural light from a window as possible, but at nights, on cloudy days, or if you don’t have a window, task lighting is required. Choose lights that cast a yellow illumination; this is the colour of brightness and midway through the progression from cool to warm. You don’t have to stick with task lamps either, a pretty table lamp is more homely and can complement the house’s décor with design details you like, be it a sculptural shape or a dazzling colour. The perfect lamp not only illuminates the space to boost your mood, but also enhances the look of the whole work area.

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Dramatic Desk The desk is the anchor of the home office. Find a desk with a simple, but stunning frame that blends well with the rest of the house’s décor. It should offer plenty of workspace and some storage if possible. If it has no drawers, a convenient file cabinet on wheels keeps mails, bills, and work essentials organised and hidden..

Location Location Location

The Best Chair in the House

Chose the location of your home office wisely. This, of course, is dependent on how much work you intend to do there.

The space should be low traffic and offer enough privacy to allow you to work effectively with little or no disruptions. To define the space, place your desk against a wall or a corner, rather than facing a window. This prevents distractions and eyestrain due to glare from sunlight, particularly when using a laptop or a monitor.

Bookcases on either side of the desk add plenty of storage and define the space as well. If you have the square footage, place the desk in the centre of the room for a powerful ‘queen-of-the-universe’ effect.

Sitting on your couch should not be an option for you if you plan to be productive. Soon you’ll find yourself watching TV, napping and everything else besides work. Splurge, if necessary, and get a chair that gives your home office the seriousness it deserves; try to get one that is ergonomically designed to ensure your comfort. After all, comfort is important if you are going to be sitting for hours working on a big project! Trust me, your back will thank you.

Bonus Tips It is now up to you to put your smart and stylish office to good use. Your home office should reflect your personality and encourage you to spend time in it. Remember, the aim is to be productive, so when working at home, get dressed as if you’re going out to work. If you’re in your pyjamas, it’s too easy to slink into your bed and there’s no boundary between work time and chill time. Set your work hours and try to get as much work done during this scheduled time as possible. Don’t take naps during work hours – you wouldn’t do that if you were at an office job! In fact, it may help to make parts of the house, like your bedroom and kitchen, off limits during work hours. Keep brain foods like almonds, blueberries, pumpkin seeds and broccoli close at hand to snack on, keeping the temptation of your refrigerator at bay.

Put these tips to use and you’ll be well on your way to creating the perfect home-office work environment!

CENTER (LEFT TO RIGHT) Franz Jobson General Manager & Legal Council Andrew Azar Managing Director (Chairman) FROM LEFT FRONT: Moyah Curtis Marketing Executive Betty Phillipps Manager Real Estate Juliet McNulty Sales Associate

FROM RIGHT FRONT: Suzanne Hendricks Sales Associate Norma Eaton Sales Associate Sashalini Gardner Sales Associate

he C.D. Alexander Company Realty Limited is synonymous with Real Estate. It is recognized as one of the island’s, most trusted firms having been established in 1944.

centrally located site at 4A Marescaux Road, Kingston 5.

C.D. Alexander is a full service Real Estate Company offering services in Sales, Valuations and Auctions. New to the firm’s portfolio is in-house legal services, making C.D. Alexander a true one stop shop for all your Real Estate needs.

With the acquisition of C.D. Alexander Company Realty by the LP Azar Group of Companies in the spring of 2013, the firm moved its operations from downtown Kingston to the more

The staff at C.D. Alexander Company Realty Limited is highly qualified and experienced.

The years of experience and dedication of the personnel at C.D. Alexander has positioned the company as one of the most sought after and competitive providers of Real Estate services in Jamaica.

The key to C.D. Alexander’s success stems from its quality service and the experience and professionalism of its staff.

C.D. Alexander prides itself on providing its clients with consistent, timely, and professional services of the highest possible caliber.

THE CD ALEXANDER COMPANY REALTY LIMITED 4A MARESCAUX ROAD, KINGINGSTON 5 WEBSITE: www.cdalexander.com.jm | FACEBOOK: cdalexanderrealtyltd.com.jm

By Karen Booker

Design

Design

Diva Photography: Denieze Anderson

New Home?

Karen Booker dishes on what you need to know before decorating...

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o, you have made the big step. You have just acquired your own home and now it’s time to decorate! It’s by no means easy and the task at hand needs to be well thought out before the undertaking. Here are my predecorating tips:

•Give yourself enough time, nothing great can be at

tained in a rush.

•Be prepared. Arm yourself with pictures that you like

and more important, know what you don’t like.

•Be specific, firm, decisive, and know what you want

done - it’s your space!

•Have a realistic budget.

•Plan for contingency.

•All that glitters is not gold, following what one sees on HGTV is a sure setup for failure. What seems

like a 1-2-3 process is often far more complicated than

it looks and best left up to professionals.

Not all decorating professionals are considered equal;

check references And most important,…

•Know what your decorating style is.

•Have a reliable set of folks ready to assist.

Have patience!

“So now that your mindset is wrapped around the predecorating process, here are the ordered steps to get you to a successful end game.”

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Foundation First 1. Start with your flooring. Today, the options in flooring are endless, the latest innovation being the look of wood planks fabricated in porcelain. It’s the best of both worlds: you get the look and warmth of wood and the low maintenance of a tiled floor. If you really want wooden floors then you may want to consider getting a termite inspection before installing and please, do not attempt to put this type of floor in an area that’s prone to flooding. Carpeting is a high maintenance option for soft padding beneath your feet. Porcelain floors are a beautiful choice that blend form and function seamlessly while ceramic floors are quite affordable. Whichever you choose, be certain that it serves you well.

2. Next comes your architectural detailing; if you’re going to use moldings, go big, go bold and do remember chair rails are an ‘80s signature. Base moldings and crown moldings are really all you need in a space, unless of course, your space is quite large with vaulted ceilings and you are going for a more traditional look. Then, I will say, the sky is the limit!

3. The last on your foundation list is walls.

Paint, wallpaper and faux finishes - this is where you pull your flooring and moldings together while providing a backdrop for your wonderful furnishings. It’s best to keep paint colours neutral; wallpaper adds dimension to a room, and faux finishes should be chosen wisely as they could overwhelm the space if not factored as part of the overall project design.

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Decorating the Room

1. Start with the case goods or the non-upholstered pieces consoles, entertainment centres, and wall units. These are the pieces that ground the room and add structure.

2. Next, place your upholstered pieces - the sofa, the armchair, upholstered bench and similar furniture items- the key here is not to overdo it. Do not place an upholstered sofa along

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with two upholstered chairs in the same grouping; this gives rooms a heavy feel. The trick here is to lighten up! Instead, try an upholstered sofa, (make sure it is comfortable) and two wood-framed chairs, which give less visual weight and provide balance to the room design.

3. Now add the smaller wood pieces - the centre table, the side tables, a console or an entry

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table.

4. Then come plants, accessories and artwork.

Accessories must be carefully considered beforehand and must be a part of the overall decorating budget.

5. Lighting is the jewellery of the room. It can include overhead or ceiling lights, task lights, lamps and decorative wall sconces. The positioning of your lighting is very important to the dramatic effect of a room’s design. Chandeliers should be 36 inches from the surface of the dining table and wall sconces 65 to 70 inches from the floor.

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“The hot name, for everything cool” 56A Studio One Boulevard, Kingston 5 Tel: 876-926-8800 • 929-1739 • 968-7471 • 926-5157 Fax: 876-968-7849 Email: tropicool@flowja.com • Website: www.tropicalaircon.com

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Greener on to

By Joni Wedderburn

PASTURES Photography: Denieze Anderson

My dearest love,

I get it. Breaking up is hard to do, but, to be honest, you’ve become way too dependent. You’re literally sucking the energy out of this relationship and your actions are costing you dearly. I know we’ve been doing this for a long time, but you’re putting me under a lot of pressure and I’m not coping very well. I’m writing this letter because I’m genuinely concerned about you and I want to offer my help.

Not so long ago, being called ‘green’ in Jamaica was an insult to your personal hygiene, but in today’s world that same title has become a badge of honour. Generally, when we think about becoming more eco-friendly, our minds automatically jump to the big steps, such as installing solar panels and building wind turbines. However, renewable consultant, Kimroy Bailey, is quick to point out that an instrumental part of ‘going green’ is conservation.

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So, in an effort to steer you in the right direction, I’ve put together a short and simple list of tips you can use around your house to reduce your energy bills: • Cut down on how long you leave your heater on. You should aim to run it for at maximum 30 minutes in the morning and again for 30 minutes in the evening.

• Try to iron only once per week for no more than two hours.

• Get rid of your old, inefficient bulbs and switch to energy-saving fluorescent bulbs.

• Use a power strip for your electronics and turn it off when you’re not using the devices.

• Let your food cool before putting it in the refrigerator.

• Request an energy audit.

- You can contact a number of local companies, including Alternative Power Sources (APS) in Kingston, to come to your home and conduct an energy audit.

APS will monitor your power consumption to determine the amount of energy used by your household. After the analysis of the data, you’ll be given an easyto-read, comprehensive report with suggestions for energy conservation and options to consider for a renewable-energy system in the future.

• Unplug your refrigerator

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- Yes, you can actually give your energy-guzzling refrigerator a much-needed break, but you have to carefully follow a few steps to see the savings in your bill. Unplug your fridge when it is cool, ideally between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. You may want to consider leaving a little note for the ‘late-night snackers’ to keep their distance.

It’s recommended that you don’t unplug your fridge every night, but aim to do it on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The weekends are not advised since your household tends to be much busier on Saturdays and Sundays than other days during the week.

• Use cold water in your washing machine - Although handwashing your clothes would be the cheapest and most energy-efficient way to get your laundry done, it may not be the most practical in terms of time. If you have to use a washing machine, then cut your cost by using cold rather than hot water.

Most of the energy consumed by the machine, up to 90 per cent, is used to heat water.

• Encourage Junior to play outside.

Yes, I know your child wants nothing more than to spend countless hours playing video games, watching TV and surfing the Internet, but their immobile activities aren’t only affecting their

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health, but are also having an impact on your money.

Going big, Eco-style

Maybe you’ve been saving your dollar coins and are ready to take an even greater leap towards energy independence.

The financial savings are undeniable, but you may even find yourself enjoying the added benefit of another income stream.

Roger Chang, president of the Jamaica Solar Energy Association (JSEA), explains that “We have something called net billing, which allows renewable-energy systems to be connected to the grid. What that really means is you are able to generate your own electricity by any renewable source, such as solar, wind, bio, hyrdro, and then sell the excess to JPS and earn money!” Although Mr Chang acknowledged that upfront costs are high, the systems pay for themselves in just a few short years. Additionally, there are several local financial institutions, such as banks and credit unions, that offer competitive rates for renewable energy loans.

A 2013 report, Jamaica Sustainable Energy Roadmap: Pathways to an Affordable, Reliable, Low-Emission Electricity System, produced by the Worldwatch Institute, an independent, USbased, research organisation, which specialises in energy, resource and environmental issues, revealed that only 7 per cent of Jamaica’s energy is generated from renewable sources.

Despite the low numbers for green power, according to Andrea Tucker, sales executive at Alternative Power Sources (APS), there has been an increased demand for the installation of photovoltaic (PV) solar systems within houses across the island.

Residents are researching and asking more questions about conservation and methods to produce power independently.

Over the last five years, the industry has grown significantly with several renewable-energy companies emerging as a direct response to the demand for cheaper electricity and economical methods to run homes.

Mrs Tucker shared, “We are seeing an increase in individuals purchasing the components for solar systems and installing the systems themselves. Based on this activity, one can infer that people are becoming more conscious and are literally taking power into their own hands.”

There are a growing number of options available for environmentally conscious residents looking for energy-efficient housing in Jamaica. Mrs Tucker commented, “Currently, there are developers who are trying to tie the use of renewable energy into their housing projects. One example of this is the planned development of Old Forts Village in St Ann, which will be the first luxury townhouse complex in the Caribbean to be fully powered by solar energy.”

Companies throughout the island are operating bio-gas, hydroelectric and wind systems. Bio-gas has been engineered for homes and housing complexes to generate power through the use of methane gas from organic waste products.

Additionally, hydroelectric turbines have been installed in areas where water flow is sufficient to produce electricity while wind turbines have been erected to maintain a continuous charge on battery banks for energy storage.

I really hope you understand that our separation is not a bad thing and is actually beneficial for you in the long run. Since I’ve become older and unable to meet your needs, I think it’s best you start to explore other options. Utilising renewable energy not only provides financial benefits, but it also reduces Jamaica’s need to source foreign exchange for its mounting oil bill and cuts C02 emissions.

You’re not the problem, it’s definitely me. Thank you for the years of support and I wish you all the best in the future.

Yours sincerely, The National Grid (Jamaica)

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Plasma LCD

Persons are always looking for a great deal on High Definition (HD) Television have always been faced with the choice – Plasma or LCD/LED. For the average homeowner, the final decision is usually based on brand preference, desired screen size and price while the home theatre guru typically chooses based on contrast ratio, refresh rate, viewing habits (sports, gaming, movies) and overall picture quality.

For those unsure about which way to go, here are 10 things to consider when making the choice of a HD TV for your Home Sweet Home.

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By Arvel Grant

Weight

If you plan to wall mount your television, then please take note of the TV’s weight and consult the weight rating for your wall mount to ensure it can support your television. Plasma TVs are heavier than LCD TVs – in fact, Plasmas are almost twice the weight of a comparable LCD TV. Winner: LCD TVs are lighter, easier to transport and mount.

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Viewing Environment Though there has been much improvement over the years, plasma TVs cannot match the screen brightness of LCD TVs. As a result, the room in which you plan to place the television can help you decide which TV to buy. If your room has lots of lights or windows then a LCD TV will give better visibility because their screens create brighter images which offset excess light better than Plasma TVs. On the other hand, Plasma screens are known to produce deeper blacks and richer colours than the best LCD TVs in dark theatre-like rooms or while watching television at night.

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Draw: LCD TVs for bright rooms or daytime viewing in windowed rooms, Plasma TVs for dark rooms or nighttime viewing.

Motion Blur For those playing video games or watching action-packed sports, Plasma has always been better than LCD. The technology that powers LCD TVs works by turning on/off the dots (pixels), which make up the image on screen. If the pixels are turned on/off at a rate that is slower than the onscreen action, then you will see ‘ghosting’ or blurred motion.

The refresh rate or max speed that these dots can be turned on/off with LCD TVs ranges from 60 times per second (60Hz) to 240Hz while Plasma TVs refresh from 480 to 3000Hz. Winner: Plasma TVs give the best picture for action viewing and gaming.

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Viewing angle When your television is setup in the viewing room, will all the viewers be seated directly in front of the screen or will some viewers sit at an angle off to the side of the screen? This consideration is important because the filters in LCD TVs have an undesirable side effect in reducing light that is not travelling straight forward. Plasma TVs do not use these filters so the image quality is the same whether you view the screen directly in front or at an angle.

Winner: Plasma TVs give the same image quality from all viewing angles.

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Heat/Hiss Plasma TVs have been known to generate noticeable heat. As plasma technology has advanced, this has become less of an issue and the heat is now only felt if you are very close to the TV, usually less than 12 inches away. Plasma TVs are also known to make a hissing sound. This is less of a consideration if you will be using the TV in low altitude areas, but is a big issue at altitudes of 2,000 metres or higher (for reference, the Blue Mountain Peak is at an altitude of 2,200 metres). As a result, Plasma manufacturers now rate their TVs by altitude and prescribe the maximum altitude to get optimal function from their televisions.

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Winner: LCD TVs produce little to no heat and zero hissing.

Burn-In Plasma TVs are the next step in evolution of the old CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) aka ‘big-back TVs’. Due to the similarities in technology, Plasma TVs are affected by the same issue that affected CRT TVs and computer monitors ie ‘Burn-In’. Any stationary image left on the screen for extended periods will permanently burn into the screen and remain as a shadow even when the picture changes. Plasma manufacturers have built in technology to minimise the effect of burn-in, but they have not been able to completely prevent it.

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Winner: LCD TVs do not suffer from burn-in/image retention except in cases of extreme abuse during usage.

Screen Size Plasma TVs are the next step in evolution of the old CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) aka ‘big-back TVs’. Due to the similarities in technology, Plasma TVs are affected by the same issue that affected CRT TVs and computer monitors ie ‘Burn-In’. Any stationary image left on the screen for extended periods will permanently burn into the screen and remain as a shadow even when the picture changes. Plasma manufacturers have built in technology to minimise the effect of burn-in, but they have not been able to completely prevent it.

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Draw: 32”-60” meets the requirements for most homes and both Plasma and LCD are common in this range.

Slim Profile LCD TVs use lighting technology that fits in a slimmer profile than Plasma technology. In recent times, this has been improved even further by changing the lighting to LED-powered LCDs that are even thinner. These developments have sparked the craze of ultra-thin LCD bezels and TVs that are almost invisible if viewed from the side.

Winner: LCD TVs have a low-profile appearance and give a sleek look to any entertainment area.

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Energy Consumption For LCD televisions, the entire screen is always lit and individual pixels are blocked as required to generate the black colours. This results in steady energy consumption. Plasma TVs treat each pixel as an individual light source and have to power each pixel on and off to generate the range of colours on the screen.

This constant variation means Plasmas may utilise more power (dependent) on what is being shown on screen. In stores, Plasmas are normally set to highest power setting so the colours are rich and vibrant.

If you purchase a Plasma TV, be sure to enable the power-saving mode.

Cost

Winner: LCD TVs have a consistent power profile and the newer LED-based LCD TVs use half the power of standard LCD TVs .

At any desired TV screen size, the Plasma version will be cheaper than the LCD version due to lower cost and fewer complications in the manufacturing process.

Winner: Plasma TVs are easier on the pocket upfront, but beware of the energy costs over time.

Based on the 10 factors above, LCD TVs are the winner for the average home (Plasma – 3, LCD – 5, Draw – 2) . Plasma TVs are preferred in specific situations; however, over the past few years, the number of Plasma TV manufacturers has dwindled from 50+ to just about 5 major companies. Plasma TVs now account for only one out of every 10 TVs sold, indicating

doubts about the future of Plasma. LED-based LCD TVs are quickly becoming the most popular television choice among HD TV buyers. So, in shopping for a high-definition TV, think about how it will be used and what you desire from your home systems. Whatever your preference, there’s a display for you!

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The Housing Sector: Lucrative Investment Options for Developers

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he construction sector is gradually emerging as one of the most viable investment options in Jamaica, given that declining mortgage interest rates are boosting housing demand, and the returns on money market instruments continue to stagnate.

Along with other sectors, construction is still grappling with the effects of the country’s sluggish economic growth and high debt burden. It is also impacted by the devaluation of the local dollar and high energy costs, which have negatively influenced the bottom line costs for housing development along with household discretionary spending.

However, despite these challenges, prospects for the building sector, and specifically the construction of residential units, are quite promising as the mortgage market becomes increasingly competitive. The recent slide in mortgage interest rates by several percentage points over the past three years has made the acquisition of land and buildings much more affordable, generating the increasing demand.

In addition, the aggressive marketing campaigns by building societies, commercial banks and credit unions, as well as changes in the lending policies of the National Housing Trust, have created access to greater levels of financing for home acquisition and attractive mortgage packages for home buyers are now available. Consequently, along with interest rates at market lows of 9.29 per cent, prospective home owners can also benefit from savings in other aspects of the home loan purchasing process, such as insurance.

Interestingly, quarterly outward promotional initiatives, driven by the visits of local developers and real estate entities to trade fairs and workshops targeted to Jamaicans in the diaspora, who reside in the United Kingdom, Canadian, and United States of America, have generated viable interest. These initiatives are literally strengthening the ‘financial bridge’ between Jamaica and its diaspora communities.

As a result, there is stronger demand for housing units in the $12 million and under price range, based on current financing rates and the general level of disposable income.

Therefore, developers who have responded to this trend are poised to benefit significantly in the current year.

At the same time, there is continuing need for stronger partnerships between mortgage providers and real estate developers, in order for the construction sector to take full advantage of the prospective growth in this sector. A more unified approach among entities in the sector will boost organisational efficiency, as well as the capacity of the sector to more effectively meet the growing demand for home ownership.

Year 2014 holds the prospect for growth in the housing sector and the onus is, therefore, on the key players to respond to the emerging lucrative investment options.

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Art for rest’s sake Jamaica's Art Retreats Photography: Andrea Bickhoff-Benjamin

By Nicole Smythe-Johnson Anyone with even a passing knowledge of Jamaica can see how perfectly placed the nation is to take advantage of a cultural tourism model. Jamaica has a physical beauty and range(?) that lends itself to attracting any visitor. It has a buzzing cultural sector and an internationally recognised brand that is in many ways founded on the nation’s cultural output, particularly reggae music.

As Jamaica’s tourism industry has developed, sustainability has been an increasing concern. How can we make tourism not only environmentally and financially sustainable, but also socially sustainable? Cultural tourism has been suggested as a possible route. Just this last July, State Minister in the Ministry of Tourism and Entertainment Damion Crawford announced the Government’s intention to have Kingston designated a Creative City by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

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Yet, the focus in that project, as in other initiatives, is decidedly skewed towards music and the performance arts. Concerts, festivals and other activities derived from music and/or performance models are often referenced, with the occasional mention of literary festivals, such as Calabash.

However, as someone working in the visual arts in Jamaica, I am of the opinion that there is potential for development in another direction. Jamaica has a less acknowledged, but significant tradition in the visual arts. We tend to think of possibilities for development of the visual arts only in terms of building more galleries, or better marketing and selling art objects, but I think Jamaica’s context affords another approach.

What if we ceased to think of culture as a static thing, one that

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can be captured in a performance, museum, fashion show, recording, and instead considered it a living, breathing by-product of the equally dynamic communities that create/practice it?

Cultural tourism really came out of community tourism, a model that proposes the development of sustainable, community-based tourist engageme; that is, finding ways to have tourism develop communities, both the host communities to which tourists come, and wider communities comprised of visitors and hosts. The community tourism model focuses on putting visitors in touch with receptive communities that can provide experiences that are authentical of that place, while helping host communities benefit more directly from the tourism industry.

So how can we develop cultural tourism

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in the area of the visual arts? How can we facilitate exchange, community building, development and a worthwhile experience of Jamaica? Fortunately, some pioneers have designed the concept of art retreats. Art retreats are less about exhibiting works of art, though this can be included. Instead, they provide opportunities for visitors,local and international, to learn about the visual arts in Jamaica, and create their own art.

choice for foodies, as apparently “MacMillan is a chef of the finest order” .

The most well known is probably MacMillan’s Art Retreat, run by respected Jamaican artist, Judy-Ann MacMillan. After years developing an impressive oeuvre and collector’s base for her figurative paintings, MacMillan has opened Rockfield, her country home in the hills of St Ann, to the public. There, guests can learn the basics of oil painting from MacMillan herself.

Visitors not only see a beautiful part of the island, Rockfield’s hillside perch offers a stunning view of the island’s northern coastline from just east of Ocho Rios stretching to west of Chukka Cove, but they also learn from MacMillan’s artistic prowess and knowledge of Jamaican art. The potential is there for so many engagements; visitors might discover a passion or talent for painting that they never knew they had, friendships may be discovered and built, artwork created and exchanged or sold, tastes cultivated. A community is developed, if only a small on, making it ideal for families and groups of friends, but also organisational team-building exercises and board retreats.

MacMillan has developed a package for groups of no more than six. She provides her guidance, meals and wine, trips to sites for landscape painting, models for those interested in portraiture, room and board at her stunning home, and a complimentary dinner at Evita’s Italian restaurant in Ocho Rios. Additionally, if Jamaica TheGleaner’s report on one of MacMillan’s weekend retreats is any indication, it’s also a good

The Great Huts resort in Boston Bay, Portland, offers another model. Great Huts is an eco-resort with a unique, nature-based feel. The property itself is a work of art, comprised of African style huts and tree houses within what owner, Dr Paul Shalom Rhodes, rightly describes as: “a jungle landscape perched upon cliffs overlooking Boston Bay”. Great Huts offers a range of cultural programmes, from weekly African cultural shows of drum-

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ming, music and dance to more intensive week-long packages, with topics like Jamaica Shalom focused on Jewish Caribbean history, or Cinema Paradise focused on Jamaican film.

Their Jamaican Arts Odyssey offers tours to galleries and studios across the island, including the National Gallery of Jamaica in Kingston. The ten-day package includes accommodation, breakfast, lectures, course materials and ground transportation, all for just over USD 1,000. Having personally stayed at Great Huts on a number of occasions and lazed away the morning in their beautiful open-air communal kitchen, drinking good coffee and reading from Dr Shalom Rhodes’ impressive library, I am in a position to recommend a stay there. The ‘art retreat model’ enables visitors to learn about a side of Jamaica that few tourists know and, for those interested in actually creating art, doing so in a beautiful and inspiring space provides the potential of an unforgettable experience. There’s a reason for Lonely Planet naming Great Huts one of the “top ten most atmospheric Jamaican resorts” and The Travel Channel declaring it “Jamaica’s most unique resort”. Why not discover that through the lens of art?

For those interested in a more self-directed experience, I recommend ‘Good Hope Retreat’ in the hills of Westmoreland. Good Hope sits on four acres of lush land, about 700 feet above sea level; affording fantastic views of the sunset. Guests can choose from three beautiful cabins, outfitted with comfortable furnishing, kitchens, 360 degree views of the countryside, and rustic charm. In addition to the natural beauty, peace

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and space to indulge in painting, drawing, writing or any other creative activity, there are tours to the beautiful Y.S. Falls and the beaches on the coast below. There are also nature trails for hikers and bird watchers.

Like most small resorts, Good Hope operates within a community and invites visitors to engage themselves with life in the community. The retreat’s website recommends the nearby village as an attraction: “There is excellent walking out into the near-by rural community, featuring little grocery shop-bar combinations, local goods, and a number of country and home-style churches. Here one gets to meet real Jamaica in a genuine laid-back rural setting.” This is perfect for the self-directed painter or photographer.

In today’s society, the need for rest and relaxation is dire, “stress management” is a common phrase. The benefits of contemplative observation of the ordinary as well as nature’s simplebeaty and the ordinary are oftentimes therapeutic.. Art retreats provide all that; whether in the detailed observation that allows an artist to render a sketch or a painter to depict a landscape, or an encounter with nature’s ‘own’ art that arrests the senses.

I suggest these models in the hope that more artists and resort owners will pick up on the trend and provide more people with this experience. There is ample potential for the development of this typeof cultural tourism, which has the potential to benefitnot the artistic community and visitors alike, and expand Jamaica’s portfolio as a tourist destination.

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P On encouraging

By Rachael Barrett

atronage

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“The patron creates ‘literature through altruism,’ something not even the greatest genius can do with a pen.”

he Untitled Art Fair in Miami opened for its second edition with a charity signing to benefit the Elton John AIDS Foundation. The association with the prestigious charity facilitated access to a high-profile network of fine art collectors, celebrities and the South Beach jet-set crowd. Renowned American-based performance artist, Marina Abramovic, signed copies of a print exclusively commissioned for release at the fair and in just its second year, the fair again cemented its spot as a respected newcomer to the Art Basel Miami Beach Week, in terms of revenue and range of activity, the most important art week in the United States.

Jamaican artist, Ebony G. Patterson, had a strong presence at the fair as part of the booth by gallerist Monique Meloche, her Chicago-based primary representation. Monique had arranged an exhibition of three artists, coincidentally all multimedia artists, with works loosely centred on urban and social issues.

Patterson’s work formed the central focus of the booth with an installation of three large tapestries from her Out and Bad series as part of a larger bespoke installation.

It was Patterson’s second appearance at this fair and, as in years past, the interest in her work was exceedingly high with everything exhibited selling in quick succession. Without being too indiscreet, the commercial value of her work had also increased since her last showing at the fair, but this sort of increase is expected for a young art star on the rise at the end of a successful year that saw Patterson exhibit a newly completed body of work in a solo show at the gallery.

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(Roman Payne)

All the right boxes were ticked for Patterson - the press was there, the international collectors were there; the commercial stamp of approval was confirmed as the fair had positioned Meloche’s stand in a prominent spot. Top curators could be seen nodding their approval throughout the night and the work came up as a topic of conversation as one of the main reasons to fit in a visit to ‘Untitled’, one of many satellite fairs taking place that week.

What was conspicuously absent were a volume of Caribbean buyers expressing interest in the work, browsing the aisles or participating in this annual lollapalooza of art and culture taking place on the region’s doorstep.

As an art adviser known for identifying and supporting ‘the next big thing’, many people ask me what the critical factors are that identify talent in a broad and saturated field. What makes a young artist stand out? How do you know who will succeed? Why this artist? There are many factors that can be aligned to appear as a solid constructive path to success: monitoring placement, garnering critical support, ensuring that studio and professional practices support optimum production practice, monitoring gallery support to ensure prime exhibition strategies, and so forth. However, the simple truth is that time shows that the path is varied and for every rule of thumb exists an exception.

Louise Bourgeois, the renowned French-American artist and

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sculptor, did not receive any real recognition for any of her work until she was in her 60s. She was notoriously averse to publicity and, on her passing, had set the record for achieving the highest price for a female artist. Marc Quinn, one of Britain’s most famous artists from the YBA (Young British Artist) movement and a recent Caribbean convert since purchasing a multimillion-dollar third holiday home on the island of Mustique, believes that his practice was only enhanced by the fact that he never went to art school. Notorious rogue street artist Banksy rode the recession that saw his market spiral upward out of control then bottom out just as quickly and regain a stable price level. In his most recent New York city wide exhibition, he made most of the works as street-painted motifs available, free of cost to the public, and posed as an imposter, selling his own artwork at 0.01 per cent of the market value to unsuspecting passersby in Central Park. This action only solidified his status as a celebrated ‘art world outsider’ and a leading figure of the outsider/urban/street movement.

Examining the relationship between talent and success is a long,

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circular process that elicits a myriad of analyses and examinations from both the qualified and unqualified alike. While the single algorithm of truth that sums up the path to success is yet to be written, one truth that remains is the importance of patronage to ensure the survival and development of young artists. Through time, the role of the aristocratic patron such as the Medici (the Italian political dynasty) to the modern-day gatekeepers such as Guggenheim (Peggy), Arnault (Bernard, CEO of LVMH), Pinault (Francois, CEO Kering) and Prada (Miuccia, fashion designer) is long recognised as a key factor in the development of artistic practice, and as a key means of shaping what the future of society’s art will look like. Patronage is truly still one of the single most powerful means of effecting change, shaping markets and influencing opinion across the arts. Collectors looking for investment opportunities know that a missed opportunity within the first five to 10 years of an artist’s career is an expensive mistake not worth making. As such, a multi-asset strategy is commonplace, just to ensure not missing out on that elusive ‘golden goose’.

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Yet, the interest in art collecting locally has always struck me as almost outdated and immature in comparison to the wider contemporary marketplace. The conservative tastes and habits of the local collector stifle the market by limiting artistic production, strangling opportunities for exhibition and suppress creativity. Collectors with traditional tastes seem to pressure young artists into making work that sticks to proven/ traditional forms, as opposed to appreciating new and different aesthetics. Heading down to the Edna Manley College to discover new artists, making work in exciting and sometimes uncomfortable ways has become less common. It is a dangerous thing for creativity when the makers are forced to follow the taste of the collectors, instead of being allowed to have their creativity set trends. This collector driven influence seems to mimic a long held belief that artists cannot be stable/ successful business people. I find it equally disheartening that it seems being an artist is still largely viewed as an unsustainable career path for the flighty or unstable, the un-savvy or the less educated.

Local non-profit institutions such as the National Gallery of Jamaica are one of very few exhibition resources available to younger artists. Works exhibited at the prestigious institution often remain unsold and while some garner attention in local press, for the most part they remain unseen to most of the island’s wealthy art collecting upper-middle class. Homes in the capital city’s traditional bourgeois neighbourhoods such as Jack’s Hill, Cherry Gardens and Stony Hill boast works by great Jamaican luminaries, but stick to somewhat dated and ‘safe’ collections of landscape paintings, classic nudes and genre paintings. Younger artists tend to push boundaries in terms of subject, but even the more traditional portraiture and salaciously re-imagined subjects such as Renee Cox’s portrait of a fierce Nanny of the Maroons, Ebony’s images of downtown bleach-faced rude boys, or Varun Baker’s images of his limbless hero Joshua Brown, seem miles away from current popular collecting aesthetics. I have also noticed that local galleries resort to framing and shipping services as a significant means of sustaining profit margins. Heavily reliant on reprints of past work, I find it incredible that buying a copy of a commonly known image is much more common than purchasing, at the same price point, an original work from an up and coming artist. It is also unfortunate that, in line with the slight disdain for the field, current collecting trends are such that the value associated with artwork does not exist on the same level as values associated with other luxury goods.

Socially, it is more palatable to spend a large sum on food and drink or clothing and jewelry rather than accept a high price for a painting or photograph. Without proper support from the local community, the ’talent-spotting game’, played by international collectors, will remain out of the local collectors’ hands.

While international art collectors travel the world in search of new work, new stories and new aesthetics, it also seems surprising that such an internationally minded community as that in Jamaica tends to focus mostly on collecting not only the same local art, but with a resigned preference to local art only, dangerously placing more importance on the locality than the aesthetic. There are

many excellent young Caribbean artists and a more cohesive collecting community spanning several islands would do wonders to improve the art market across the region. Beyond Caribbean boundaries, placing work by local greats such as Petrona Morrison or Barrington Watson next to their international contemporaries only helps broaden the reach and appeal of local work, fostering a dialogue with the greater artistic community and ushering in the wide recognition our own artists need to survive on a global scale.

Which brings me back to Ebony G. Patterson. Here, one of

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our own has been heavily supported by local curators, press, international critics and collectors, and yet the local community seems largely content to let this one slip through their fingers.

In other countries, the local art star is usually heavily collected locally before the international art community catches up. Here it seems to be the opposite. In the art world, patronage is the single most important source of power, with no community too small to make an impact on the legacy left over time. Talent spotting is one part of the process, supporting the spotted is by and large the most important part of the equation.

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Wealth Wine

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1. What does Wealth mean to you?

• Wealth to me isn’t monetary. More so, it is about your lifestyle: friendships, family and how happy these relationships make you.

2. Red, white or sparkling?

All the above! Of course, this isn’t the same for everyone. Time of day, company and food are big factors in what people choose to drink.

3. Describe briefly your role at CPJ and their position in the marketplace.

• Right now there are so many comparisons being made between distributors. The question of who is best is totally dependent on the customer’s choice and what he likes. However, I feel we have the best selection as we have the most wines on hand in Jamaica and we are a company that is always trying to get better and grow our product offerings. As the head marketer of wines, which is a position I most recently attained, I appreciate the family oriented aspect of CPJ, being that they are a corporate entity. That’s the juxtaposition of it all since it’s publicly traded.

Michael Turner

CPJ BRAND MANAGER, WINES

and patience into making sure that it’s the best it can be from the ground up.

7. Favourite accessory: • I’m not into jewellery, I don’t even wear a watch. I’d say my phone and a pen; I always have a pen.

8. Who is your favourite designer?

• Not that big on labels. I just like a designer that makes clothing that fits my body well and if I had to pick one that would be Zara.

9. Favourite charity: Locally, We Care, which is an organisation that CPJ plays a huge role in. I’m happy to be a part of a company that is active in the community and which emphasises philanthropy. Also, when I lived in England, I knew of a charity called Mercy Ships, which is an emergency medical-aid organisation. They, in essence, created a fleet of hospital ships that go around the world providing free surgeries and healthcare services.

4. Growing up, did you envision this career?

• No. I grew up in Bog Walk, St Catherine, having a very simple, country lifestyle. My travels during my college years really exposed me to the culture. CPJ has also played a role in really fostering my love for the world of wine.

10. Favourite dessert: • A New York cheesecake or crème brûlée.

5. What is the most memorable moment in your career?

• Hosting my first wine dinner at Jake’s Hotel in Treasure Beach with the Henzell family. This was a farm-to-table-style setting with me introducing the different wines we had and their food pairings. I would say it came full circle for me in terms of my lifestyle as a child and the career I’m in now based on that farmto-table setup.

12. Favourite form(s) of social media: • Right now, it would have to be Instagram. The fun side of it though. Also, I love Vine even though I haven’t used it yet. I would love to incorporate those two media with CPJ. Having six-second videos on the different wines we have here or having different competitions on Instagram. I look at them as incredibly effective marketing tools.

6. What is your favourite art?

• I can’t say that I’m well versed on contemporary art. However, I do love music, cinema and literature. I would also say wine is another art form that I love. I appreciate the workmanship that goes into making wine. Winemakers have to put a lot of time

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11. Favourite gadget(s): • My phone, laptop or TV.

13. Who or what inspires you?

• I would have to say family. The three generations that make up my family: my grandparents, parents and my sisters, are very important to me-- my sisters especially. I admire them and what they have achieved in their respective careers.

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BUYING YOUR FIRST HOME

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uying your first home will be one of the most important decisions you make. You will want to identify the type of property which best suits your needs and your budget.

Also remember location, location, location! If you need to be in a particular area for the purpose of work, proximity to schools and/or medical facilities, it is best to narrow your search to those areas.

Before starting your house hunting ensure that you are prequalified by a financial institution of your choice or an institution which offers the best mortgage package. If you qualify for the National Housing Trust benefit then that will be a part of your financing. Make a to-do list to ensure the process moves along more efficiently. Once you are prequalified for financial assistance, then you will know exactly how much you are able to spend for the purchase of your new home. If you follow these guidelines, your process will be less stressful with a greater likelihood of success. Make sure you remain within budget so you can act quickly once you have identified a property. DO NOT LOSE OUT ON YOUR DREAM HOME! After you have completed your prequalification, your can start searching for your home. It is best that you contact a realtor for the assistance you need. Your realtor will identify your preferences and provide you with listings of houses/lots and introduce them to you for viewing. This is their area of expertise

and they will be able to work along with your needs. Remain patient as you look around at potential homes and don’t rule out a 'fixer-upper' if it is available.

Upon finding a property you decide to purchase, this is where your journey begins. You will need an attorney to represent you in the purchase. Ensure that you have the required deposit on hand as you will need to pay this when you sign the sale agreement. Have the mortgage company and your attorney provide you with all of the costs associated with the purchase.

Once the sale agreement is signed by you 'the purchaser', and the person selling 'the vendor', then you are on your way.

You will be required to get a surveyor’s identification report which identifies the boundaries of the property and a valuation report which confirms the market value of the property being sold. When these are available they will be submitted to the mortgage company for them to provide you with a commitment letter to the vendor’s attorney as payment confirmation of the outstanding balance of the purchase money. These documents are sent to the Tax Payers Audit & Assessment Department for assessment and then forwarded to the National Land Agency (Registrar of Titles) for the property to be transferred from the vendor to you the purchaser. When the final amount of purchase money is paid to the vendor’s attorney, you will then receive your title, letter of possession and keys. Congratulations! You are now the owner of your first home.

By Betty Phillips Manager, Real Estate

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Treasure

Bambu

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Villa An International Love Affair

By Joni Wedderburn

Photography: Kristen Landell Cover Photo contributed by Bambu Villa

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he world’s greatest and most entertaining tales often revolve around a torrid love affair. As love stories go, two meet, fall passionately in love, then suffer a great tragedy but, in the end, rise above the uncertainties to rekindle the relationship, whether in this life or the next. On an expansive and breathtaking estate in the cool highlands of the Tamarind Hill Ridge in Hanover, a stone’s throw away from its more popular neighbour, the Tryall Club, lies Bambu Villa, named after bamboo of more than 30 different varieties spanning across its gardens. With a titillating history dating back to the 1960s, the property has undoubtedly enjoyed many run-ins with love.

The story of Bambu Villa begins more than 1,400 miles away in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, where jeweller Douglas James Cooper, in the ‘60s and ‘70s, was making a name for himself with his successful management of the family business, FJ Cooper Inc. Known for his over-the-top ads and publicity stunts, which included a store opening with the cutting of a strand of oriental pearls valued at US$100,000, Cooper became wildly popular within the circles of the most powerful and wealthy. In 1979, the proud and avid gem dealer decided to close his US-based store to focus on his international clientele, a fascinating

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bevy of globetrotting Hollywood stars, members of the Saudi royal family, Arab Sheiks and European aristocrats. Cooper’s deep love of jewels and rare stones lead him to a luxury estate just outside of Montego Bay, then named Il Cerro, Italian for ‘top of the hill’. The Robert Hartley-designed property, a beautiful blend of Italian and West Indian architectural styles, offered Cooper an intimate environment to conduct lavish sales with his discerning, affluent patrons.

Following the sale of the house by the Cooper family, Bambu Villa enjoyed many happy years with a number of doting owners, who caringly decorated, remodelled and maintained the home to preserve its eclectic flair. Sadly, after being abandoned in 2008, the unspoiled and illustrious love story of Bambu retreats from its perfect pathway and meanders dangerously along an unkempt and eerily darkened trail.

The property eventually fell into disrepair and eagerly awaited the arrival of yet another adoring suitor.

In 2009, American William ‘Billy’ Johnson set his sights on buying a hotel in Jamaica, but wasn’t able to find a worthwhile investment.

He ultimately toured Bambu Villa, became hopelessly smitten by its charm and saw an opportunity to return it to its previous grandeur.

“I love remodelling projects,” shared a glowing Billy. “Even though it required extensive work and took us a year and a half to get it back in shape, I truly enjoyed fixing up the house,” he explains, enthused.

During the lengthy and tedious renovation process, Billy and his wife, Nora, devoted countless hours to replacing the home’s electrical system, restoring the roofs, plumbing, and walkways, and rebuilding the kitchen. To protect their beloved Bambu from torrential weather, they installed a Roman drainage system around the home. The couple tenderly manicured the now lush, well-maintained lawns, choosing plants with bursts of bright colours: yellow, red, purple, white and pink, to add a pop of excitement to the scenic landscape’s domineering greenery. The Johnsons’ strong sense of community and passion for all things Jamaican meant that most of the furnishings, from wooden beds to upholstered chairs, were made on the island with indigenous materials by local craftsmen residing in the hills above Bambu. “I have to give my husband credit, as he established early on that he intended the furniture to be locally made in order to benefit the local community, so he scoured the area to find talented craftsmen,” Nora reveals.

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Entering the house, a Venetian walkway leads to a spectacular foyer boasting charming, antique brick floors and a stunning, Caribbean-inspired limestone wall. Guests are immediately awed by the size of the room, partly because of the commanding 40-foot high vaulted ceilings that offer a preview of the spaciousness of the house, which becomes more expansive as one walks through the building.

The striking staircase, complemented by black, wrought iron gates, the walls adorned with colourful paintings, including the works of pop artist Peter Gee, leads to the main floor of the villa.

As one moves through the open and airy walkway, one’s attention is quickly drawn to the property’s imposing circular pool, a design element Hartley was renowned for. The pool is surrounded by four stunning statues of Roman goddesses, elegantly draped in robes. The sculptures, meticulously carved by fourth century artisans and directly imported from Europe, not only celebrate the graceful, female form, but also represent exquisite pieces of art, a rare find in any West Indian home. The pool area is beautifully encircled by grand, Italian style Palladian arches made from limestone native to Jamaica.

This amazing focal point of the home was modelled after Emperor Hadrian’s retreat villa in Tivoli, Italy, an architectural

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masterpiece which, today, is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. With its Palladian arches arranged in a square formation around the circular pool, the area also stands as a tender tribute to Plato’s challenge to successfully enclose a circle in a similarly sized square.

On entering the majestic, formal living room at the end of the main walkway, visitors are easily captivated by the rich mahogany wood flooring and the dark wood tables and chairs positioned within the space, both hallmarks of classic West Indian style. The island theme is also highlighted in a huge, four-panel painting showcasing towering trees edging the calm, blue waters of the Caribbean Sea and a quirky wall fixture made of shells surrounding a serene human face. The octagonal room, a shape featured throughout the property and a design layout used in many historic Italian churches, is outfitted with large, Palladian arch windows, which provide a portal for natural light to easily flow through, while also offering picturesque views of Montego Bay and the vast Great River.

As one steps through the double doors of a spacious guest suite on the east side of the villa, the strong West Indian aesthetic is well represented by exquisite Jamaican antique

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furnishings – a beautiful bed, an inviting lounge chair and a free-standing wardrobe, all skillfully carved out of hardwood and painted white. Bright coral and white fabrics are used throughout the room, perfectly complementing the white furnishings. The house features louvre windows throughout, a typical attribute of Caribbean villas, allowing for natural light and cool breeze.

Walking into the elegant outdoor dining pavilion, one’s gaze is drawn to a circular white marble-top dining table surrounded by dark wooden chairs that flawlessly contrast it. A stylish iron chandelier accentuates the dining area which offers some of the

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property’s best, unhindered views of the neighbouring gardens and coastline.

After visiting Bambu Villa, it’s easy to understand why owners and guests alike fall deeply and passionately in love with this truly unforgettable home that has seen five decades of grandeur as well as decay. The Johnsons’ imagination, style and acute eye for design were the driving forces behind the transformation of the once downtrodden villa. With its fusion of timeless architecture, chic décor and enthralling, natural landscape, Bambu Villa again stands gracefully on its hilltop perch, where it continues to relish in the rhapsody of love.

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Travel

Destination:

Kite Boa Water sports are blissfully ideal for those of us lucky enough to be in the Caribbean and with most hotels here offering the standards - sailing, windsurfing, jet skiing, water skiing, diving and snorkelling- it’s easy for visitors to get in the water and have fun. However, the latest addition to the wind-water sport family, kite boarding/kite surfing, is growing slowly and steadily here in little ‘Jamrock’.

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ite boarding is considered by definition, an ‘extreme sport’, although, unlike other extreme sports, it appeals to a broad spectrum of individuals outside of the extreme sport niche. Having had the pleasure of experiencing kite boarding first hand, I can without shame say that I have had a few close calls. With that said, there is most definitely room for both athletes and non athletes alike. The root of kite boarding is kite flying, and this is something that everyone can do whether you’re eight or 80. Most depictions of

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kite boarding show high-flying stunts performed by expert ‘kiters’, but don’t dismiss this sport if you don’t feel that you’re cut out to be doing backflips 30 feet in the air. If you’re not interested in the dangerous side of kiting, it doesn’t mean that you can’t relish in the simple and pure joy that comes with flying kites and the added pleasure of being in the crisp Caribbean Sea.

maybe you’re saying to yourself, “Oh! That’s what I’ve seen out at…with those big colourful things in the air!!” You might have seen us in Kingston at Maiden Cay, Lime Cay, Port Royal Point or Hellshire, to name a few popular Jamaican kiting locations, and while local kiters are unceasingly on the hunt for new spots all around the island, those mentioned keep us happy in the interim.

You may wonder where in the world we local kite boarders do this mysterious kite boarding thing of which I speak or,

One key appeal in Jamaica is that kite boarding trips can be cross-marketed to an already substantial population of

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rding

By Laura Marley

President, Jamaica Kite Boarding Association Photography: Julie Colins

surfers. Many of the popular surf spots around the world often become too windy for good surfing. Kite boarding perfectly complements this in that you can surf in the morning when the winds are usually calmer, and kite board in the afternoon. Recently, standard Jamaican surf spots like Copacabana out in Bull Bay in the parish of St Thomas, have increasingly found themselves playing host to both surfers and kite boarders alike, sometimes simultaneously. If you’re in Kingston and are an independent kite boarder who can hold your own and you enjoy some wave riding, take a drive east to Bull Bay. Stop over at Jamnesia, and if you’re lucky enough to be there on the right Saturday night, you may get to experience some wonderful local live

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music. If you make it there on a calm day, it’s the perfect place to rent a surfboard and ride some waves. Local surfers offer lessons and are welcoming to visitors.

One of the beauties of Jamaica is that it offers many different conditions for kite boarding, for example, some riders enjoy spots that are known for waves, such as can be found along the St Thomas coast line, while others comb the island looking for shallow spots to work on stunts and tricks.

Tour operators are now able to add kite boarding to their menu of activities offered on the island. Let’s also not lose sight of the fact that in between sessions, whether it be surfing or kiting, visitors require accommodation, food and, not

to forget, copious amounts of Red Stripe beer! This benefits not only the mega resorts and hotels but, more important, local Jamaican guest house, restaurant and bar owners.

When travelling to new locations for sports it’s important to be open to doing some exploring off the kite board, try new things in a new place, especially if you have non kite boarders with you. It’s a shame to travel somewhere and miss out on the opportunities for exploration because you spent the entire day waiting for the wind. Jamaica can be positioned as a destination for kiters and their families, allowing riders the opportunity to enjoy the water, but also enjoy activities and tours when they’re off the water. If you’re

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in Trelawny (Jamaica’s kite boarding base camp), then you must check out Bounty Bay/ Burwood Beach. Whether you’re learning or you’re a seasoned pro, this spot is ideal for kiting. Burwood Beach is home to a small shop that sells basic drinks and snacks and just up the beach in the opposite direction pass the old lifeguard stand, is a cook shop that has a very reasonably priced daily lunch. If there’s no wind, I suggest doing a River Rapids adventure tour through Braco Stables. It’s fun and exciting for all ages and best of all, requires no wind. Just a short drive from Burwood Beach, there are numerous adventure activities to choose from, offered by Braco Adventure Tours. The alternatives aren’t too shabby either: lying on the beach and relaxing with your friends and family or walking up the beach to one of the all-inclusive hotels for some jet skiing, parasailing or snorkelling.

Sports tourism is huge, and continues to grow worldwide. International events, such as world cups, the Olympics, tennis opens, Formula 1 Grand Prix, golf tournaments and more, all fall under this golden umbrella of travel. This type of travel, whether it is to participate or simply to watch, has been increasing worldwide as thrifty travellers try to get the most ‘bang for their buck’ from their travel experiences. Sports tourism is a fast-growing sector and is estimated to earn about US$600 billion annually, globally.

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While the number of sports tourists fluctuates on an annual basis depending on the events taking place, on average an estimated 12 million international trips are made for the main purpose of watching a sporting event. Most recently, this year’s CPLT20 event crammed Sabina Park to a capacity reminiscent of the 2007 Cricket World Cup, which generated an additional 100,000 visitors to Jamaica, who came specifically for the tournament.

There is certainly no degree of rocket

science required to understand that Caribbean islands, Jamaica more relevantly, are potential gold mines for fresh new sports tourism like kite boarding.

There are many beautiful kite boarding spots throughout the Caribbean, but Jamaica offers potential sports tourists a comprehensive experience, including a rich culture, much natural beauty beside beautiful beaches, and a wide variety of sporting and tour activities unique to our island. Jamrock needs only to make use of this new ‘wind’ in our country’s ‘sails’

and capitalise on this viable opportunity.

Other islands have become havens for kite boarders and surfers from all parts of the globe – why not us? Sport is an indispensable instrument in the development of Jamaica and I, myself a kite boarder, returning resident and entrepreneur, propose the creation of a workable model aimed at establishing a greater synergy between sport and tourism in the Caribbean and, most important, here in Jamaica. Let’s prepare to lift our sails and move with the winds.

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amaica, like most other countries around the world, is arguably faced with a housing crisis. Why do I say this? Well, over recent decades it has become clear that the demand for housing in Jamaica way outstrips the supply. Added to this is a considerable increase in squatting, particularly within and around the nation’s major urban centres. Crude estimates indicate that approximately 30 per cent of Jamaica’s population lives in squatter settlements and that the number is growing. A number of these squatting communities are located in hazard-prone areas, characterised by substandard housing and are usually cut off from access to basic services and amenities, such as water and electricity.

Jamaica’s housing problem has been fuelled by a number of contributing factors.

Key among these factors include high or inflated land and housing prices, the chronic depreciation in the value of the Jamaican dollar and the inability of both public and private-sector developers to increase the island’s housing stock amidst the country’s growing population.

The housing crisis in Jamaica has persisted for several decades despite numerous efforts by successive governments to arrest the problem, including the direct provision of large-scale housing solutions in the 1950s and 1960s (as seen in the case of social-housing projects such as Trench Town and Tivoli), regularisation programmes such as Operation PRIDE and a range of present-day joint-venture and land-titling schemes. Over the years, most of these state-led initiatives have focused on providing low-income housing solutions ranging from the construction of one and two-bedroom units to the provision of service lots.

The Housing Agency of Jamaica (HAJ) and the National Housing Trust (NHT) are the two main state-implementing agencies. The HAJ has been particularly instrumental in the Government’s drive to regularise existing squatter communities across the island while the NHT has played a significant role in increasing and enhancing the stock of available housing in Jamaica, as well as providing financial assistance to its contributors. Currently, the NHT dominates the local real estate market, both in terms of houses being built and mortgages issued. Yet still, there is a major shortage in the formal housing stock. The most recent official national housing needs assessment made the inference that Jamaica needed to provide 15,000 new housing units and upgrade 9,700 units yearly to ensure that the housing stock keeps pace with population growth. However, current trends indicate that Jamaica is nowhere near to achieving these targets. Instead, data furnished by the NHT suggest that only between 20 and 25 per cent of low-income housing needs in Jamaica are currently being satisfied compared with approximately 45 per cent within the middle-income category.

While the problem exists islandwide, the housing situation is particularly pronounced within the Kingston Metropolitan Area (KMA). The population of the KMA alone stands at 584,627 people, representing just over one-fifth of Jamaica’s total population.

Currently, the housing market within the KMA is best described as saturated and has had a spillover effect on the neighbouring parishes of St Catherine and Clarendon.

Most of the new housing developments are taking place outside of the KMA in places like Old Harbour (eg New Harbour), Spanish Town (eg Angels Estate), Portmore (eg Caribbean Estate) and stretching as far as May Pen and surrounding environs (eg Ashley Hall). In fact, based on the 2011 Population and Housing Census, between 2001 and 2011, St Catherine was the fastest-growing parish in Jamaica – growing by 7 per cent at an annual rate of 0.72 per cent, doubling the national rate of 0.36 per cent. No doubt this expansion is linked to the phenomenal growth of urban centres such as Portmore and Old Harbour. In the case of Portmore, its population now stands at 182,153 – surpassing that of the parish capital, Spanish Town.

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THE REAL STATE OF

REAL ESTATE in JAMAICA

By Dr. Kevon Rhiney Photography: Tricia Bent

Kristen Landell

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As for developments within the KMA itself, we have seen a growing trend in the construction of high-density developments and townhomes. For the most part, this has resulted in the conversion of single-family detached units into either high-rise apartments or townhouse complexes, most of which tend to be gated communities targeting middle and upper-income homebuyers.

This has also had the undesirable effect of inflating land/house prices in established communities, as townhouse developers dominate the market. Currently, prices for residential lots in Kingston are extremely high, making it almost impossible for the majority of prospective homebuyers to afford. A one-acre residential lot in fairly established areas like Stony Hill or Red Hills could easily cost between J$12 and 15 million. In the case of upscale neighbourhoods situated

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within Kingston’s ‘Golden Triangle’, a similar acre of land could easily go for about US$1 million. A two-bedroom apartment in an established community like Mona or Hope Pastures could range anywhere from J$10 to 15 million, while a one-bedroom flat or studio could easily go for J$6 million.

Though the housing sector has been hit hard by the recent

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global recession, there are still exciting times ahead for Jamaica’s real estate market, evident by the lowering of mortgage interest rates by several key players in the industry and the opening up of new areas for housing development such as Caymanas and along the north coast. Currently, the Caymanas designated area comprises 10,703 acres of land, of which, approximately 46 per cent has been earmarked by the Urban De-

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velopment Corporation (UDC) for various types of developments, including mixedincome group residential solutions, light industrial, commercial, institutional and recreational uses. The north coast also offers some tremendous opportunities for potential investors interested in tapping into the luxury market as well as the hospitality industry.

At the same time, the industry is very fragile and is still susceptible to a market downturn. One clear risk factor for the industry pertains to the recently announced government tax measures that could easily see the customary property transfer fees and duties amounting to as much as 15 per cent of final sale prices.

These tax measures run the risk of slowing down activities in the industry and could negatively affect investor confidence over the short and medium term. There are countless other challenges industry players have been contending with, including fear of a further slide in the value of the

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Jamaican dollar, which could severely impact the construction industry given its relatively high dependence on imported material. In addition to these industry or supply-side challenges is the vast majority of Jamaicans who are struggling to gain access to adequate and affordable housing solutions. A significant number of the population live below the poverty line and can only dream of holding the keys to their own homes.

If Jamaica is to achieve the goals set out in its Vision 2030 National Development Plan, including ensuring that “all Jamaican households have access to affordable and legal housing options in vibrant, inclusive, and aesthetically pleasing communities�, then urgent steps are needed to arrest the country’s housing crisis. A large part of this thrust must include empowering the poor and marginalised and integrating them into the wider society through job creation and the provision of affordable housing, recreation and sport-

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ing facilities, and other basic services. Further improvement of legislation pertaining to land titling and mortgage financing for the poor is absolutely necessary to enable low-income families to access housing loans from the NHT or other mortgage-financing institutions and building societies. The forging of strategic public-private sector partnerships could go a long way in providing affordable housing solutions to a wider cross section of the Jamaican society. There are also numerous opportunities for improving the sector’s competitiveness and efficiency, including the availability of new building technologies such as Quad-Lock building systems that could significantly reduce building costs in the near future.

These are just a few practical solutions to the current housing crisis, as there are many examples inside and outside of the Caribbean where governments and private-sector interests are already exploring innovative and cost-effective ways of addressing longstanding housing problems. However, at the end of the day, if these initiatives are to have any real and sustained impact at the national level, they cannot be divorced from the wider social, economic, environmental, cultural and political context in which they will be situated. Simply put, the root cause of Jamaica’s housing problem is essentially one of uneven development. Therefore, while it is without question that future housing solutions have to be affordable, environmentally sound and culturally acceptable, these solutions also have to be equitable and inclusive if they are to have a lasting and meaningful impact.

Kevon Rhiney is a social geographer by training and lectures a course in urban and regional planning at the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus.

ADVT

If beauty and tranquility are what you seek, look no further than Richmond, St Ann, where gently sloping hills and postcard-worthy views surround. Richmond, St Ann, is the preferred place to reside and/or invest with many options for discerning buyers. One community that has many talking is Fern Court Apartments.

Luxurious does not even begin to describe this two-bedroom, two-bathroom spacious new habitat, designed and constructed by the award-winning team of Richmond Development Company Limited, which has masterminded such successful projects as The Palms, a project which received international recognition for its outstanding development scheme.

Inspired by the lushness of the world-famous Fern Gully, where over 200 species of ferns thrive, Fern Court Apartments is the epitome of everything that is right about the ‘garden parish’. Designed with comfort and style in mind, it is a new community of 122 units presently under construction in three phases, with the first phase set to be completed within the first quarter of 2014.

The interior design compares to something out of a swanky décor magazine. The spacious kitchen, considered everybody’s favourite room, measures 11x8 feet, while the living room is airy and bright with a dimension of 12x14 feet.

Though all rooms are sizeable, it is the master bedroom that is a true sanctuary with a whopping 14x14 feet of opulence with two reach-in closets and an adjoining spacious bathroom. Additional features include a huge patio, a dining room, a second bedroom with bathroom, laundry and broom closets. The apartment is prepared for air conditioning and all rooms are wired for cable and Internet.

The development further provides underground utility wiring, preserving the aesthetics of the property’s natural picturesque views.

The exterior of the apartments is equally pleasing to the eyes, as greenery and green living are important to the developers in their bid to have as few footprints on nature as possible. Landscaped and visually stunning, the gated community will boast such amenities as gazebos, a swimming pool, a tennis court and access to the private beach club.

Anyone keen on quality real estate will recognise a great Like the name of the flora it bears, Fern Court Apartments captures investment upon inspection. the beauty and richness of Richmond, as intended by the developer’s Fern Court is no exception, CEO Lee Issa. as its model unit, which is available for viewing, proves. And what will buyers get for their With the Fern Court Apartments, Richmond Development Company money? Premium styling, space, accents and amenities for an has been able to successfully pair luxury with affordability. affordable price. Starting at J$15 Million, Fern Court Apartments are constructed in blocks comprised of both three floors (6 units) and two floors (4 units), with each apartment boasting 1,100 square feet of elegance.

Travel

A Treasure in Treasure Beach

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Seaweed

Villa villa

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By Joni Wedderburn

Photography: Jeremy Francis

ravelers yearning for an unfiltered, raw Jamaican experience are flocking in droves to an unlikely tourist spot in the generally quiet village of Treasure Beach, St Elizabeth. Magnetised by the rugged south coast’s rustic charm, laid-bare beauty and easygoing personality, visitors are drawn deep into the island’s agricultural belt to flirt with its enticing culinary, literary and cultural offerings. This small community, shrouded by spectacular views of the turquoise-shaded Caribbean Sea and the lush, green Santa Cruz Mountains, has fully taken on the epic task of modifying its reputation from sleepy town to a chic, sustainable haunt.

“We are committed to community tourism and responsible travel,” shares Jason Henzell, owner of Jake’s. “Is it good for locals?

Is it good for tourism? Once it ticks those two boxes then it’s a go,” he explains.

Tucked away on the Great Pedro Bluff, Jamaica’s southern-most point, is Seaweed – no, not the icky water algae, but a fab four-bedroom villa and two-bedroom cottage, idyllically positioned to enjoy panoramic views of the surrounding landscape.

Seaweed is the perfect embodiment of the Treasure Beach spirit: proudly Jamaican, passionate about land and sea. The property is a fitting reflection of the community’s strong farming and fishing legacy coupled with its new identity as a much sought-after tourist destination.

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At its core, Seaweed is unquestionably Jamaican: Jamaican owned by a couple eager to grab their chunk of The Rock’s southern shoreline; Jamaican made by a strong architectural and construction team assembled with Jamaican workers; Jamaican decorated by Kingston’s Island Art and Framing, enthusiastic advocates of local furnishes and artwork, and Jamaican managed by the good folks at Jake’s, proven masters at overseeing guesthouses. After a year of toiling, building and decorating, Seaweed emerged and happily took its place amongst the many colourful homes dotting Old Wharf.

joining sea, in its never-ending quest to move further on to the coast, provides an amazing soundtrack with an imposing playlist of waves crashing on to the shore and the soothing melody of water quietly ebbing and flowing along the bordering beach. In this home, the incredible beauty and power of nature is on full display.

In the kitchen, cabinets made of dark guango wood

“Seaweed’s style was very much organically motivated and made to blend with the natural and physical environment,” says Architect Jeremy Millingen. “We used reclaimed wood and incorporated local materials as much as possible to create a mood and contextual vibe for the villa,” he notes.

At its root, Seaweed is undoubtedly connected with the environment; it is, after all, a child of Jamaica, land of wood and water. Nature plays a key role in the home’s design and the nautical theme, paying homage to Treasure Beach’s fishermen, is also a ubiquitous feature throughout the villa. With its heavy use of large French doors, Seaweed blurs the usually distinct line demarcating indoors from out, offering clear sight lines and limiting the physical barrier between the two spaces. The ad-

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look and feel like the bark of its original grand evergreen tree, down to the surface of the eat-in counter while pieces similar in appearance to thick tree branches are used to craft bar stools. Overlooking the steel-floated concrete countertop is a fun backsplash created with an assortment of small, smooth, beige and grey river stones.

The dominance of the property’s waterfront is symbolised through the extensive use of turquoise paint around this room and throughout the house. The natural, textured appearance of the kitchen’s cabinets, countertops and stools set against its sleek, stainless steel subzero fridge and Viking stove, make for a visually stunning contrast.

In the open concept living and dining room, an eye-catching mosaic of lignum vitae wood chunks, grey river stones and, interestingly, blue hemp beer bottles, drapes one of the walls, highlighting the versatility of wood as an accent piece. Across the room, a striking dark wood standing shelf, creatively carved in the shape of a fishing canoe with oars, showcases family photos and ornaments. Not to be outdone, the sea also commands a strong presence in this space.

Turquoise cushions, candles and plant holders, a silver octopus trinket and vases filled with sand and shells, all embody the encircling marine environment. A whimsical painting of St Bess’ famous Pelican Bar rising above tranquil waters and reaching up to the clear blue sky, offers a fitting reminder of Treasure Beach’s influence on the villa’s décor. The room’s striking, sea-themed design pieces and its rich wood furnishings solidify nature’s supreme reign in the home.

Just off the dining room, a bold staircase made of reclaimed wood taken from old railway tracks not only connects the downstairs area to the master bedroom, but is a statement piece itself. In the master

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suite, a large bed is framed with a beautiful guango wood headboard while its low-lying base elevates its soft padded mattress and fluffy white pillows, offering an immensely cozy retreat. On the balcony, an elegant bathtub sits on a raised bed of river stones, providing guests with the alluring option to shower out in the open, possibly giving a slightly risqué show to fishermen jetting by. In this space, however, water is undoubtedly the best asset, with jaw-dropping views of the vast, glistening sea rolling along the outstretched coastline.

The suite’s clever use of wood and the creative manner the natural scenery has been integrated into the design, make it a truly captivating and memorable space.

Just off the living room, the large verandah floors are skillfully lined with planks of light wood while above, the roof is covered with sticks of pine wood carefully arranged to create a uniform design. In the villa’s backyard, crystal-clear water from the infinity pool, bordered by a now familiar pattern of grey and white river stones, continually flows into a smaller pool on a lower level. Across the well-manicured lawn, hot water bubbles around a rectangular Jacuzzi, which is flanked by a sunken fire pit, a rare feature for any tropical house. With a home standing atop a sand dune and towering above a small beach, water is truly on show, with expansive, 180-degree views of the breathtaking Caribbean Sea. Wood still plays a prevalent role in this setting, forming the property’s expansive boardwalk while its accompanying railing is made of textured wood, creatively intertwined to attractively frame the space without obstructing the inflow of cool breeze.

Outdoors, the focus on water complemented by the heavy use of wood, highlights the dominance of nature both inside and out at this majestic villa.

Seaweed’s heart is wrapped in its love for the environment: the villa’s décor extensively uses local, natural materials and the home is outfitted with eco-friendly devices, including solar water heaters and energy-efficient ACs, reflecting its commitment to environmental preservation. Seaweed’s soul is consumed by the Treasure Beach experience: the property’s furnishes are influenced by the surrounding community and guests are encouraged to really soak up the neighbourhood by exploring the area with kayaks, snorkeling gear and mountain bikes. Ultimately, Seaweed is a product of an enduring love of Jamaica and a deep fascination with the island’s stunning, natural beauty.

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Travel

THe Home of a Nation Builder

24 Tuck 88

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er Ave.

By Samira Bowden

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estled at the foot of Beverley Hills, the property at 24 Tucker Avenue was purchased by Alexander Bustamante in 1939, the year in which World War II began. Britain had announced that she was at war with Germany, and Jamaica, as a British colony was not exempt from the effects of the war. The island experienced increased economic pressure, shortages, unemployment and poverty.

Bustamante emerged during this period of desperation as a champion for the needs of the poor, aiding workers in their protests against low wages and poor working conditions.

Amidst this struggle for worker rights, Bustamante allegedly delivered a speech, which inflamed and incited the workers to further protest.

On September 8, 1940, the Governor of Jamaica Sir Arthur Richards, put Bustamante in detention at Up Park Camp “with a view to preventing him from acting in any manner prejudicial to public safety” (quote by Governor Richards). While in detention in the camp, Bustamante told his lawyers to have a house constructed on his land. Miss Gladys Longbridge, who was Bustamante’s secretary at the time, had the responsibility to oversee the process. Seventeen months later, Bustamante was released from detention. In the years that followed, 24 Tucker Avenue would become the site of some of Jamaica’s most significant historical occurrences.

Bustamante’s property on Tucker Avenue was formerly a part of 59 lots and known as Tankerville. This land was previously owned by Mr A. M. Tucker. The home was located at the corner of Tucker and Goodwill avenues and situated on half an acre. The house was built in a style typical of the period, perhaps considered modest by today’s standards, but quite ample and well proportioned for its time. The three-bedroom, two-bathroom residence with combined hipand-gable end and timber-shingle roof is flanked by a large, triple-arched verandah and features louvre windows throughout, with the exception of the pivoted sash windows of the bathrooms.

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The living and dining rooms are hung with beautiful chandeliers, and the walls of the master bedroom are coated with yellow and green floral wallpaper. The flooring in sections of the house, such as the verandah, consists of red and white tiles manufactured by the Gore Brothers, while other areas boast wooden floors.

Within proximity of the breakfast porch are the maid’s quarters and at the rear of the building is the chauffeur’s quarters.

There are two large garages.

Bustamante, who had an avid interest in health and nutrition and worked as a dietician at the New York Hospital for Joint Diseases, planted in his garden cherry, pomegranate and Julie mango trees. He had left Jamaica in his 20s and had travelled back and forth between Cuba, Panama, Jamaica, the Unit-

ed States and Spain. There are many legends about his early life outside of Jamaica, but according to Bustamante in a letter to the editor of The Jamaica Gleaner dated July 3, 1935, ‘At a very tender age, Spain became my home. I served in the Spanish Army as a Cavalry officer in Morocco, Northern Africa.” He returned to his homeland to stay, at the age of 50, a businessman and writer who published editorials consistently, invested in stocks and operated a money-lending business on Duke Street.

Bustamante was a flamboyant, unorthodox and interesting character,

who could easily be spotted in a crowd.

He was six feet tall with wild white hair and bushy eyebrows. Fred Wilmot, editor of the Socialist-leaning newspaper, Public Opinion, recalls visiting ‘Busta’, as he was affectionately known, at his retreat home in St Thomas when a large rat scampered out of the bush and crossed Busta’s path.

Bustamante instantly whipped out his pistol from his hip and shot the rodent. He then chuckled and remarked to the astonished Wilmot, ‘But I don’t shoot Socialists.’

Stories abound of Bustamante’s humorous and witty personality. Former Prime Minister Edward Seaga recounts arriving one Saturday at the Tucker Avenue home and finding the ‘Chief’, as Bustamante was also called, reading the newspaper and laughing at the fact that the minister of home affairs, William ‘Commodore’ Seivright, stated that one trained police dog was equal to six policemen. Afterwards, still chuckling while speaking on the telephone, he was heard saying ‘Commodore, I have been attacked. Please send me a dog to take a statement.”

Alexander Bustamante had a special place in his heart for women and children, but although he was married three times, he had no children of his own. There are stories of him handing out sweets and money to children and playing football with them in the neighbourhood. His neighbours around Tucker Avenue included well-known jazz pianist, Monty Alexander and Violet Wattley, who became Lady Bustamante’s maid of honour.

Bustamante’s time living at Tucker Avenue marked some of the most important years in his political life and the Bustamante home was the scene of many significant events; history was made at this address. While in residence there, Bustamante was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1955, the same year the Jamaica Labour Party lost their first election since Universal Adult Suffrage and Bustamante became leader of the opposition.

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to independence, Bustamante had shown Rev McGhie proposed designs of the Jamaican flag in the colours of green, black, and gold. The reverend commented that as Jamaica was a Christian country, the flag should contain a cross to reflect the fact. He then proceeded to sketch a Scottish flag, but with green, gold and black replacing the Scottish colours. Sir Alexander agreed on the design.

The national anthem was composed, in part, on Lady Bustamante’s piano at Tucker Avenue. She was a talented musician and played a variety of instruments, including the organ. The anthem was the creative work of the Rev Hugh Sherlock, Robert Lightbourne, Mapletoft Poulle and Mrs Poulle (now Mrs Raymond Lindo). Later in the year of Jamaica’s independence, Sir Alexander Bustamante married Lady Bustamante (then Miss Gladys Longbridge) at an informal wedding reception held on the lawns of 24 Tucker Avenue.

General Election was held in April 1962 and Sir Alexander became Jamaica’s first prime minister. On August 6, 1962, while Sir Alexander and Lady Bustamante, ‘Lady B’ as she was affectionately called, were still in residence at Tucker Avenue, Jamaica became an independent nation, a major milestone in its history. While deciding on national symbols, Bustamante shocked and outraged his peers by opting for a design of the Jamaican flag that had none of the colours of the Union Jack. Scotsman John McGhie recalls a story about the design of the flag.

His father, Rev William McGhie, a Scottish missionary to Jamaica, became one of Sir Alexander’s chaplains. Prior

Sir Alexander Bustamante continued to occupy the house at Tucker Avenue while he was prime minister. Norman Manley, leader of the People’s National Party and Bustamante’s cousin, had agreed to use Vale Royal for the prime minister’s residence. However, Sir Alexander declared that it was too small and did not compare with his private Tucker Avenue residence of ‘five big rooms’. The Tucker Avenue home was still kept and maintained even when Sir Bustamante and Lady B relocated to Jamaica House and later moved to Bellencita, Irish Town, in the hills of St Andrew in 1967.

During this period, Sir Alexander Bustamante and Lady Bustamante, who were fond of the property that had been the site of so many historical events, would occupy the house from time to time.

In 1989, during the administration of Prime Minister Michael Manley, Lady B sold the house at 24 Tucker Avenue to the Government of Jamaica. It is vested in the Jamaica National Heritage Trust and

Sir Arthur Williams

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Bustamante’s letter to the editor of The Jamaica Gleaner dated July 3, 1935 92

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is leased to the Bustamante Foundation as the Bustamante Museum.

It presently features an exhibition on the life and times of Sir Alexander and Lady Bustamante and attracts visitors, both local and overseas, including students from primary to tertiary-educational institutions. Recently, a visiting professor referred to the museum as “A national treasure deserving of national support.” As a building which can be seen as the ‘home’ of some of our nation’s most defining moments, I tend to agree.

Sources:

-The Bustamante Museum -Bustamante Notes Quotes Anecdotes by Ken Jones -The Jamaica Gleaner -Alexander Bustamante and Modern Jamaica by George E. Eaton

Photo Credits:

Maria LaYacona J. S. Tyndale - Biscoe National Library of Jamaica

Sir Alexander Bustamante and Princess Margaret at the National Stadium opened for Independence in 1962.

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Travel

A Traveler’s Dream

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By Andrea Bickhoff-Benjamin Photography: Danielle Da Silva

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olourful, mysterious and exotic’ are but a few descriptions that readily come to my mind when reminiscing on my travels in India, befitting every village, town and city I have visited.

I commenced my journey in India’s south, travelling by bus along country roads through villages and towns, which brought back memories of the days when I first travelled in similar fashion through rural Jamaica in the early 1980s.

Small shops and sheds line the roadsides where fruit vendors sell sugar cane, coconuts and bananas which are grown in abundance. Cows and bulls, many of them decorated with flower garlands and colourfully painted horns, roam freely, peacefully, while groups of monkeys shriek, demanding attention. Women in colourful saris share shy smiles, while children wave as the bus passes.

From Chennai (Madras) on the south-eastern coast in the state of Tamil Nadu, to the ancient shore temples of Mamallapuram, the former French colony of Pondicherry and the nearby Auroville, home of the Matrimandir, a golden metallic sphere used as a meditation centre, there are countless sites of beauty and wonder.

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I found Auroville particularly interesting, as it is an experimental township founded as a ‘universal town’ where people are welcome to work and live in progressive harmony, above all creeds, all politics and all nationalities to realise ‘human unity’.

My first impression of Indian cities was the proverbial ‘assault on the senses’. None of my previous travels prepared me for the multitude of people, the noise level created by cars, buses, tuk-tuks, scooters, rickshaws, ox carts, cows, dogs, camels and elephants, the mixture of scents - exhaust fumes mixed with sweat, incense, excrement, the aroma of spices, fragrance from flower garlands used as offerings at small street temples, the dust and a jumble of movement - all are confusing and at the same time exhilarating.

I left the south via domestic airline to Mumbai (Bombay), India’s financial and commercial capital and its most populated city with over 20 million people. A ‘mega city’, Mumbai is overwhelming, especially when one comes from a city the size of Kingston, Jamaica. After spending a mere 24 hours, I was glad to move on to Kayavarohan, a small village in the state of Gujarat, where I visited the beautiful Brameshwar Shiva

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temple and its underground meditation cave and spent a night at the local ashram.

From there, my journey continued on to Delhi, the metropolitan region that includes New Delhi, India’s capital city, where wide boulevards and imposing buildings bring to mind images of the British Raj. Old Delhi is home to numerous amazing World Heritage Sites, among them the Qutub Minar, the world’s tallest free-standing brick tower (238 ft) built around 1202; the Red Fort, a majestic complex of 44 imposing heritage structures, including the Royal Palace, Shah Mahal, built in 1638-48. Emperor Humayun’s Tomb, built in 1569, is a fusion of Indo-Islamic architecture with Persian elements, once the largest and most expensive building of its time in India.

Chandni Chowk, a 17th century bazaar comprised of a web of narrow alleys with shops, silver and jewellery merchants, spice markets, food and chai stalls, is a unique experience, as is travelling through the bazaar on a bicycle rickshaw.

In New Delhi, I enjoyed the imposing Swaminarayan Akshardhan, the largest Hindu Temple in the world, opened to the public in 2005 and a site of exceptional beauty. It displays millennia of traditional Hindu and Indian culture, spirituality and architecture. Other sites that should not be missed include the Raj Ghat, a memorial to Mahatma Gandhi (also the site of Gandhi’s cremation in 1948); the Jama Masjid, India’s largest mosque, and the Lotus Temple of the Baha’i.

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While so much about India was alien to me, coming as I was, from Jamaica, my trip halfway across the world has again proven the sheer scope of Jamaica’s global influence. Even in India my experience was enhanced by a few ‘buck-ups’ of Jamaican

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culture. A high point while in Delhi was my attendance, as a VIP guest, at Sean Paul’s show at a prestigious New Delhi club.

It was remarkable to witness the response of young Indians to Sean’s dancehall music. His wide- reaching popularity came

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to mind again when, at lunch with Jamaican and Indian friends in a Bangalore restaurant called ‘Soul’ weeks later, we were ‘jamming’ to ‘Get Busy’, blaring from a sound system. As we sang along, happy to unexpectedly hear rhythms from home, we were further surprised when an elderly man stopped at our table, asking if we are from Jamaica. He turned ou to be the owner of ‘Soul’ and had just returned from Kingston, where his daughter and son-in-law had opened an Indian restaurant at Orchid Village called ‘Tamarind’. All we could think was, “Jamaica to the World”!

After exciting days in Delhi, I continued my journey to Agra, home of the ‘greatest monument to love’, the Taj Mahal. Built

by Emperor Shah Jahan as a mausoleum to his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal, it is said to have taken 22 years (1630–1652) of labour and 20,000 workers and artisans.

Entirely built from white marble that appears to be translucent at certain times of the day, no photograph prepared me for the emotional experience at the first sight of the exquisite, extraordinary beauty of this monument. Magnificently inlaid with precious and semi-precious gemstones, including sapphire, emerald, ruby, lapis lazuli and jade, stylised in almost geometric vines, flowers and fruits covering the entire exterior and interior surface of the mausoleum, words simply fail to do justice - I was left in awe of what the human spirit and craftsmanship is able to achieve.

Although Agra is best known for the Taj Mahal, it is home to two additional World Heritage Sites, the Agra Fort, built in 1565 from red sandstone and inlaid with white marble, and the Fatehpūr Sikrī, another imposing fortress.

I recommend a visit to one of the small factories to observe the process of the pietra dura, an inlay technique using cut and fitted, highly polished gemstones to create images, as applied at the Taj Mahal.

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Jaipur, the ‘Pink City’ of Rajasthan, a popular tourist destination with population of around 4 million, was my next stop. I would advise to reserve at least two days to visit the sites, such as the magnificent Amber Fort, a treasure trove of beautiful architecture and opulence. Here, I fulfilled a life-long wish: riding an elephant! It was an exhilarating experience, sitting atop this awe-inspiring animal, being gently rocked uphill and through the imposing ‘Sun Gate’ into the fort’s main courtyard.

The ‘Palace of the Winds’ or Hawa Mahal is part of the City Palace where, formerly royal princesses would watch the street below through fabulous jali, lattice screens, which hid them from prying male eyes. From here I, too, watched the snake charmers and street vendors. The Jantar Mantar, an astronomical observatory and World Heritage Site built between 1727 and 1734, is also well worth a visit.

It is well known that India is a ‘shopper’s paradise’ and Jaipur certainly lives up to this expectation. It provides excellent shopping for silks and high-quality cottons, traditional block prints, opulent gold and silver jewellery, gemstones, miniature paintings and leather ware, among others.

The five-hour drive to Jodphur, travelling through rural areas and villages, provided me with an opportunity to see Rajasthani women and men in traditional attire. Women are lavishly bedecked in colourful skirts and tops with veils drawn over the face when strangers approach, arms covered with bangles, the men wearing turbans, kurtas (shirt) and payamas or dhoti (long or short-wrapped pants). The homes in this region are humble, but colourfully painted and chai (tea) stalls are ever present. I am no stranger to animals walking the roadways as this is a common sight in Jamaica, but seeing herds of camels along the roadways in India was special.

Jodhpur, the ‘Blue City’, on the edge of the Thar Desert, is a haven of tranquility. The view towards the captivating Mehrangarh Fort, situated approximately 400 feet above sea level and one of the largest fortresses in Rajasthan, is breathtaking. So is the view

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over the city’s houses which are predominantly painted blue, to the Umaid Bhawan Palace, the residence of the present Maharaja, Gaj Singh II. A part of the palace is operated as a luxury hotel and the museum attached to the palace provides the visitor with interesting insights into the recent history of the Maharajahs of Jodhpur.

Enroute from Jodhpur to Udaipur, the ‘City of Lakes’ also called the Venice of the East, I visited the Ranakpur Temple, said to be the most spectacular of the Jain temples. Built from light grey marble, it occupies an area of approximately 40,000 square feet. With its distinctive domes, turrets and cupolas, it rises majestically from the slope of a hill. Over 1,444 marble pillars, each one differently carved in exquisite detail, support the temple.

My last destination in Rajasthan was Udaipur, a fascinating city with five surrounding lakes and an average elevation of close to 2,000 feet. It is home to five palaces dating back to 1559.

Built on Lake Pichola, the beautiful City Palace, a masterpiece of Rahasthani and Mughal architecture, provides a panoramic view of the lake palaces -the Lake Palace, of white marble and operated as a luxury five-star hotel; the Jag Mandir, or Lake Garden Palace, a serene garden courtyard and restaurant accessible by boat and the Monsoon Palace, perched high atop a hill; although fallen into disrepair, it provides breathtaking views of the lakes, the city and the beautiful surrounding countryside.

Udaipur boasts museums, havelis and craft markets and is a famous backdrop for numerous Hollywood and Bollywood movies.

A kaleidoscope of colours soaked in history and buzzing with energy, Rajasthan is, arguably, the most extraordinary state in India. Its culture, customs, music, landscapes, and cuisine all blend into a captivating experience.

No travel report of India would be complete without mention of its wonderful cuisine laced with flavours of aromatic spices and herbs, such as chilli peppers, cardamom, cumin, turmeric, ginger, coriander, garlic, curry leaves, saffron, nutmeg, mint leaves, rose petal and many more.

Indian cuisine reflects a 5,000-year history of various cultures interacting with each other, as well as the influence of religion, geography and climate. Every one of its 36 regions has its distinct ingredients.

sides of one coin. My journey to India sparked a fascination with the country comparable to the way I felt about Jamaica and the Caribbean when I first arrived many years ago. I am sure of one thing: India has captivated me and I will forever be drawn to return.

For more information on India tours contact abickhoff_benjamin@yahoo.com

Jamaica and India are truly worlds apart, like night and day in many respects, and yet so similar in others. Both are a paradox of extremes - breathtaking beauty, wealth and poverty - two

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Travel

SANDALS’ INVESTMENT MAKING THE WORLD SIT UP

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Back in November 2012, Adam Stewart, CEO of Sandals Resorts International told media that the company was poised for a year of excellence in 2013.

He was not kidding.

The resort chain has had one of its most successful years - filled with expansions, renovations and, of course, exciting new additions to their award-winning chain of luxurious resorts.

The first sign of what was to be came when the company announced its expansion into Grenada for the first time with the December 2013 opening of a brand new Sandals Resort – Sandals LaSource Grenada.

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Representing a personal dream come true for Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart, the company’s chairman, the move into Grenada was met with excitement and the determination to make this latest resort one that would have the industry buzzing.

Of the decision to take the brand to Grenada, Stewart said, “Bringing Sandals to the beautiful island of Grenada is a ‘dream come true’. I fell in love with the island and its people many years ago and have been waiting for over a decade for the right opportunity to present itself.

When it finally did, it was as sweet a moment as I could have hoped for!”

It didn’t take long for the industry to be wowed by Sandals LaSource and soon after guests, too, were excitedly counting down to the resort’s opening with the company reporting record-breaking pre-opening sales.

Describing the resort as ‘the Sandals of Tomorrow’, CEO Adam Stewart

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remarked, “Sandals LaSource Grenada is without question the most innovative project in our company’s history and the resort is the pinnacle of engineering and design, which will set new standards of hospitality. No expense has been spared, no stone unturned as we work to create the perfect resort. Lush natural gardens, stunning beaches and the genuine warmth of the Grenadian people merged with a luxurious property, and the greatest amenities make a spectacular combination that will cause people to stop and take notice the world over.”

Which begs the question: ‘What makes Sandals LaSource so special?’ The much-anticipated property enjoys pride of place on the island’s revered Pink Gin Beach. It includes 225 rooms and suites across three distinct villages: 1.

The Pink Gin Village - Comprised of two blocks of exquisitely refurbished rooms with custom-built furniture, elegant Turkish marble

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floors and lavish amenities, one block boasts 70 oceanfront rooms, including walk-out rooms, while the second block includes 30 luxurious junior suites. The bathrooms are modern and exposed with transitioning wall art to customise privacy. The Pink Gin Village will provide, among other features, easy access to the resort’s gorgeous stretch of white sand beach, a zero-entry infinity pool, an expanded and renovated lobby with the usual facilities, as well as the resort’s Red Lane® Spa with nine treatment rooms. For their entertainment, guests will be able to enjoy the multi-purpose ‘Living Room’, an outdoor open-air hangout featuring a piano bar, billiard, table tennis and other leisure activities.

2. The Italian Village - Perched on a cliff with a breathtaking view of the resort including the Pink Gin Beach, the Italian Village consists of a new, five-storey/48 room structure with two exclusive river pools at ground level. The first three floors feature one-bedroom, split-level suites with spacious bathrooms, flat screen televisions and Japanese-style soaking tubs. The fourth and fifth floors consist of more extravagant suites with butler pantries, stand-up showers, free-standing claw-footed bathtubs and living rooms extending on to private balconies with infinity-edge plunge pools.

The South Seas Village - The exotic South Seas Village is another addition to the resort. It consists of the brand’s signature ‘Rondoval’ suites, top-tier millionaire suites, plunge pool suites as well as luxury and premium rooms. Situated on the resort’s mountainside, guests staying in the South Seas Village will be able to take advantage of the nearby pool with a thatched-roof swim-up bar. The state-of-theart millionaire suites, the highest room category, will feature private entrances, glass-tile plunge pools, indoor and outdoor showers, 65-inch TVs and more. Rondoval guests will find an indoor 61-inch round tub, indoor and outdoor showers, private pool and Jacuzzi as part of their secluded accommodation.

Seventy-five of the resort’s 225 rooms and suites will benefit from the services of personal butlers, exclusively trained to the standards of the ‘Guild of Professional English Butlers’.

Imagine not having to unpack your bags! Imagine lounging by the pool while your butler walks over to hand you a refreshing fruit sorbet, cool towels and cucumber slices!

In addition to state-of-the-art accommodations, guests will have a choice of nine global, gourmet dining options, including the chain’s first top-tier steakhouse, ‘Butch’s Chophouse’, named after the chairman himself. Other restaurants include Soy, a sushi bar; ‘Café De Paris’, a French café; ‘Spices’, serving Caribbean cuisine; ‘Le’Jardinier’, a French restaurant; and ‘Neptune’s’, a Mediterranean beach bar.

Guests dining in the South Sea Village will enjoy ‘Kimono’s’, a Japanese Teppanyaki restaurant; ‘Cucina Romana’ for Italian fare; ‘Butch’s Chophouse’ and ‘Dino’s Pizzeria’.

Sandals LaSource will also offer guests a wide array of land and water sports including, among others, day and night tennis, basketball, table tennis, beach and pool volleyball, canoeing, wakeboarding, paddle boarding,

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snorkeling and kayaking. Unlimited diving for certified scuba divers as well as beginners’ classes and PADI International Dive Certification will be available at additional costs.

Also in 2013, the company executed a multi-million dollar expansion of Beaches Turks and Caicos Resort Villages & Spa with the addition of the Key West Village, comprised of 150 luxurious suites and villas, three gourmet restaurants and private pools. The property is located on the longest stretch of beach in Grace Bay, Providenciales.

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But that wasn’t all. In November 2013, Sandals Resorts International announced that it had also entered the Barbadian market with not one, but two resorts, opening the former Couples Resort in St Lawrence Gap as a Sandals Resort and announcing plans for the construction of a brand new Beaches Resort in St Peter in 2014.

As the year drew to a close, there was still time for one final celebration- the announcement that a memorandum of understanding had been signed with the Government of Antigua to open a Beaches Resort on that island. While Sandals Resorts International has made its presence felt in the global tourism industry, by the looks of things, they’re only just warming up.

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