Dear Treasure Beach friends.

I have been following and participating in the threads concerning the sports park and Tranquility Bay, adding my voice respectfully (I hope) to the conversation, asking questions.

I haven't commented for a while because so much of what I've been reading here has been quite discouraging. The reports of the community meeting were informative but also unsettling. I am grateful to everyone who posted their meeting notes and impressions, as there was no way I could be in TB to attend the meeting in person.

The most upsetting thing that seems to be growing out of this conversation is the strong insider/outsider divide. The us vs. them feel of so many posts troubles me not only because I am clearly falling into the 'outsider' camp. This is troubling because of the potentially long-lasting damage these attitudes can do to the community.

I have been trying to twist and turn my budget so that I can afford a short trip to TB this fall. I miss JA so much and would be happy for even the briefest of visits ... except now I'm not so sure a visit would replenish me the way it always has in the past. I am feeling utterly disheartened by the comments I've read going back and forth. Clearly there are many who feel that I don't belong in TB, many who don't welcome me, and not only does that surprise me, it makes me think twice and thrice about whether I should be making any travel plans at all. Since my first visit, I have seen TB as a refuge, as a place where I have always been able to be most truly myself. The rift that seems to be widening as a result of the sports park discussion is separating me from TB, however, making me fear that the refuge I've found in the past won't be there for me any longer.

I haven't decided whether or not to cancel my plans for the fall, but I will say that I'm not feeling as enthusiastic about the idea of the trip as I normally would.

This is why I stopped posting! I am still planning to travel to TB very soon. Still Love the place and am looking forward to my trip! Hopefully I will be greeted with the same warmth I felt on my last visit to JA and TB

Love and Respect to all native TB'ers and visitors to TB who love this place with such passion!

I am sorry you feel this way Heart in JA. I can only give you my personal opinion here based on my own experiences. I believe there are a few, yes a few persons who feel and encourage this divide. But overall I most certainly feel this is my home and I am welcome here.

I will never have the same feelings as someone who has been born here and grown up here. Of course not. You would not have those feelings if you lived where I was "born and grown".

But I do think in today's world where very few persons stay in the same town they were born in for their whole lives the whole attitude of "outsiders" will just not be given much credence any more. In 2009 I believe this is more of a transient and homogeneous society than ever before. This is world-wide not just Treasure Beach. And those who persist in showing prejudice to the "outsiders" will themselves become "outsiders" or a better way to put it, an exception to the rule and not the rule.

I firmly believe if you polled every person in TB they would tell you of the benefits and drawbacks of "outsiders" being here. As they would tell you of the benefits and drawbacks which the "insiders" have brought to the community as well. In other words there are good and bad in every aspect of society.

With so many born and raised TB persons living abroad and becoming the "outsiders" in whatever community they have settled in, I believe many TB residents understand thoroughly the benefit of having a homogenized community.

Please don't let the words of a few taint your opinion of the whole. And always remember home is where the heart is and if your heart is in JA than by all means you should come home.

Again, in my opinion . . . signed The Upside Downer

Dear Heart in JA,
I would encourage you to proceed with your plans to visit because I do not expect your stay to be any less fulfilling than any in the past has been.

These animated discussions which play out in cyberspace do not usually result in the kind of animosity that would disturb your time "on the ground" in Treasure Beach.

As a visitor and not a resident to TB, I do not understand why you will feel this way.
I am sure your visit will not be any different then before.
TB like any place in the world is not all milk and honey.
Why would any of the residents of TB (local and foreign)treat you any different as before, simply because of their opinions of the Sport Park are each other.
ONE LOVE !!
Mike

This talk about the sports park has made it sound like TB is divided. I agree with Rebecca and the others who feel this is not the case. Yes there is a split about the sports park, but I believe most people really want it. The split has to do with CERTAIN ASPECTS of the park. If the developers can PROMISE the citizens of TB that they will truly respect the environment and they will truly respect all those who might be affected by the park (about noise, traffic, crime, and so forth) then I think the controversy would disappear. The developer also made a very poor choice of words in their community presentation, but I do not think these words are necessarily representative of the people of Treasure Beach. I have always felt welcomed by the residents when I visit, and I expect I will feel no different when I visit again. If anyone decides to call me an outsider, I will assume they are ignorant and not pay one bit of attention to them, but I do not think this will happen.

Dear heart in Ja. please come to TB and you will be welcome.
This Sports Park thing is some five year old and has just reach ground breaking stage, so it probable will take another five or even ten years before it becomes the predicted hazard.
On the matter of outsiders, People will say things and don't realise the impact it will have on others. We have a lot of (on yah but no bawn yah) who call themselves insiders. welcome to all if you are to willing to do what the Romans do.
We TBcians are very turned off when it comes to promises. Too many times we been hoodwinked by promises. They promise to leave the gate open until they secretly find a way to close it on us.

I live in a society where race is a big issue and even though I have lived in Britain for 40+ years and at my current address for over 18 years, I am still considered an 'outsider'. My neighbours across the road do not speak to the other 'outsiders' many of whom were born and raised here but not accepted because of the colour of their skin. My point is there is prejudice everywhere, (Treasure Beach included) and this is the reality for many Jamaicans who settle abroad.We have been called worse names than outsiders,most of which cannot be mentioned on this forum.Heart in Jamaica, I think you need to be more thick skinned and stop been so over sensitive. If been called an outsider was all we had to contend with I don't think it would even crop up in conversation.

I believe some of us are too 'thin skin' as calling someone an 'outsider' is just as you might distinguish say 'white' from 'black' or 'rich' from 'poor'. In otherwords - it is just a description and should not be taken so seriously that someone would feel alienated as wanting not to come back. It simply means you are not a TB native. However it is a fact that whether in or out or round or about - as long as you are making a positive contribution by being a decent and law-abiding citizen - then you are welcome! One Luv to all - I love our motto -
"Out of many one people" - so whatever the description - we are all one. This motto is fitting for the world as well as it is all one globalized village.

For me, I want to express my deep gratitude to the insiders, outsiders and upsidedowners who have welomed me into the community of Treasure Beach. I am currently building a house and have contributed to the local economy, fundraisers and look forward to volunteering where I am needed. I have deep respect for local customs and as best as I can, do it the way it's done in TB. The Sports Park has ignited passionate debate...but I agree with Bowl, it's not a new thing and it will take some time to evolve. Perhaps with everyone working together, the Sports Park will be a positive addition to the community and could be an example of how to grow a community thoughtfully and with good heart.
Please, keep visiting and you will be welcomed by all your friends who miss you. Love and peace to all.

Snooze, you're the best.You have expressed yourself in such a genuine manner.There is no sense of animosity or disrespect in your tone.You're just plain and simple.Keep on keeping on and I do wish you all the best when you move to TB.

Thank you all for your responses. I hear you and appreciate your taking the time to answer my post. I'm still making up my mind about September.

I can see that my post sounded as if I was giving up on TB entirely based on the negative comments coming out of the sports park discussion. That could never happen. I was (am) considering giving up on my plans to visit in the fall, not giving up on the idea of visiting ever again. I am saddened by the negativity that has come up in the sports park discussion, and I want to avoid it. I have to deal with enough stressors in my day-to-day and wouldn't relish being met with this type of stress on vacation.

I am usually working in the community when I visit, so I think the debate over the park could affect my trip. My 'vacation' is a get-away from my city life, not a time only for relaxing on the beach. When in TB, I work with people who are on both sides of the issue, so part of my concern is about possible ways the divide over the park might affect my relationships with those people in particular.

And no, I'm not so thin-skinned that I can't deal with being called an outsider (and I don't actually imagine anyone would really say that word to me). As a black woman living in the US, I've been called things plenty worse than 'outsider' ... My point was more to the angry tone that has been expressed by some. It seems to run counter to the feeling I've gotten when in TB and sensing that change is disheartening to me.

I will never be an 'insider' anywhere I go. I have moved so many times in my life, I've always been an outsider. In fact, when I'm in Jamaica most people don't guess that I'm not Jamaican even after they hear me speak, so maybe in Jamaica I'm actually less of an outsider than I am in other places.

I won't give up on TB so easily. I have made too many commitments to people in the area to walk away over the sports park debate. I just wanted to express my unhappiness over what is feeling like a growing divide.

To Heart in JA, I feel as if I can identify with you, as I am in somewhat of the same position as you are. I, too, was considering not coming to TB this fall even though I already have purchased my ticket and made my reservations for a place to stay. Like you, I also do some work in the community; because it's so different from what I do here, I don't feel like it's work. Instead I have found it rejuvenating. Like you, I know people on both sides of the sports park divide, though I have my own opinion. Most people I talk to feel similar to how I do, but I don't expect any problems from "the other side" when I visit. The truth is we ALL want what is best for TB.

I am thinking if the Webmasters had never let any controversy surface on this site, then a lot of people would have continued to think TB is a "perfect" place. I commend them for opening up the forum to controversial subjects and discussions that are not always comfortable. I don't think this means they love TB any less; I think it means they are attempting to present a more balanced picture of what has been going on behind the scenes because things like the sports park can affect all of us.

I have decided to go to TB this fall because I love it and the people so much. I really hope you decide to do that too.

Thank you for your response, "To Heart". I also commend and thank the webmasters for letting this discussion happen on the forum. I'm glad there's a place where we're able to have these kinds of conversations. Talk here shouldn't only be the fun-n-sun kind. TB is a real place with real issues.

I'll be making my decision today (because Air Jamaica's lovely $198RT fare is ending today!), and right now that decision is as much about my finances as it is about anything else.

Oh, I really hoped you booked your trip - WOW $198 is great!!! Happy Travels to TB

Wow $198 you lucky tings! I am green with envy. It is approx £600 - £800 at the moment from the UK. If it wasnt for my lovely friends in Frenchman I wouldnt be able to come at all. That reminds me must put my lottery numbers on. The weather is horrid here as well, more like winter, I think we had our 2 weeks summer in June! Cant plan anything here, everyone has been at work all week and hoped to have barbeques etc this weekend, but no chance!!!

This talk about insiders versus outsiders seems fairly difficult to support. For instance, "outsiders" are staffing the TBWG Medical Clinic this week and I have not seen one complaint raised against these people. The doctors and other medical personnel are being welcomed with open arms and we all know they will be doing much good in the community. Or what about the scholarship program. In the last four years 22 students have received valuable scholarships from an outside charity, and I have never seen anyone turn one down or have the community say they could do this without the help of Treasure Beach Foundation. So to those people who think "outsiders" should sit quietly in the background and do not have a "right" to contribute suggestions, I say you are being hypocritical. You cannot have it both ways people of Treasure Beach. Someone cannot be an insider when it comes to giving time and money but an outsider when it comes to having their opinion mean something. Think about it.

Perfectly said. No, you can't have it both ways.

So in the end, I did buy my ticket. I'll be in TB a little later than I'd planned for a shorter time than I'd hoped, but I'll be there, and that's the important thing! Thanks, again, for your comments and encouragement. I have to get busy saving up for the rest of my trip!

Heart in JA, I am very glad you chose to buy your ticket even though it's for a shorter time and a little later than you planned. I have been speaking to several people in TB and they tell me things are not slightly as "divided" as they may sound here on TB.net. If you've been keeping up with all the posts here you'll notice there is very little rah rah for the sports park any more. I don't think that means people don't want a sports park, but they are realizing that all that glitters may not be gold. Some of them probably feel pretty embarrassed to be supporting something when some of very important questions have not been answered. I know it would make me feel uncomfortable to be supporting something when the group in charge will not take the time to explain things.