The Secret Caribbean

In July 2009, Sir Trevor McDonald hosted a programme called The Secret Caribbean which was shown on UK Television.

The screening of the show generated a lot of anger and controversy within the Jamaican community, due to the negative way in which Jamaica was portrayed, some of which is voiced in our forum.

Prior to watching the programme, you would be correct in assuming that Jamaica was overrun by drugs, guns and violence if you knew nothing about the island, or had never visited before.

It is not.

It is a beautiful island that shares the same social problems that many other countries face, and as such should not be held as the “Poster Boy” for all things bad, illegal and violent.  During the airing of The Secret Caribbean, there was no mention of all the successful Jamaican owned businesses that thrive and continue to thrive on the island, nor of the many tourists who return to the island year after year after year.

Image Courtesy of the Jamaica Tourist Board

The title of the programme implies that the viewer would be taken on a journey to discover natural attractions, customs and communities, which visitors to the island had never experienced before.  Sadly this was not the case.

Did you agree with the portrayal of the island?  We would like to hear your views on the dedicated thread in the forum.

Do you have your own Secrets of the Caribbean?  We would like to hear them too!  If we cannot rely on the mainstream media to tell the world about the Secrets of the Caribbean, then we should!

See you in the forum!