Ziggy Marley Sheds Light On The Privatization Of Jamaica’s Beaches

(ReggaeVibeMedia.com) – Ziggy Marley, an eight-time Grammy Award winner and the eldest son of reggae legend Bob Marley, has charged a Sea Salt Villa on Jamaica’s North Coast with discrimination.

Marley, who recently finished filming the Bob Marley biopic for Paramount Studios on the island, claimed he tried to reserve the Sea Salt Villa at Old Fort Bay close to Ocho Rios last month but was turned down because the proprietor “does not rent his home to Jamaicans.”

Ziggy’s claims were “absolutely inaccurate,” according to a manager at Sea Salt, who also insisted that the singer is still welcome to stay at the villa as long as he abides by their rules. Reggae Vibe Mag contacted Sea Salt for a response to Ziggy’s claims and to find out whether or not Jamaicans are prohibited from staying there.

On “The Africa Forum: Running Africa” show titled “The Privatization Of Jamaica’s Beaches,” Ziggy and Kabu spoke about the issue. Kabu is; and has been doing great works bringing such information to the forefront for Jamaican’s and those around the globe who listen to her Sunday’s on Irie FM.

The IRAWMA, and Grammy winning artist claimed that because he had experienced similar treatment, he could now connect first-hand to the discrimination that many Jamaicans had complained about.

“Bob go through it, this come in like the same thing we go through, nothing no really change, is like the same thing Rasta did face, discrimination, but now anno Rasta, ah Jamaican. It really strange to me, that in this 2024 or whatever, dem kinda ting we haffi a deal wid, inna Jamaica, discrimination against Jamaicans,” Ziggy Marley said during a discussion with Kabu on Irie FM over the weekend.

“The only reason mi ah get it is because I am Jamaican, wah dat? That’s the only reason. Yu have a prison record or something? Just because mi a Jamaican, yu ah go deny me that. How yu can discriminate against Jamaicans in Jamaica. Mi glad mi have the experience caw now mi know. Mi tell dem seh yp mi glad, because now mi know. Mi experience it now, suh mi can deal wid it now in a different level, so yeah yeah,” he said.

“Listen, Jamaicans are being discriminated against in dem own country… by a certain class… ,” an upset Ziggy Marley said.

“I don’t know what it is but we are being discriminated against. And wi can’t stand fi dat. This is our country. How yuh a discriminate against we so we can’t do this or we can’t do dat? Even though me can pay, you still a discriminate against mi? Fi wha? ‘Cause mi a Jamaican? No man. Dat caan work.”

Most recently The villa manager disputed Ziggy Marley’s allegation of discrimination, citing the renting of the property to other Jamaicans, including Rita Marley, as evidence.

“The villa was just rented to Rita Marley and her family a month ago,” the villa manager said in a statement to online news site Dancehall Mag, adding that the family “had written glowing reviews about their stay at the property”.

“The villa just started renting over three months ago with only eight rentals so far, two of which were Jamaicans,” the villa manager also said.

“The only strict policy that the villa has always communicated and kept consistent with is that there are no outside visitors allowed during the rental.

“The villa’s homeowners have already communicated through Ziggy’s agent that they would welcome Ziggy and family if our standard rule is strictly followed,” the villa manager added. “The issue here is only with the no outside visitor policy.”