There is a quiet irony in a country famous for “island time”—a rhythm that slows clocks and lengthens conversations—that certain events will still have Jamaicans out of bed before the rooster has even made his first complaint.
We’re not talking about the daily commute or the routine school run. No, these are the rare occasions that send us into a kind of national punctuality. They have one thing in common: stakes. Stakes for our livelihood, our pride, our future… and, sometimes, our property.
Because whether you’re rushing to an embassy appointment or queuing before dawn to secure a property deal, there’s something in the Jamaican spirit that understands: the early bird might not always get the worm, but it’s in a much better position to negotiate for the land the worm is on.
