Road works threaten Rastafari village in St. JamesCEFR A2
16 Aug 2025
Adapted from Emma Lewis, Global Voices • CC BY 3.0
Photo by Kemoi Brown, Unsplash
The Rastafari Indigenous Village opened in 2014 in St. James parish. A community project began with support from the Jamaica Social Investment Fund and a grant from the World Bank. The land was given by the Nelson family. The site had bamboo buildings, herb gardens and tours with ital cooking, drumming and river walks.
By 2025 a new bypass was built near the village. Heavy machinery caused deforestation and runoff into the nearby river. Residents reported poor air quality, constant noise and harder access. People have talked about relocating the village. The author suggested better public participation and ratifying the Escazú Agreement.
Difficult words
- parish — a local area used for government or church
- grant — money given for a specific project or purpose
- deforestation — the removal of many trees from land
- runoff — water that flows from land into rivers
- resident — a person who lives in a placeResidents
- relocate — to move a group or person to another placerelocating
- ratify — to formally approve a treaty or agreementratifying
- participation — the act of taking part in a decision or event
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Do you think the village should move to a safer place? Why or why not?
- How could the community take part in decisions about the village?
- Which village activity (ital cooking, drumming, river walks) would you like to try? Why?
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