You never know who or what you'll find when you go tramping around a town.

We found a lively group inside a tuck shop with an interesting cast of characters. Tina, who runs the little tuck shop, is probably the most quiet one. Today, she is joined by Jah T, who said he has never lived more than two miles outside Port Antonio; Marrieta, who hails from Royal Hill; her friends Jacqueline and Christine, a confessed Cash Pot fanatic.

"Mi know mi shoulda buy six enuh," said Christine after the 1 p.m. draw. "Mi nuh like di man enuh," chimed in Ann, who doesn't stay more than two minutes at a time. We ask the group what were the positive changes they would like to see in 'Porti'.

More development wanted

"Three-quarters of the old buildings need fi remove," said Marrieta. "Same ting wid di market. Wi need some form a industry and more development," she continued.

Jah T agreed that this was the way forward, citing that the recession was no excuse.

"We live inna recession from day one," he said. "We used to have cruise ship come here, them stop dat 'bout from the '80s."

He said the days when the cruise ships came regularly to the parish brought entertainment, work for the locals and business aplenty. The group wasn't optimistic about the future of the majority of the young people.

"Out of 100 per cent, 65 per cent of the young man dem smoke weed and drink rum and coke," said Marrieta. "The other 35 will go HEART or some kinda college." Her view of the young women was even less flattering, saying many were content to 'sell' certain 'goods' of the anatomical kind.

"A survival still. If sumting else did deh deh fi dem do, dem wouldn't go," she reasoned.

Even the beggars are finding it tough these days