‘It was not my day to die’ - Former fisherman tells how he ended up in farming

Phillip Rose was preparing to head home to Treasure Beach, from the Pedro Cays after spending about three months at the popular fishing spot located of Jamaica's south coast. It was the early 1990s, and Rose was eager to get back home, as he had a land transaction to take care of in his home community.

Despite his keenness to see the land transaction completed, Rose said he was owed a sum of money by persons at 'Pedro' and was determined not to leave it.

In the meantime, the boat on which he was due to leave was getting ready to head back to Treasure Beach. Rose said that his brother-in-law, Glenroy Mills, was the captain and they had a good relationship. He packed his belongings -- clothing, fish and other supplies in the boat -- and gave Mills some money to take back to the mainland. The boat then sailed from Pedro Cays with four men on board. They never made it to Treasure Beach.

"That day was just not my day to die, as my friends keep on calling me to come inside the boat, but the business which I was dealing with was so important that I just tell them to leave me that day," Rose, 58, told THE STAR.

"From that day until today, none of those four guys nor the boat has been seen again," said Rose, whose four friends are among dozens of fishermen from the community who have been lost at sea.

Successful fisherman

Rose said that the incident left him fearful of the sea. The once-successful fisherman decided to throw down his net and head into the tourism business. The father of three said he joined the tour operating subsector, which allowed him to take care of his family. He was doing well until COVID-19 arrived on Jamaica's shores and severely affected the tourism sector.

"Luckily, me and my girlfriend planned on rearing chickens in the same period that the COVID-19 broke out. We then launched out in raising boilers and layers, and also do [cash crop] farming on the side," he said. "At first, things started out very slowly as the virus left the community of Treasure Beach without money, and no one was buying chickens. So I was forced to buy two freezers to store chickens."

Rose said that the chicken meat and eggs business has been seeing signs of growth. However, the recent heavy rainfall destroyed most of the vegetable farm. He said his tomatoes, pak choi, cabbage and callaloo were destroyed by heavy rain and floodwaters, and he is now trying his best to nurse what is left of his crop back to perfection.