Jamaica – birthplace of ‘Bond, James Bond’

Sean Connery takes a break during the filming of 'Dr No'
in Jamaica

Looking out at the Caribbean Sea from the beautiful Golden Eye property in Oracabessa, novelist Ian Fleming created the world’s favourite spy, “Bond, James Bond”.  It is only fitting that the Bond production team is returning to Jamaica for the filming of the 25^th James Bond movie. British actor Daniel Craig returned to Golden Eye last week with producer Barbara Broccoli, whose father produced the first James Bond film, “Dr No” right here in Jamaica in 1962.

Two ladies with Jamaican roots will be featured in the film, Naomie Harris and Lashana Lynch.  Jampro Film Commissioner Renee Robinson disclosed that over 500 Jamaicans will be hired for the project. Observer Senior Reporter Richard Johnson was on spot for the global press briefing so the following quotes are from his report.

“Then there is the additional economic impact anytime there is a production of this size coming into the country,” Robinson noted. “There is the need for … drivers and transportation, hotels, catering, and so on, in addition to the actual personnel who will work on the production.”

Kudos to hotel mogul Chris Blackwell for his dedication to the preservation and enhancement of the Golden Eye Resort. Thus, Barbara Broccoli can still appreciate the birthplace of James Bond. “We particularly wanted it to be in Jamaica because of the history, because of Ian Fleming and what Jamaica represented to him and why it was Jamaica and he came to create,” she said. “I really feel like this is the vision of a perfect world... this is paradise.”