Sun, sea and the Caribbean - Why not?

Friday 09 September 2016

Aaron Labey and Joe Carnegie had an idea and now they are living the dream - lapping up the sun, sea and sand of the Caribbean - with the occasional rum punch.

Jersey-born and bred, Mr Labey has just co-started a business in Jamaica designed to provide a premium relocation service - entitled Locate Caribbean.

“It was an opportunity which was too good to pass up,” said Mr Labey. “I looked around and saw that there was nothing really like it in the Caribbean and I’ve always had a zest for life so I thought, why not? Joe and I went into partnership and we are desperate to make it work.”

Locate Caribbean allows families or individuals who have made the move to the region to find their feet.

Mr Labey said: “We did a lot of homework before making the move and the fact was, there was nothing offering the kind of service we can provide.

“We are not just for corporate clients though, as we will work for anyone who has just moved to the Caribbean. We have vast experience of what it is like to move here and we can help in so many ways. We can help with schooling, or where to go for health care. What to do about security. Then there is finding your way around all the local services which are available. The clients we have may arrive in the Caribbean with a large workload and we can take a lot of the hassle and stress out of the move. There are so many things we can do, down to the tiniest little element like where to get the freshest coconut!”

Mr Labey loves the island, which is one of sharp contrasts. The beautiful Blue Mountains, partying of Montego Bay and the industry and poverty of the Kingston ghettos are all there.

“Jamaica is an incredible place,” he said. “But it is one of very differing areas. You have the hustle and bustle of Kingston, but you also have some of the most stunning beaches in the world in the north of the Island. 

“Jamaicans are very proud of their island and well they should be. They are very hospitable and polite and very, very laid back.”

While Mr Labey’s background is in Jersey, Mr Carnegie was a senior officer in the British Army. 

Mr Labey said: “He has lived in numerous countries and as such is in a perfect position to know exactly what the requirements are when you move. His Army background is ideal because it means he knows all the pitfalls with making a switch to another part of the world, where simple things can be so different.”

Mr Labey, a former pupil at De La Salle College, says his entrepreneurial spirit has led him to the Caribbean.

“I suppose I’m just made that way,” he said. “I love Jersey and it will always feel like home to me, but I like a challenge and running my own company in Jamaica and providing a service which I think is unique was just too enticing.

“I want to make a difference to people’s lives so that when they arrive in the Caribbean they get the best service possible to make their day to day world easier. On the plus side, I get to live in a wonderful place. It is the best of both worlds. And I get to sample the occasional rum punch!”