Good Samaritan restores UK woman’s faith in Jamaica

Simone Bent, a Jamaica-born United Kingdom resident, wants to publicly express her gratitude to St Elizabeth vendor Taneisha Bligen, who found her bag, which contained cash and other valuables, and willingly returned it, intact.

On April 10, Bent and her sister were heading back to St Thomas from Westmoreland when they stopped in Holland Bamboo, St Elizabeth, to take photographs. She hung her bag on a bamboo, and forgot it. After she left, Bligen saw the bag and picked it up. When she realised that her bag was missing, some 30 minutes into the journey, Bent drove back to Holland Bamboo in panic. But to her relief, Bligen returned her bag with all its contents.

"I want to thank her from the bottom of my heart. I have gained a lifetime friend here. Honestly, there are times when I would cuss Jamaica too when I see what is happening, but this is proof to me that there are still good and kind-hearted people living here," said Bent.

She said that when she realised that she did not have her bag, her heart skipped several beats and sank.

"I don't know if anyone will ever understand what happen at that moment, but I panic really bad. I spun the car around and I started to drive so fast, and my sister started screaming. I was hoping that I find the bag with even my documents, because I didn't expect any money to be in the bag. When I look across the road, I didn't see the bag where I left it and that's when my entire body felt weak," said Bent.

She said although she did not make a purchase from Bligen, her instincts told her to approach her shop, which she did. On seeing her, the vendor told her that she had her bag and its belongings.

"She just seh to mi, 'Yuh looking for yuh bag? Don't worry, mi have it'. When she tell mi seh she have it, it was like I want to do 'number one and two' in one," said Bent.

Bent was very surprised that the woman had not decided to keep her bag and its contents, as it contained J$110,000, PS150 (approximately $29,000) along with credit and other bank cards, plus other important documents.

"All my cards are contactless, so they could have been used," said Bent. "People are saying that I should give her the $100,000, but I did bless her up, and even purchase from her. She didn't have to give it back, and I appreciate her."

"Honestly, if it was me I probably wouldn't give back the money, depending on my situation. That money was for medical purposes. I came to Jamaica to visit an herbal doctor and that was what the money was for. I will never ever forget her," added Bent.

The soft-spoken Bligen said that once she opened the bag and saw the important contents, she didn't dig any further as she knew the owner would be returning to try and retrieve it.

"I was watching them from inside my shop taking pictures across the street and I saw when they were leaving. When they left, I went outside and sat down and that's when I saw the waist bag," said Bligen. "I took it up and look inside and I saw passport and a purse with [British] pound money. I didn't dig further, I just closed the bag and put it inside my shop, and when I see dem come bag I went for it and gave to her."

According to Bligen, the thought of removing the contents, especially the cash, never once crossed her mind.

"Nothing in that bag wasn't mine, so I would not have taken anything. Only way I would have taken it was if I had the bag for a long time and no one came to claim it. Some persons were saying that I should have taken the money, but that money did not belong to me so I would not have taken it," she said.