Named after the first prime minister of Jamaica, Sir Alexander Bustamante, this hard candy is supposed to represent the firmness of his character. Bustamante backbone, also known as busta or stagga back consists of grated coconut, dark brown sugar, water, grated ginger, and a bit of lime juice.

All of the ingredients are combined, boiled, flattened, and left to cool until they develop a hard texture. The mixture is then cut into squares, and it is often wrapped in paper.