Can Jamaica realise its true potential?
published: Sunday | November 24, 2002
Julian 'Jingles' Reynolds, Contributor
I HAVE been convinced for the last 28 years that Jamaica has the potential to become a very prosperous and wealthy nation, but has failed to realise its potential due to the lack of confident, proactive and aggressive leadership; both in the public and private sectors.
In my little way I have tried to make some contribution to assist the country in its quest for economic growth and positive development, by writing articles, writing and speaking privately to the powers that be to try and influence the decision-making process, organising trade and investment missions from the United States to Jamaica, and operating business ventures in the United States in the entertainment/cultural, and agribusiness sectors that earn foreign exchange for Jamaica.
My belief in Jamaica possessing the potential to achieve economic and social greatness lies in the country's ability to have captured many great and important moments on the world stage, despite its relatively small size and population, spanning over 300 years; from Port Royal and Henry Morgan, to John Russwurm, Marcus Garvey, J.A. Rogers, George Headley, Helsinki, Merlene Ottey, reggae, Bob Marley and, at this moment in history, Shaggy. It has to say also something of the indomitable will of a people to succeed and set examples, for its populace to have had such an impact throughout the Diaspora, contributing to second-generation achievers of the likes of Colin Powell in the United States and Lennox Lewis in Great Britain.
But despite this mass of individual efforts and accomplishments, the country has just a mediocre GDP of US$9.7 billion, a per capita income of only US$3,800, an unemployment rate of 16 per cent, and has 34.2 per cent of the population below the poverty line, according to current U.S. Central Intelligence Agency Fact Book statistics on Jamaica. In the mid-1960s Jamaica's economy was ahead of Singapore's, a country physically smaller but of similar population. Today, Singapore experiences great prosperity with an economy six times greater than Jamaica's.
Growing up in Jamaica in the late 1940s and '50s, I was made to believe in my household that Jamaica was a special place. My father as a young port worker, marched and demonstrated all over Jamaica with Alexander Bustamante, St. William Grant, Aggie Bernard and those fearless and committed men and women who made personal sacrifices in the 1938 struggles that brought about "modern Jamaica". And his older brothers, sisters, cousins and friends were also deeply involved in those struggles in Islington, St. Mary, one of the flashpoints of the 1938 rebellions.
It was drilled in my memory that bold and committed leadership was responsible for building "our great little country". I was constantly reminded by my parents of the efforts and achievements exhibited by leaders such as Norman Manley, Vivian Blake, B.B. Coke, Isaac Barrant, Edwin "Teacher" Allen, Ken Hill, Florizel Glasspole, Wills O. Isaacs, N.N. "Crab" Nethersole, Rudolph Burke, L.G. Newland, Robert Lightbourne. The enemy then was clearly defined, "the white colonial powers," that were preventing improved standard of living for the black masses of Jamaica. However, the promise of socio-economic greatness for the country faltered, and today wracked by the pervasiveness of crime, high unemployment and deeply entrenched pockets of poverty, Jamaica is struggling to find its place again as a great nation.
As a relatively new administration takes the mantle of political leadership, new efforts are being made to address the poverty and crime that is retarding the country's development. And at this very early stage of the PNP's fourth term at leadership, there are some encouraging signs and utterances, but can these be maintained and developed on? That there is an improvement in the numbers on the Opposition side of Parliament is encouraging, and at the very least it will stimulate more substantive discussions on issues. The appointment also of Desmond McKenzie as a JLP Senator is very encouraging and significant for where the future leadership of that party could emerge.
That Prime Minister P.J. Patterson has appointed the Cabinet and Junior Members he has, indicates an awareness of and an attempt to undertake some of the fundamentals that I believe are necessary to place Jamaica on a path of socio-economic prosperity. Paul Robertson, Peter Phillips, Omar Davies, Roger Clarke, Portia Simpson Miller, K.D. Knight, Maxine Henry-Wilson, Aloun Assamba, Fenton Ferguson, Delano Franklyn, Errol Ennis and Dennis Morrison are some of the crucial players to focus on in the Government's attempt to steer the country towards positive growth. Yes, many of them have been there before and, some will argue, with very little results, but there is a new charge. The Jamaican electorate has sent two messages to the PNP and JLP, with the closeness of the election results. The charge to the PNP is "You are being given a final chance to deliver on our expectations or you'll be moved," and to the JLP the charge is, "Fix up yourselves and show us that you are prepared for the quality leadership we require".
Significantly, reducing crime and violence in the country is fundamental to its growth and development. Unless there are external and internal forces working together with an agenda to stymie Jamaica's development by spreading wanton violence, then the security forces must be able to isolate and contain the relatively few hard-core criminals and lumpen elements who selfishly hold the nation at ransom. The leadership, Government and private sector must launch a cohesive and intense assault on crime and violence as it would with a plague like HIV, polio or smallpox that threatens the well-being of the society.
Emphasis must also be placed on expanding the agro-industry and cultural/entertainment sectors of the economy. I have always used as an example the importance to the U.S. economy of agro-industry and culture. These sectors along with aircraft and aerospace engineering, and computer technology are among the top net export earners that have contributed greatly to American prosperity over the last 30 years. Jamaica's leadership still does not comprehend the significance of its culture art, craft, dance, music, motion picture, television, literature as an industry, employing people and generating revenue, despite Jamaica producing a Harry Belafonte, Clement Dodd, Bob Marley and Chris Blackwell.
TO BE CONTINUED TOMORROW
Julian "Jingles" Reynolds is a writer, documentary filmmaker and entrpreneur based in New York city. He has been writing for the Gleaner for 36 years.
