HUGHES

The 2005 Jamaica Survey of Living Conditions has found that poverty has declined by two per cent in Jamaica.

According to the survey, which was conducted between May and October last year, the incidence of poverty in the country declined from 16. 9 per cent in 2004 to 14.8 per cent in 2005.

But Dr. Wesley Hughes, Director General at the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ), said it was difficult to reduce poverty below 10 per cent because of the high levels of uneducated people who are difficult to train.

He noted that most of those persons will be treated by way of "transfer" and will only make significant gains if economic growth is very rapid and significant in terms of construction and domestic agriculture, both of which are "non-trainable".

The findings were launched yesterday at the PIOJ's New Kingston offices.

Remittance inflows

The survey also found that remittance inflows was one of the factors which contributed to the decline in poverty in the country.

It was also revealed that Jamaica's population was undergoing substantive changes in its age structure. The child population (0-14 years) is declining while the working age (15-64 years) and the dependent elderly (65 + years) are increasing.

One of the major consequences, the PIOJ said, is the decline in the dependency ratio. This ratio shows that less burden is being placed on the population in the working age to provide for the needs of those who are in the dependent age.