In reference to the recent debate about whether the country should return to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), it would be one of the biggest mistakes this country's Government would ever make!

By now, Jamaica must know that we cannot build our nation on loans from international institutions. Such institutions do not care about the poor or the so-called 'Third World nations'. In fact, much of the suffering and economic erosion of the various nations are the result of their alliance with these institutions.

The job of these international financial institutions is to entice Third World governments when their nations are in difficult financial situations, giving them the illusion that a loan is the only way out of national debt. They then apply one of two financial elixirs - either a high interest rate or a low-interest rate with pre-pay penalty clauses.

collateral

In addition to this, the Government would have to put up something as collateral. Now, if a nation is unable to pay off its debts in the first instance, then what could it possibly use as collateral for the loan but the nation itself? Hence, these institutions would own the nation if there is no growth and the loan cannot be repaid. Going back to the lending agency may very well triple the nation's debt.

In an effort to come out of financial debt and enter into financial freedom, there are two simple principles we need to look at - forgiveness/debt write-offs and seed-sowing!

Forgiveness/debt write-offs (as per Deuteronomy 15 and Matthew 6:12) would be a double process where the larger nations would forgive the debts of the smaller nations and the smaller nations and their financial institutions would write off the debts of the people of their nation.

Seed-sowing (as in Genesis 8:20-22 and Genesis 26) is not the planting of seeds and beans. Instead, it is giving of any tangible or intangible item of value - property, resources, money, time and so on - without charge in return. A seed always produces after its own kind, hence, seed-sowing would not only be a blessing to the receiver, but also to the giver.

hundred-fold return

God warned Isaac in a period of recession not to go to Abimelech - which represents international lending agencies - but instead he should stay in the land and sow his way out. Having done that, Isaac received a hundred-fold return in the very same year!

Jamaica must build their financial blueprint on the rock (Matthew 7:24-29) not on the blueprint of any other nation. If Jamaica builds on the rock it will become the hub of the world. Proverbs 29:18 tells us that "where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraints; but happy is he who keeps the law". Any society that lacks revelation from God (divine insight) will head in the direction of anarchy!

What God wants is for Jamaica to come out of Babylon!

I am, etc.,

STEVE LYSTON

biblical_economics@yahoo.com

Lauderhill, Florida