The rating was reported in the Happy Planet Index (HPI) 2.0, which was recently published by the New Economic Foundation (NEF), an independent British research body.

There have been mixed reviews in light of the harsh economic situation being faced by many across Jamaica, as well as the monsters of crime and violence, among other issues.

"Despite these problems, the island is able to maintain some of the best levels of health in the developing world, as indicated by its high average-life expectancy. It is this which puts Jamaica towards the top of the HPI table," reads the report.

Not all that happy

Annieke Palland, who is visiting Jamaica from Holland, has mixed feelings about the report.

Palland argued that while the family and groups with whom she had been staying are - in her estimation - happy, she had also been to areas of the country where, she believes, the people simply could not have been happy but, "If you look at MoBay, if you walk around there, they don't really look happy at all," Palland said.

Warren Ball from Oracabessa, St Mary, said he and his friends were happy. Their only difficulty is a need for money.

"Mi nah lie still, me happy enuh. The only thing a chu me waan some money," Ball shared.

God in control

Tokigui Russell, who just recently completed sixth form at St Andrew High School for Girls, says she was "pretty happy", but was adamant that God had more to do with it than did Jamaica.

A major reason why many would disagree with the report, it seems, may be the way that happiness is defined by the NEF.

"For us, being 'happy' is more than just having a smile on your face. We use the term subjective well-being to capture its complexity," a sentence from the report reads.

"Aside from feeling 'good', it also incorporates a sense of individual vitality, opportunities to undertake meaningful, engaging activities which confer feelings of competence and autonomy, and the possession of a stock of inner resources that helps one cope when things go wrong ... " the report stated.

andrew.wildes@gleanerjm.com