Jamaica
Overview
Long viewed in context of crystal blue water and reggae
music, Jamaica is a jewel in the Caribbean – but
not without its own set of development concerns.
At 15 percent, unemployment remains a consistent problem
and is compounded by a persistent presence of crime
and violence that in turn has led to Jamaica’s
ranking as third highest murder rate in the world. Much
of the crime is based on a drug trade, which thrives
in Spanish Town, a gritty industrial suburb of the capital,
Kingston.
Adding to Jamaica’s ills are indications that
its HIV/AIDS infection rate is rising. It is the second
leading cause of death among children under four years
of age and of women between the ages of 20 and 29. The
prevalence rate in adults between the ages of 15 and
49 years in 2002 ranged from 1.5 to 2 percent.
These problems collectively tear at the social fabric
of the island, at the pages of the rule of law and the
necessary trust between a government and its citizenry.
Still, the government under Prime Minister P.J. Patterson
has tightened spending, and recent gains in tourism
and mining have returned the island to positive growth
in 2003-2004 after a decade of near stagnation. The
International Monetary Fund recently praised Jamaica’s
recovered economy but called for still greater fiscal
discipline in view of a significant public debt.
USAID Program – USAID invested
$16.8 million in programs in 2004 to assist Jamaica
become a more competitive economy and stable society.
Nearly 44,000 businesses received loans from banks and
financial institutions assisted by USAID under programs
to improve the business environment for small and medium
sized businesses. Other programs attack issues in the
environment, education, health and justice sectors.
For example, USAID worked with small tourist facilities
in Jamaica to adopt environmentally friendly management
systems that single them out for the “green market”
niche. USAID provides 72 schools in poor communities
with in-service teacher training in math and reading,
parent education, health and nutrition programs. To
improve the prospects of a targeted 80,000 out-of-school
teens, USAID aims to improve social and job skills through
a package of services designed to increase literacy
and self esteem. USAID has recently entered into a public-private
partnership with Merck & Co. to support a local
non-government agency which provides counseling and
nutritional assistance to Jamaicans living with HIV/AIDS.
Under its civil society program, USAID has helped to
raise the voice of Jamaican citizens against corruption
and in favor of increased government accountability.
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