REVITALIZATION OF OUR ECONOMY

The economy is in desperate need of revitalization because our country’s economic decisions are charted not by our elected government, but by the powerful private sector with the IMF as the overseer. The IMF is the financial arm of the United States foreign policy, designed to assist with loans when countries are facing a financial crisis. The financial crisis usually is the result of the same loan arrangement of the IMF.

Our economy never worked because of the successive government prioritization of tourism over manufacturing. Foreign exchange earned by the sector usually ends up in foreign banks with none invested in Jamaica. We import four times the value of our export, thus the incurred debt of over 100% of our gross national product. No country can grow and prosper with this kind of equation. We must make a commitment to eliminating the deficits in order to have a sustainable economy. Moreover, our people must be involved in the decision making and running of our country. The government must be the driver of the economy with the private sector playing a secondary role. The government was elected by our people to lead, not the private sector.

In order to unleash the country’s real economic potential to revitalize the economy, the following are necessary for growth:

  • The renationalization of the critical sectors of our economy with the prospect of the government having the majority share. The people who are elected to offices must represent the interest of the people.
  • Their interests should not be left up to the private sector. Partnership with businesses will be encouraged, with the majority stake being held by the government. For example, the JPM will be campaigning for the reacquisition of our national airline, Air Jamaica.
  • The 2 trillion-dollar debt cannot be paid. Most of our citizens are not aware that most of the debt (almost seventy-five percent) is owed to Jamaican entities (Private Sector), and the rest to the international monetary fund and other multilateral agencies.
  • Re-negotiate with the bondholders for non-payment of interest for five years and ask for forgiveness of the IMF debt. This must be pursued with interest and defended because the local debt was accumulated with the collusion of the government and the private sector. The Jamaican citizens were only used as the sacrificial lambs.
  • All foreign receipts should be handled by the government of Jamaica. This will enable the government to use the foreign currency to buy the necessary products on the world markets for the country’s development and to satisfy medical needs.
  • Emphasis should be placed on growing the economy, hence the important role of the Jamaica manufacturing sector, especially those who are in the export sector.
  • Performance-based tax incentives should be given to those sectors.
  • All relevant and professional jobs should be awarded first to bona fide citizens of Jamaica.
  • JPM will be advocating for the creation of a Private Sector Sovereign Investment Fund to partner with the government to invest in Agriculture, Housing, Health Care, and Renewable Energy (solar, wind and biomass) and drilling for oil and gas. These investments will result in job creation. Twenty-five percent of all profits made in Jamaica by foreign entities must be invested in Jamaica under the guidance of the Jamaica Sovereign Investment Fund.

Current State of Jamaica’s Economic Expenditure

National Debt

Imports

US$ 2.771 Billion              

External

$1.204 Trillion

Export

US$751.3 Million                               

Internal

$771 Billion (Owed to the Private Sector)