Jamaica
Bureau of Western Hemisphere
Affairs
June
2007
Background Note:
Jamaica
The Jamaica flag is a diagonal yellow cross that divides the flag
into four triangles - green (top and bottom) and black (hoist
side and outer side).
PROFILE
OFFICIAL
NAME:
Jamaica
Geography
Area: 10,991 sq. km. (4,244 sq.
mi.).
Cities: Capital--Kingston metro area and St. Andrew (pop. 650,000).
Other cities--Montego Bay (96,000), Spanish Town
(131,515).
Terrain: Mountainous, coastal
plains.
Climate:
Tropical.
People
Nationality: Noun and
adjective--Jamaican(s).
Population (2006 est.):
2,673,800.
Annual growth rate (2006):
1.5%.
Ethnic groups: African 90.9%, East Indian 1.3%, Chinese 0.2%, White
0.2%, mixed 7.3%, other
0.1%.
Religious affiliation: Anglican, Baptist and other Protestant,
Roman Catholic,
Rastafarian,
Jewish.
Languages: English,
Patois.
Education: Years compulsory--to age 14. Literacy (age 15 and
over)--79.9%. Health (2005): Infant mortality
rate--19.2/1,000. Life expectancy--female 75 yrs., male 73
yrs.
Work force (2006, 1.25 million): Industry--17.1%;
agriculture--17.9%;
services--64.9%.
Government
Type: Constitutional parliamentary
democracy.
Independence: August 6,
1962.
Constitution: August 6,
1962.
Branches: Executive--Governor General (chief of state, representing
British monarch), prime minister, cabinet.
Legislative--bicameral Parliament (21
appointed senators, 60 elected representatives). Judicial--Court of
Appeal and courts of original
jurisdiction.
Subdivisions: 14 parishes, 60 electoral
constituencies.
Political parties: People's National Party (PNP), Jamaica Labour
Party (JLP), National Democratic Movement (NDM), United Peoples Party
(UPP).
Suffrage: Universal at
18.
Economy
GDP (2005): $9.7
billion.
Real growth rate (2006):
2.5%.
Per capita GDP (2005):
$3,640.
Natural resources: Bauxite, gypsum, limestone, marble, sand,
silica. Agriculture:
Products--sugar, bananas, coffee, citrus fruits, condiments and
spices.
Industry: Types--tourism, bauxite and alumina, processed foods,
sugar, rum, cement, metal, chemical
products.
Trade (2005): Exports--$1.5 billion: alumina, bauxite, sugar,
bananas, chemicals, citrus fruits
and products, rum, coffee. Major markets (2005)
--U.S. 26.3%, U.K. 10.8%, Canada 19.6%, Trinidad and Tobago 0.6%,
Japan 1.0%. Imports (2005)--$4.7 billion: machinery, transportation
and electrical equipment, food,
fuels, fertilizer. Major suppliers (2000)--U.S.
40.1%, Trinidad and Tobago 9.0%, Japan
4.5%, U.K. 2.4%, Canada
2.3%.
PEOPLE AND
HISTORY
Arawaks from South America had settled in Jamaica prior to
Christopher Columbus' first
arrival at the island in 1494. During Spain's occupation of the
island, starting in 1510, the Arawaks were exterminated by
disease, slavery, and war. Spain
brought the first African slaves to Jamaica in 1517. In 1655, British
forces seized the island, and in 1670, Great Britain gained formal
possession.
Sugar made Jamaica one of the most valuable possessions in the world
for more than 150 years. The British Parliament abolished slavery as
of August 1, 1834. After a long period of
direct British colonial rule, Jamaica gained a degree of local
political control in the late 1930s, and held its
first election under full universal
adult suffrage in 1944. Jamaica joined nine other
U.K. territories in the West Indies Federation in 1958 but
withdrew after Jamaican voters rejected membership
in 1961. Jamaica
gained
independence in 1962, remaining a member of the
Commonwealth.
Historically, Jamaican emigration has been heavy. Since the United
Kingdom restricted emigration in 1967, the major flow has
been to the United States and Canada. About 20,000 Jamaicans
emigrate to the United States each year; another 200,000 visit
annually. New York, Miami, Chicago, and Hartford are
among the U.S. cities with a significant Jamaican population.
Remittances from the expatriate communities in the
United States, United Kingdom, and Canada,
estimated at up to $1.6 billion per year, make
increasingly
significant contributions to Jamaica's
economy.
GOVERNMENT
The 1962 constitution established a parliamentary system based on the
U.K. model. As chief of state, Queen Elizabeth II
appoints a governor general, on the advice of the prime minister, as
her representative in Jamaica. The
governor general's role is largely ceremonial. Executive power is vested
in the cabinet, led by the prime
minister.
Parliament is composed of an appointed Senate and an elected House
of Representatives.
Thirteen Senators are nominated on the advice of the prime
minister and eight on the advice of the leader of the opposition.
General elections must be held within 5 years of
the forming of a new government. The prime minister may ask the
governor general to call elections
sooner, however. The Senate
may submit bills, and it also reviews
legislation submitted by
the
House.
It may not delay budget bills for more than 1 month or other bills
for more than 7 months. The prime minister and the cabinet are
selected from the Parliament. No fewer
than two or more than four members of the cabinet must be
selected from the
Senate.
The judiciary also is modeled on the U.K. system. The Court of
Appeals is the highest appellate court in Jamaica. Under certain
circumstances, cases may be appealed to the Privy Council of the
United Kingdom. Jamaica's parishes have elected councils that
exercise limited powers of local
government.
Principal Government
Officials
Governor General--Kenneth O.
Hall
Prime Minister and Minister of Defense--Portia Simpson
Miller
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade--G. Anthony
Hylton
Ambassador to the United States and the Organization of American
States (OAS) --Gordon
Shirley
Ambassador to the United Nations--Raymond
Wolfe
Jamaica maintains an embassy in the United States at 1520 New
Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC
20036 (tel. 202-452-0660). It also has consulates in New York
at 767 3rd Avenue, New York, NY 10017 (tel. 212-935-9000); and in
Miami in the Ingraham Building, Suite 842, 25 SE 2nd Avenue, Miami, FL 33131
(tel.
305-374-8431/2).
POLITICAL
CONDITIONS
Jamaica's political system is stable. However, the country's serious
economic problems have exacerbated social problems and have become the
subject of political debate. High
unemployment--averaging
12.5%--rampant
underemployment, growing debt, and high interest rates are the most
serious economic problems. Violent crime is a serious problem,
particularly in
Kingston.
The two major political parties have historical links with the two
largest trade unions--the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) with
the Bustamante Industrial Trade Union (BITU), and the People's
National Party (PNP) with the National Workers Union (NWU). The
center-right National Democratic Movement (NDM) was established in
1995, and the populist United Peoples Party (UPP) in 2001;
neither has links with any particular trade union, and both are
marginal
movements.
For health reasons, Michael Manley stepped down as Prime Minister in
March 1992 and was replaced by P.J. Patterson. Patterson
subsequently led the PNP to victory in general elections in
1993, 1997, and in October of 2002. The 2002 victory
marked the first time any Jamaican political party has won four
consecutive general elections since the introduction of universal suffrage
in
1944.
Upon Patterson's retirement on March 30, 2006, Portia Simpson Miller
became the first female prime minister in Jamaica's history.
The current composition of the lower house of Jamaica's Parliament is
36 PNP and 24
JLP.
Since the 1993 elections, the Jamaican Government, political parties,
and Electoral Advisory Committee have worked to
enact electoral reform. In the 2002 general elections,
grassroots Jamaican efforts from groups like CAFFE
(Citizens Action for Free and Fair Elections), supplemented by international
observers and organizations such as The Carter Center, helped reduce
the violence that has tended to mar Jamaican
elections. Former President Carter also observed the 2002
elections and declared them free and
fair.
ECONOMY
Jamaica has natural resources, primarily bauxite, adequate water
supplies, and climate conducive to agriculture and
tourism. The discovery of bauxite in the 1940s and the subsequent
establishment of the bauxite-alumina industry shifted
Jamaica's economy from sugar and bananas. By the 1970s, Jamaica had
emerged as a world leader in export of these minerals as foreign
investment
increased.
The country faces some serious problems but has the potential for
growth and modernization. Currency reserves, remittances, tourism,
agriculture, mining, construction, and shipping all remain strong,
and Jamaica has attracted over U.S. $4.4 billion in foreign direct
investment over the past decade. However, high unemployment,
burdensome debt, an alarming crime rate, and anemic growth continue to
darken the country's prospects. After 4 years of
negative economic growth,
Jamaica's GDP grew by 0.8% in 2000, and has grown in the
0.5% to 2.5% range, year-on-year, since then. Inflation fell from 25%
in 1995 to 6.1% in 2000 and has mostly registered single digits since
then, including calendar year 2006, which saw the lowest rate in 18
years, at 5.8%.
Through periodic intervention in the market, the central bank
prevents any abrupt drop in the exchange rate.
Nevertheless, the Jamaican dollar continues to slip despite
intervention, resulting in an average exchange rate
of J$68.15 to the U.S. $1.00 by
May
2007.
Weakness in the financial sector, speculation, and low levels of
government investment erode confidence in the production
sector. The government is unable to
channel funds into social and physical infrastructure because of an
overwhelming debt-to-GDP ratio, which currently stands at approximately
135%. Almost 60 cents on every dollar earned by the Jamaican
Government goes to debt servicing and recurrent
expenditure. Tax compliance rates
also contribute
to the problem, hovering at approximately 45%. On the other hand, net
internal reserves remain healthy, at $2.3 billion at the end of
2006.
Jamaican Government economic policies encourage foreign investment in
areas that earn or save foreign exchange, generate employment,
and use local raw materials. The government provides a
wide range of incentives to investors, including remittance
facilities to assist them in repatriating funds to the country
of origin; tax holidays which defer taxes for a period of years; and
duty-free access for machinery and raw materials imported for
approved
enterprises.
Free trade zones have stimulated investment in garment assembly,
light manufacturing, and data
entry by foreign firms. However, over the last 5
years, the garment industry has suffered from reduced export
earnings, continued factory
closures, and rising unemployment. This can be attributed to
intense international and regional competition, exacerbated by the
high costs of operations in Jamaica, including security
costs to deter drug activity, as
well as the relatively high cost of labor. The Government of
Jamaica hopes to encourage economic activity through a combination
of privatization, financial
sector restructuring, falling interest rates, and by boosting tourism
and related production
activities.
FOREIGN
RELATIONS
Jamaica has diplomatic relations with most nations and is a member of
the United Nations and the Organization of American
States. It was an active participant in the
April 2001 Quebec Summit of the Americas. Jamaica is an
active member of the British Commonwealth, the Non-Aligned Movement,
the G-15, and the G-77. Jamaica is a
beneficiary of the Cotonou Conventions,
through which the European Union (EU) grants trade preferences to
selected states in Asia, the Caribbean, and the
Pacific.
Historically, Jamaica has had close ties with the U.K., but trade,
financial, and cultural relations with the United States are now
predominant. Jamaica is linked with the other countries of the
English-speaking Caribbean through the Caribbean Community (CARICOM),
and more broadly through the Association of Caribbean
States (ACS). In December 2001, Jamaica completed its 2-year term
on the United Nations Security
Council.
U.S.-JAMAICAN
RELATIONS
The United States maintains close and productive relations with
the Government
of Jamaica. Former Prime Minister Patterson visited Washington,
DC, several times after assuming office in 1992. In April 2001,
Prime Minister Patterson
and other Caribbean leaders met with President Bush during the Summit
of the Americas in Quebec, Canada, at which a "Third
Border Initiative" was launched
to deepen U.S. cooperation with Caribbean nations and
enhance economic development and integration of the Caribbean
nations. The current Prime Minister, Portia Simpson
Miller, is expected to attend the Conference on the Caribbean -- A
20/20 Vision in Washington in mid-June
2007.
The United States is Jamaica's most important trading partner:
bilateral trade in goods in 2005 was over $2
billion. Jamaica is a popular destination for American tourists; more
than 1.2 million Americans visited in 2006. In addition,
some 10,000 American citizens, including many dual-nationals born
on the island, permanently reside in
Jamaica.
The Government of Jamaica also seeks to attract U.S. investment and
supports efforts to create a Free Trade Area of the Americans (FTAA).
More than 80 U.S. firms have operations in Jamaica,
and total U.S. investment is estimated at more than $3 billion. An
office of the U.S. and Foreign
Commercial Service, located
in the embassy, actively assists American businesses seeking trade
opportunities in Jamaica. The country is a beneficiary of the
Caribbean Basin Trade Partner Act (CBTPA). The American Chamber of
Commerce, which also is available to assist U.S. business in Jamaica,
has offices in Kingston.
U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) assistance to
Jamaica since its independence in 1962 has contributed to reducing the
population growth rate, the attainment of higher
standards in a number of critical health
indicators, and the diversification and expansion of Jamaica's export
base. USAID's primary objective is promoting sustainable
economic growth. Other key objectives are improved environmental
quality and natural
resource
protection, strengthening democratic institutions and respect for the rule
of law, as well as family planning. In fiscal year 2006, the USAID
mission in Jamaica operated a program totaling more than
$21 million in development
assistance.
The Peace Corps has been in Jamaica continuously since 1962. Since
then, more than 3,300 volunteers have served in the country. Today,
the Peace Corps works in the following
projects: Youth-at-Risk, which includes adolescent
reproductive health, HIV/AIDS education, and the needs of marginalized
males; water sanitation, which includes rural waste water solutions
and municipal waste water treatment; and environmental
education, which helps address low levels of awareness and
strengthens environmental
nongovernmental
organizations. The Peace Corps in Jamaica fields about 70 volunteers
who work in every parish on the island, including some inner-city
communities in
Kingston.
Jamaica is a major transit point for cocaine en route to the United
States and is also a key source of marijuana and
marijuana derivative products for the Americas. During 2006,
the Government of Jamaica seized
narcotics destined for the
United States, arrested key traffickers and criminal gang
leaders, and dismantled their organizations. Jamaica remains the Caribbean's
largest producer and exporter of marijuana. The efforts of the
Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF)
and Jamaica Defense Force (JDF) enabled cannabis
seizures to increase by over 200% in 2006. In 2006, the JCF arrested
5,409 persons on drug related charges, including 269
foreigners. Additionally, more than 20,000 kilograms of marijuana were
seized, and 6,300,000 marijuana plants
eradicated in 2006. In August 2006, two priority targets associated
with major cocaine trafficking organizations were arrested in Jamaica
and await extradition to the United States where
they are charged with conspiracy to import illegal drugs. Jeffrey and
Gareth Lewis (father and son) allegedly transported cocaine shipments
from Colombia to the United States. Operation Kingfish is a
multinational task force (Jamaica, U.S., United Kingdom, and
Canada) for coordinating investigations leading to the arrest of
major criminals. From its October
2004 inception through December 2006, Operation Kingfish
launched 1,378 operations resulting in the seizure of 56 vehicles,
57 boats, one aircraft, 206 firearms, and two containers conveying
drugs. Kingfish was also responsible for the
seizure of over 13 metric tons of
cocaine (mostly outside of Jamaica) and over 27,390 pounds of
compressed marijuana. In 2006 Operation
Kingfish mounted 870 operations, compared to 607 in 2005. In 2006,
through cargo scanning, the Jamaican Customs Contraband
Enforcement Team seized over 3,000 pounds of marijuana, ten kg of
cocaine, and approximately $500,000 at Jamaican air and
seaports.
The U.S. Embassy in Jamaica is at 142 Old Hope Road, Kingston 6; tel:
(876) 702-6000; fax: (876)
702-6001.
The USAID Mission is at 2 Haining Road, Kingston (tel. 876-926-3645).
The Peace Corps is at 8 Worthington Avenue,
Kingston 5 (tel. 876-929-0495). Log onto the Internet at http://kingston.usembassy.gov/ for
more information about Jamaica, the U.S.
Embassy and its activities, and current contact
information.
Other Contact
Information
U.S. Department of
Commerce
International Trade
Administration
Trade Information
Center
14th and Constitution Avenue,
NW
Washington, DC
20230
Tel: 800-USA-TRADE or
800-872-8723
Web site: http://trade.gov/
American Chamber of Commerce of
Jamaica
The Jamaica
Pegasus
81 Knutsford
Blvd
Kingston 5,
Jamaica
Tel: (876)
929-7866/67
Fax: (876)
929-8597
Web site: http://www.amchamjamaica.org/ E-mail: amcham@cwjamaica.com
Caribbean-Central American
Action
1818 N Street,
NW
Suite
500
Washington, DC
20036
Tel: (202)
466-7464
Fax: (202)
822-0075
Web site: http://www.c-caa.org
TRAVEL AND BUSINESS
INFORMATION
The U.S. Department of State's Consular Information Program advises
Americans traveling and residing abroad through Consular Information
Sheets, Public Announcements, and Travel Warnings.
Consular Information Sheets exist for all countries and include
information on entry and exit requirements, currency
regulations, health conditions, safety and security, crime,
political disturbances, and
the addresses of the U.S. embassies and consulates abroad. Public
Announcements are issued to disseminate information quickly
about terrorist threats and other relatively
short-term conditions overseas that pose significant
risks to the security of American travelers. Travel Warnings are
issued when the State Department recommends that Americans avoid travel
to a certain country because the situation is dangerous or
unstable.
For the latest security information, Americans living and traveling
abroad should regularly monitor the Department's Bureau
of Consular Affairs Internet web site at http://www.travel.state.gov, where the
current Worldwide Caution, Public Announcements, and Travel Warnings
can be found. Consular Affairs Publications,
which contain information on obtaining passports and planning a safe
trip abroad, are also available at http://www.travel.state.gov.
For additional information on international
travel, see http://www.usa.gov/
Citizen/Topics/Travel/International.shtml.
The Department of State encourages all U.S citizens who traveling or
residing abroad to register via the State Department's travel
registration website or at the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate
abroad. Registration will make your presence and whereabouts known in
case it is necessary to contact you in an emergency and will
enable you to receive up-to-date information on security
conditions.
Emergency information concerning Americans traveling abroad may be
obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the U.S. and
Canada or the regular toll line 1-202-501-4444 for
callers outside the U.S. and
Canada.
The National Passport Information Center (NPIC) is the U.S.
Department of State's single, centralized public
contact center for U.S.
passport
information. Telephone: 1-877-4USA-PPT (1-877-487-2778). Customer
service representatives and operators for TDD/TTY
are available Monday-Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 12:00 midnight,
Eastern Time, excluding federal
holidays.
Travelers can check the latest health information with the U.S.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia.
A hotline at 877-FYI-TRIP (877-394-8747) and a web site at http://www.cdc.gov/travel/index.htm
give the most recent health advisories, immunization recommendations
or requirements, and advice on food and drinking water safety for
regions and countries. A booklet entitled "Health
Information for International Travel"
(HHS
publication number CDC-95-8280) is available from the U.S.
Government Printing Office,
Washington, DC 20402, tel. (202)
512-1800.
Further Electronic
Information
Department of State Web Site. Available on the Internet at
http:// www.state.gov, the Department of State web
site provides timely, global access to
official U.S. foreign policy information, including
Background Notes and daily press briefings
along with the directory of key officers of Foreign Service
posts and more. The Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) provides
security information and regional news that impact U.S. companies
working abroad through its website http://www.osac.gov
Export.gov provides a portal to all export-related assistance and
market information offered by the federal
government and provides trade leads, free export counseling, help
with the export process, and
more.
STAT-USA/Internet, a service of the U.S. Department of Commerce,
provides authoritative economic, business, and
international trade information from the Federal
government. The site includes current and
historical
trade-related releases, international market research, trade
opportunities, and country analysis and provides access to the
National Trade Data Bank.
*********************************************************** See http://www.state.gov/r/pa/bgn/ for all
Background
notes ************************************************************ To
change your subscription, go to http://www.state.gov/misc/echannels/66822.htm
Jamaica
