THE international audience has once again tuned into Jamaica; a microscopic look on the progress and timely implementation of the targets set out for 2015 in the National Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) has followed. More worrying, and uncomforting, is that when we think that in just a decade and a half, Jamaica, with a high level of expectancy, the under scrutiny item fast approaching is Vision 2030.

But let’s recap the fundamental objectives that this visionary showpiece was meant to accomplish, before any shooting out of the blocks. It came at a sensitive time in a troubled 2007, a tenure characterised by myriad internal issues such as high crime levels, chronic unemployment among youth, contraction in the economy, and unprecedented levels of corruption, just to scratch the surface.

Jamaica was at an intersection filled with great ambiguity as it relates to the tentative nature of our crippled development agenda, only to be seconded by low consumer and investor confidence. Jamaica needed a development agenda going forward that was clearly defined and, among other things, addressed critical areas of national interest. This would see Jamaica’s competitive positioning and overall strategy going forward being clearly understood by even the common man and to some extent the “articulate minority”.

The vision was captured in seven “guiding principles”, namely: transformational leadership, partnership, transparency and accountability, social cohesion, equity, sustainability (economic, social and environmental), and sustainable urban and rural development. The marketing tagline used is one not far-fetched to most locals: “Jamaica the place of choice to live, work, raise families and do business.”

Bangarang at home?

The national debt, monies owed to domestic and to other international lending agencies currently stands at $1.9 trillion, estimated by economists to be a whopping 139 per cent of GDP for the fiscal year 2013. This means that, with the constant depreciation of the Jamaican dollar to major international benchmarks such as the US dollar, we can expect to pay more than we originally bargained for in interest payments, making the case for more taxes on fragile sectors of the economy already ailing from the high overhead costs sandwiched by decreases in consumer spending. One becomes uncertain as to whether this is the certified place to “do business”.

Unconvincingly, Jamaica in a 2014 Global Status Report on Violence Prevention, the country placed third for the highest per capita homicides in the world. Consequently, this makes menial chatter as the place to ideally “live”. A recent research by the Centre for Leadership and Governance (CLG) at UWI, cites that 49.3 per cent of Jamaican young adults would relinquish their citizenship for other opportunities, and with STATIN reporting a not so attractive chronic unemployment rate of 38.3 per cent among youth as at July 2014, things become more worrying.

Let’s say the only reason I would genuinely end a relationship with the most beautiful girl is because I am wholly unhappy with the “state of affairs”. Comparatively, the youth are frustrated by the seemingly lack of opportunities and limited prospects that exists here in Jamaica. No matter how much we love this island, in popular colloquial terms “man haffi eat a food”. Major questions are raised as to how attractive Jamaica is in its competitive positioning as “the place to work”. With 18 per cent of live births attributable to adolescents, this is sounding more of the place for children to raise children, than the place to “raise families” that are fully in touch with realities of a modernised society.

All this, was just to exhibit the issues that we face and how these directly impact on our development agenda and our beloved Vision 2030. But are we really this much behind?

It may ‘come true’

Lately, Jamaica has seen a lot of indicators that are in the affirmative and in keeping with the developmental agenda. Business confidence has been the highest in 13 years, was the announcement made by the Jamaica Chambers of Commerce recently. The Doing Business Ranking medalled Jamaica as the top place to do business in the Caribbean and the third best of places in Latin America, and overall 58 out of 189 countries. This means that the procedures and obstacles to starting a business in Jamaica are less bureaucratic and established than most other places in the Caribbean. This sort of ranking means that investor confidence in Jamaica has gradually gone up and ideally this is the place to do business if one is looking for high investment graded country.

Jamaica, according to the International Labour Organization (ILO), has the most women in top management positions, setting the trend ahead of countries such as USA and Canada. Does this sound like the place for high management diversity and equal opportunities regardless of gender?

An independent watchdog agency, the National Integrity Action, has begun vigilant surveillance of issues relating to corruption hopefully to be strengthened in the near future by affirmative legislation.

Inflation for January of this year is down 0.5 per cent according to STATIN, while the GDP to debt ratio for 2013 was estimated at 139 per cent compared to 147 per cent in 2012. This downward trajectory has certainly in some circles been welcome news, with experts citing that it could reach approximately 100 per cent of GDP by 2020.

The national security minister announced a 16 per cent decline in major crimes, something not seen in recent times. Is not this a step into making this our homeland the place to live and raise families? Compared to other Caribbean counterparts, a double-digit decrease actually means that Jamaica has not done all things, but some things right in the area of safety.

Jamaica currently has declined in terms of the number of live births to teenagers and currently only 72/1000 births are to adolescents, a consistent five-year decline and most academics will identify that it has indeed outperformed its counterparts in achieving major parts of the MDGs.

Jamaica must act fast in relations to job security, in Panama the canal is scheduled to be finished in 2015, already representing eight per cent of Panama’s GDP, and employs many of its citizens. Jamaica must act swiftly in relations to the proposed global logistics hub initiative. I must caution, by no means is it job security in totality. This has promised over 10,000 jobs and will certainly rescue a fraction of the currently unemployed . The other opportunities arising as a result will definitely position us as the place to work, as Jamaica will be a leader in trans-shipment in the region, with the Kingston Harbour already being the 7th largest natural harbour in the world.

As we approach 2030, Jamaica’s current position as a place to do business has never been more competitive as before. All Jamaicans are required to participate in this shared vision and not just a minority group or set of institutions. It is now that time for Jamaicans to repose the same confidence in its capacity by boldly declaring that Jamaica is here with Vision 2030 and beyond!

Delmas R Brown is a second-year business administration major at Northern Caribbean University. Comments: delmas@stu.ncu.edu.jm