What is economic stress? The following true and very personal anecdote gives insight to an ever-present phenomenon in the daily Jamaican experience.

I am reasoning with a young, single, working mother of three who is telling me life is hard and she can’t see a way out. In my accustomed monologue, I use words of encouragement in an attempt to motivate her — with a little sermonising thrown in to help my own unbelief: “Tough times never last. Tough people do. You must be tough and hang in there, my sister. You are blessed. The possessions you have, some people less fortunate than you would regard as luxuries. Sell some of what you have and use the money to fill the gap until your help comes.”

With a forlorn look, and speaking barely above a whisper, she says to me: “Ah sell everything; mi TV, mi fridge, mi stove, and mi bed. And mi a sell miself pon di floor.” That, readers, is economic stress personified.

Economic stress is the feeling of hopelessness due to the current state of one’s personal finances and/or due to fears about the worsening economy. Psychologists will tell you some stress can be healthy, in that it awakes one from a slumber of complacency and gives the ambitious person the drive to find a way out of the abyss. Economic stress at the level being experienced in Jamaica is something else. It arouses people’s animal instinct; puts them in a survival mode and, in the most severe cases, induces behaviour that the rational mind would not contemplate.

The recent fiasco caused by the increase in passport fees is a case in point. The announcement produced a kind of herd mentality with thousands of people from all walks of life descending on the offices of the Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA); some camping out from as early as 1:00 am and maintaining their vigil in the most difficult human conditions for up to two days.

This incident bears the signs of economic stress. I am sure that in hindsight, and with PICA’s positive image built by Jennifer McDonald and her team over many years turned to mud in an instant, the organisation’s Chairman Leachim Semaj — one of Jamaica’s most-celebrated psychologists — understands that, in the prevailing high economic stress environment, the timing and manner, more than the quantum, of the increase was like throwing a lighted match into a gas-filled room. Other agencies of government and private sector organisations contemplating such an action, take note.

People in policymaking positions, especially in government, must understand that mere sermonising about the necessity of staying the course and enduring the hardships imposed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is not enough. I empathise with Minister of Labour and Social Security Derrick Kellier, but must point out the error in his approach. In an article headlined ‘Kellier lashes Government’s critics on IMF agreement’, on May 24, 2015, the Sunday Observer reported the minister saying the following: “We have no option at this time but to endure the stringencies and fiscal discipline imposed under the Economic Reform Programme. We should remember, as well, that the absence of such a programme prior to now placed us not only among the most indebted nations in the world, but caused the economy to stagnate for all of some 40 years, and placed it on the brink of credit default.”

If Minister Kellier understands the phenomenon of economic stress, he will also understands why these true and valid statements spoken by him and his political colleagues, by co-chairmen of Economic Programme Oversight Committee Richard Byles and Ralston Hyman, and by other well-intentioned people, incite anger when directed at teachers, police, and other public sector workers who have not received a pay increase for up to six years, and everybody else whose income has not kept pace with the rising cost of living. Saying people are playing politics, that they are lacking a spirit of nationalism, or moralising about their behaviour, will not prevent the impending explosion. A nation that is economically stressed cannot be healed by motivational speakers or spin doctors.

Without using the words economic stress, Ian Boyne, in one of his recent newspaper columns, did a clinical diagnosis of the situation that is bringing increasing numbers of Jamaicans to the brink of despair. He wrote: “Many parents don’t have jobs or are unemployed and, consequently, can’t find the lunch money and bus fares for their little girls. They can’t offer the ice cream or KFC or Burger King meals. Some dirty old men can — and will. And their offers will be welcome. Poor people are not genetically more immoral than uptown people. Their economic circumstances predispose them to certain economic evils. If we don’t fix the economy and create an equitable, just society, where the fruits of economic growth are enjoyed by the broad masses, you could send your children to every church in Jamaica, have national campaigns every day in every community, strengthen the police and legislation to deal with sexual abuse, the problem will not go away.” Good job, Ian. Now, like a good doctor, give the disease the correct name. It is economic stress.

I am making this bold recommendation. In addition to the key economic indicators used by the IMF to determine if Jamaica passes or fails the quarterly tests, add one more; the Household Economic Stress Index (HESI) to measure the amount of stress household budgets are feeling in response to changing macro-economic conditions. Celebrating the passing of IMF tests without measuring the human casualty is tantamount to a driver gleefully watching the upward sweep of the speedometer needle, content that he will soon arrive at his destination, while taking his eyes off the gas tank needle moving in the opposite direction. He may well run out of gas before he reaches.

Dr Robert M Brown, author of Economic Stress: Harsh Truths & Keys to Empowerment, wrote in the foreword: “Economic stress is a public health epidemic in many cities across America. Since the beginning of the Great Recession in late 2007, economic stress has significantly affected the capacity of millions of Americans to achieve the American dream. In fact, the dream will be far more elusive for a growing number of citizens across the country. Unemployment, job scarcity, outsourcing, low wages, and insufficient training programmes for young and older workers have made attaining the American dream more challenging than in previous generations.”

As a first step, our policymakers and those in charge of the commanding heights of the economy need to display candour in admitting that economic stress in Jamaica has reached boiling point.