The Jamaica Labour Party has picked up right where the People’s National Party left off in its disastrous march over the cliff toward defeat in the national polls. We have heard nothing from the new Government to suggest that it will speak in language that the ghetto dweller understands or pursue actions that directly address issues that keep him perpetually mired in poverty.

The progressive agenda on which all parties come to power is being sacrificed on the altar of economic expediency; predicated as it is on a misdiagnosis of the factors that have placed Jamaica’s economy in the unenviable position of being the most underperforming of any country in the world relative to our God-given assets. What we get in the end is trickle-down economics that widen the gap between the rich and the poor, and shut out large swaths of our citizens from contributing meaningfully to the mainstream economy.

None of the bold and innovative moves being taken by the Government will achieve the intended growth objectives until we fix the problems of our marginalised communities where the majority of our citizens live. I applaud the setting up of the Economic Growth Council (EGC) chaired by Michael Lee-Chin. But the brief is wrong. These ambassadorial positions are tantamount to running away from the problem.

The solution to Jamaica’s problems is not to be found in India, China, the Asian “tiger” countries or wherever else these talented persons are titled to go and find investments to bring back to Jamaica. The solution is in Trench Town, Tivoli, Flankers and scores of other such communities scattered across the length and breadth of Jamaica. Has anybody stopped to consider that the five per cent GDP (Gross Domestic Product) growth in four years promised by the chairman of the EGC is almost the same as the estimated growth Jamaica would experience if we could reduce the level of crime and violence to that of Costa Rica?

What would have been the mood of the country if, instead of the emasculation of Jampro, which against insurmountable odds has done a good job of attracting investments to Jamaica, the prime minister had charged the EGC with mobilising knowledge, science and technology, and financial resources in the private sector towards transforming zones of social and economic exclusion (political garrison communities) to zones of opportunities, investment and wealth?

It would be like a breath of fresh air ushering in an era of unprecedented partnership between marginalised communities and corporate Jamaica. A more useful role for Lee-Chin, Aubyn Hill and Nigel Clarke, all of whom made their name and fortune in the private sector, can be gleaned from the following three quotable quotes.

The first is by Jacob K Javits, Republican member of the United States Senate: “Private enterprise cannot continue to expand and prosper if a large and disaffected element in our population – the poor, slum or ghetto dweller – is unable to buy the products we make, or afford the services we provide.” The second is by Henry Ford II, board chairman, Ford Motor Company: “Bringing these disadvantaged people out of the ghettos and into the mainstream of the American economy is a goal that can be accomplished only if business grabs the heavy end of the load.”

The third is by Senator Robert F Kennedy: “Apply to these problems the same imagination and initiative that’s made such a difference to American enterprise throughout history.”

In their book,

Building Communities from the Inside Out, John Kretzmann and John McKnight say there are two paths to transforming communities. The first, the needs analysis approach, begins by focusing on a community’s needs, deficiencies and problems (unemployment, gangs, crime, illiteracy, slum housing, truancy, etc). The second path, referred to as ABCD – Asset-Based Community Development – begins with discovering a community’s capacities and assets. Depending on which of the two paths one takes, one gets different results.

The first path, focusing on needs and throwing money in the direction of the needy, inevitably leads to dependency and client communities. This is the traditional path; the path most travelled. Aided and abetted by bilateral and multilateral development partners, Jamaica has travelled down this path over 55 years of its Independence. Hardly anyone will argue with the observation that the problems of poverty, crime, violence, human trafficking, you name it, are worse today than they were 50 years ago despite the expenditure of billions of US dollars.

The idea that each community has a unique combination of assets upon which to build a prosperous future is taking hold. Starting with an inventory of talents and skills of community residents, one goes on to identify local institutions (churches, schools, libraries), waste lands and abandoned buildings, parks and common areas, citizens’ and non-government associations, micro and small businesses, few of which are being mobilised for community-building purposes. This approach opens up opportunities for collaboration between marginalised communities and corporate entities acting in their own self-interest. Who knows better than entrepreneurs and their businesses how to leverage assets for wealth creation?

This is the kind of fresh thinking we need in order to solve systemic problems hindering economic growth; problems such as how to release the talent that is in our communities. There is much more to be found in these communities than athletic and sporting prowess.

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hmorgan@cwjamaica.com