Jamaica 54 is right around the corner and celebrations have already been well underway, leading up to the big annual Independence Day Grand Gala tomorrow. From fairs, to concerts, farmer’s markets and more these events present something for everybody to enjoy as Jamaica rejoices over 54 years of accomplishments as an independent nation. 

And yes, our little island has racked up a tremendous amount of achievements in the small amount of years it’s been independent. Here’s our opinion on the 10 greatest since 1962:

1) We created a whole genre of music. Reggae is a musical genre that is loved and celebrated all over the world. Though reggae originated out of older genres ‘reggae’ as a musical term first appeared in print with the 1968 Toots and the Maytals song

Do the Reggay. Reggae festivals are held in Canada, New Zealand, Philippines, The USA, France, Poland, Germany and so many other countries.

2) Jamaica holds the top spot globally for most women in managerial positions. This certainly speaks to the amazing resilience and intellect our women possess. A 2015 study by the International Labor Organization (ILO) entitled “Women in Business and Management, Gaining Momentum”, found that the proportion of women managers in Jamaica stood at 59.3 per cent. The US was ranked 15th in the list of 108 countries with 42.7 per cent women managers, while the United Kingdom was at 41st with 34.2 per cent.

3) One of the best tourist destinations in the world? Yup that’s Jamaica. People come from far a wide to experience the food, the beach and the people.

4) Our locally produced goods such as Red Stripe beer and jerk seasoning are recognised worldwide. Blue Mountain Coffee dates back as far 1885, and though Red Stripe and jerk seasoning were first produced before 1962, they’ve become highly sought after since independence.

5) Jamaica stands proud knowing that it was the first country in the western hemisphere that actively sought to boycott the apartheid system of racist segregation in South Africa. Former Premier Norman Manley officially banned trade and travel with South Africa in 1956 when Jamaica was still a colony of Britain but subsequent leaders after 1962 continued the fight and coupled with the influence of our black power movement and Rastafari, Jamaica is said to have been instrumental in breaking the system of apartheid.

6) Speaking of Rastafari, this religion is one of the only new movements of such global strength since the dawn of the 19th century. Rastafari began circa the 1930s, but with migration in the 1960s and 1970s and Bob Marley’s explosion as a global star, the movement has taken root worldwide.  

7) Currently Jamaica is the only Caribbean country with a children’s hospital. We also house the Heart Institute of the Caribbean here which is “the regional center for comprehensive and sophisticated diagnosis and management of all forms of heart diseases”.

8) Jamaica was the first Caribbean country to go to the Winter Olympics. Can we give our 1988 bobsleigh team a round of applaud please? Even qualifying for the winter Olympics when coming from a country that has never seen snow is quite the talented feat.

9) To date there is only one art school, and only one architecture school in the whole English-speaking Caribbean, The Edna Manley School of Arts and The Caribbean School of Architecture-UTECH. Both are in Jamaica. ‘Edna’ was founded in 1950 but many of the faculties have been added and improved since 1962.

10) And last but certainly not least, Jamaica is a global powerhouse in the sporting field of athletics, more specifically track and field. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Usain Bolt, Veronica Campbell Brown, Asafa Powell and we could go on and on. Year after year world class athletes are being produced from our very shores, people around the world fill whole stadiums to see athletes with the name Jamaica across their chest perform. If that isn’t something to be extremely proud of then what is?

So there you have it, out top 10 list of Jamaican accomplishments since 1962. Feel like we missed a few? Leave a comment down below and tell us what you think are some of Jamaica’s greatest achievements. Happy Jamaica 54!