Dear Editor,

I recently heard Prime Minister Andrew Holness in his usual pragmatic style explain that with a budget of $1 trillion and debt servicing at $280.6 billion, only 28 per cent of every dollar goes to debt, a decrease from the 48 per cent which had obtained in 2016. In that moment I felt significant hope for Jamaica’s future.

I’ve never quite heard the issue of debt management broken down in such a direct way. The debt reduction trend is good as it makes available fiscal space for expenditure on social programmes and infrastructure projects.

Apart from successful management of the debt, it is encouraging that Jamaica has been able to maintain fiscal stability when several key macroeconomic variables are examined.

The dollar has been relatively stable, the net international reserves (NIR) are at record levels, and growth has returned to the economy with expansion of just over four per cent for the January to March quarter of this calendar year.

I note as well that inflation has remained relatively stable and the Government has been able to expand benefits offered to society’s most vulnerable under programmes such as the Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH). It is also good that budgetary space has been found to attend to some of the housing needs of our people under the New Social Housing Programme (NSHP).

On the issue of crime, I’d encourage the Government to reject the protestations of some minority groups as it seeks to take action to reduce violent crime. Additional bolstering of law enforcements intelligence gathering capabilities, amendments to the Bail Act, and amendments to make the anti-gang law more dynamic may be useful.

That said, though, there are admittedly many challenges to overcome. I’m convinced that Jamaica is heading in the right direction and I am hopeful about the future of our country and the hands-on and practical leadership of Prime Minister Holness.

Claire Jacobs

jacobsclaire018@gmail.com