In the past, the Jamaican government has tried to help the lower classes through social reform, but due to the country's economic conditions, the government lacks sufficient funding. In the 1970’s, an economic recession began due to an increasing budget deficit. Because of the budget deficit, welfare payments were cut, which affected the lower class drastically. Tourism, which is important to Jamaica’s economy, was hurt because of political violence within the country in the 70’s and again in the 90’s. Today, the Jamaican economy is faced with several long-term economic problems including high interest rates, exchange rate instability, and increasing internal debt (Jamaican Poverty and Homelessness). On the northern coast, in the suburbs of Kinston, their are first class citizens, but not far from there, there are people living in pure poverty. These people have poor housing, limited food supply, and inadequate water (Jamaica Poverty and Wealth). The former president of the Seventh-day Adventist-run Northern Caribbean University said, "The number of Jamaicans who presently live below the poverty line is unacceptable for a country of this size with people as proud as we are" (One Million Jamaicans Below Poverty Line). Much of Jamaica's economy was shaped by violence, plunder, and slavery. Hundreds of lives were wasted on sugar plantations for Britain (Jamaica's Decades of Debt Are Damaging Its Future). The Gleaner stated that "Jamaica has never been a rich country, but over several decades, the emphasis has been on the politics, rather the economy" (Jamaica Gleaner Letters).
In the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, article 25 states that all humans have the right to adequate living standards. This a right that many Jamaicans don't possess; something must be done about it. There are multiple countries that have a wide variety of resources, but choose to only provide for their people. Although many countries supply a helping hand to third world countries, such as Jamaica, it has yet to make a bigger impact. Poverty in Jamaica should not go on any longer. Its time to take a stand and let the Jamaican voices be heard.
Dearden, Nick. "Jamaica's Decades of Debt Are Damaging Its Future." The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 29 Jan. 0016. Web. 25 May 2013.
"Jamaican Poverty and Homelessness." Jamaican Poverty and Homelessness. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 May 2013.
"LETTER OF THE DAY -Curtailing Poverty in Jamaica." Jamaica Gleaner Letters RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 May 2013.
"One Million Jamaicans Below Poverty Line." Jamaica Observer News. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 May 2013.
"Poverty." Food For The Poor. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 May 2013.
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ReplyDelete-Amber Healy