The harder times become …

Economically speaking there are a number of ways that show how times are very bad in Jamaica and that it’s likely things are going to get even worse.

Bauxite - a knock on effect of a global downturn in car production means less demand for aluminium and alloys, hundreds of jobs have been lost in Jamaica’s bauxite industry.  Job losses also hugely in tourism, construction, finance and even at the rum factory.

Debt burden – Jamaica owes a trillion dollars in debt so government will not be able to invest in spending programmes to stimulate growth.

Remittances – some people rely on the money sent to them via Western Union and the like,  from abroad.  With relatives in the UK and the US losing their jobs and tightening their belts, less money is coming in this way.

Food prices – going up.  Imports continue to outstrip exports see details on this here This makes the cost of living extremely high.

Personal stories of hardship are not unfamiliar in a place which has always experienced terrible poverty.  Perhaps the new story of hardship in 2009 is that it is effecting the people who had previously thought of themselves as doing OK, who were holding their heads above water – who did have a job and regular income, who are living in the new build properties but who are now facing huge uncertainty.

Cheap Chicken ?

The decision has been made to increase the imports of chicken into Jamaica for Christmas.  The ministry of agriculture says it’s to satisfy demand over the busy period and to give shoppers a cheap alternative to locally sourced chicken.

I think it’s terribly short sighted and likely to backfire at a time when food security is really on shaky ground in Jamaica. 

Local farmers  say that they have already factored in the increased demand over Christmas and are obviously very worried about their business.  It would have to be made clear that the import permits are only for the christmas period – but even if they are (which is far from clear) it will be bad for the local economy as money that could have been going into the Jamaican economy is going out – on yet more imports. 

Yes Jamaicans love their chicken – go to any one of KFC restaurants or, as I prefer get some chicken cooking on the red hills road on a friday night in Kingston and ask the people if they would pay a little more for their chicken if they thought this would keep prices on a level.  By damaging the local poultry industry in this way, depresses local income and leaves Jamaica even more wide open to currency fluctuations and yet more rising food prices in the future.