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| Jamaica
PROFILE Official Name: Geography People Government Economy U.S.-JAMAICAN RELATIONS The Government of Jamaica also seeks to attract U.S. investment. An active
participant in the Summit of the Americas and its follow-on activities, the
Government of Jamaica supports efforts to create a Free Trade Area of the
Americans (FTAA). More than 80 U.S. firms have operations in Jamaica, and total
U.S. investment is estimated at more than $1 billion. An office of the U.S. and
Foreign Commercial Service, located in the embassy, actively assists American
businesses seeking trade opportunities in Jamaica. The "807A" program,
which guarantees access in the United States for garments made in Caribbean
Basin Initiative (CBI) countries from textiles woven and cut in the United
States, has opened new opportunities for investment and expansion in Jamaica.
The American Chamber of Commerce, which also is available to assist U.S.
businesses interested in Jamaica, has offices in Kingston and Montego Bay. U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) assistance to Jamaica since
its independence in 1962 has contributed to reducing the population growth rate,
the attainment of First World standards in a number of critical health
indicators, and the diversification and expansion of Jamaica's export base.
USAID's primary objective is promoting economic growth and reinforcing Jamaica's
commitment to the private sector. Other key objectives are improved
environmental quality and natural resource protection, as well as smaller,
better-educated families. In FY 2000, the USAID mission in Jamaica operated a
$11.8 million program. The Peace Corps has been in Jamaica continuously since 1962. Since then, over
3,300 volunteers have served in the country. Today, the Peace Corps works in the
following projects: Youth-at-Risk, which includes adolescent reproductive
health, HIV/AIDS education, and the needs of marginalized males; water
sanitation, which includes rural waste water solutions and municipal waste water
treatment; and environmental education, which helps address low levels of
awareness and strengthens environmental nongovernmental organizations. The Peace
Corps in Jamaica fields about 100 volunteers who work in every parish on the
island, including some inner-city communities in Kingston. Jamaica is a producer of marijuana and an increasingly significant cocaine
transshipment country. U.S. assistance has played a vital role in stemming the
flow of these drugs to the United States. In 2000, Jamaica eradicated 517
hectares of cannabis, seized 55.9 metric tons of marijuana, and seized 1,624
kilograms of cocaine. Effective cooperation between the DEA's Kingston country
office and Jamaican law enforcement contributed to more than 8,659 drug arrests
in 2000. In March 1998, the U.S. and Jamaica exchanged diplomatic notes bringing
into effect a maritime counternarcotics agreement that facilitates U.S.-Jamaican
counternarcotics operations. HISTORY After a long period of direct British colonial rule, Jamaica gained a degree
of local political control in the late 1930s, and held its first election under
full universal adult suffrage in 1944. Jamaica joined nine other U.K.
territories in the West Indies Federation in 1958 but withdrew after Jamaican
voters rejected membership in 1961. Jamaica gained independence in 1962,
remaining a member of the Commonwealth. Historically, Jamaican emigration has been heavy. Since the United Kingdom
restricted emigration in 1967, the major flow has been to the United States and
Canada. About 20,000 Jamaicans emigrate to the United States each year; another
200,000 visit annually. New York, Miami, Chicago, and Hartford are among the
U.S. cities with a significant Jamaican population. Remittances from the
expatriate communities in the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada make
increasingly significant contributions to Jamaica's economy. GOVERNMENT Parliament is composed of an appointed Senate and an elected House of
Representatives. Thirteen Senators are nominated on the advice of the prime
minister and eight on the advice of the leader of the opposition. General
elections must be held within 5 years of the forming of a new government. The
prime minister may ask the governor general to call elections sooner, however.
The Senate may submit bills, and it also reviews legislation submitted by the
House. It may not delay budget bills for more than 1 month or other bills for
more than 7 months. The prime minister and the Cabinet are selected from the
Parliament. No fewer than two nor more than four members of the Cabinet must be
selected from the Senate. The judiciary also is modeled on the U.K. system. The Court of Appeals is the
highest appellate court in Jamaica. Under certain circumstances, cases may be
appealed to the Privy Council of the United Kingdom. Jamaica's parishes have
elected councils that exercise limited powers of local government. Principal Government Officials Jamaica maintains an embassy in the United States at 1520 New Hampshire
Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 (tel. 202-452-0660). It also has consulates in
New York at 767 3rd Avenue, New York, NY 10017 (tel. 212-935-9000); and in Miami
in the Ingraham Building, Suite 842, 25 SE 2nd Avenue, Miami, FL 33131 (tel.
305-374-8431/2). POLITICAL CONDITIONS The two long-established political parties have historical links with two
major trade unions--the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) with the Bustamante
Industrial Trade Union (BITU) and the People's National Party (PNP) with the
National Workers Union (NWU). A third party, the National Democratic Movement
(NDM), was created in October 1995; it does not have links with any particular
trade union. For health reasons, Michael Manley stepped down as Prime Minister in March
1992 and was replaced by P.J. Patterson. Patterson subsequently led the PNP to
victory in general elections in 1993 and in December 1997. The 1997 victory
marked the first time any Jamaican political party has won three consecutive
general elections since the introduction of universal suffrage to Jamaica in
1944. The current composition of the lower house of Jamaica's Parliament is 49
PNP and 11 JLP. The JLP won a long-held PNP parliamentary seat in a March 2001
by-election. The NDM, a breakawayfaction of the JLP, failed to win any seats in
the 1997 election. Since the 1993 elections, the Jamaican Government, political parties, and
Electoral Advisory Committee have worked to enact electoralreform, with limited
success. In the 1997 general elections, grassroots Jamaican efforts,
supplemented by international observers, helped reduce the violence that has
tended to mar Jamaican elections. Local elections were held in 1998, when the
PNP won a decisive victory. Jamaican law requires that local elections be held
every 3 years; elections may be delayed through legislation. ECONOMY The country faces some serious problems but has the potential for growth and
modernization. The Jamaican economy suffered its fourth consecutive year of
negative growth (0.4%) in 1999. In 2000, Jamaica may have experienced its first
year of positive growth since 1995. All sectors excepting bauxite/alumina,
energy, and tourism shrank in 1998 and 1999. This reduction in aggregate demand
and output is the result of the government's continued tight macroeconomic
policies. In part, these policies have been successful. Inflation has fallen
from 25% in 1995 to 6.1% in 2000. Through periodic intervention in the market,
the central bank also has prevented any abrupt drop in the exchange rate. The
Jamaican dollar has been slipping, despite intervention, resulting in an average
exchange rate of J$43.5 to the US$1.00 (2000). Weakness in the financial sector, speculation, and lower levels of investment
erode confidence in the productive sector. The government continues its efforts
to raise new sovereign debt in local and international financial markets in
order to meet its U.S. dollar debt obligations, to mop up liquidity to maintain
the exchange rate and to help fund the current budget deficit. Jamaican Government economic policies encourage foreign investment in areas
that earn or save foreign exchange, generate employment, and use local raw
materials. The government provides a wide range of incentives to investors,
including remittance facilities to assist them in repatriating funds to the
country of origin; tax holidays which defer taxes for a period of years; and
duty-free access for machinery and raw materials imported for approved
enterprises. Free trade zones have stimulated investment in garment assembly,
light manufacturing, and data entry by foreign firms. However, over the last 5
years, the garment industry has suffered from reduced export earnings, continued
factory closures, and rising unemployment. This may be attributed to intense
competition, absence of NAFTA parity, drug contamination delaying deliveries,
and the high cost of operation, including security costs. The Government of
Jamaica hopes to encourage economic activity through a combination of
privatization, financial sector restructuring, reduced interest rates, and by
boosting tourism and related productive activities. FOREIGN RELATIONS Jamaica is an active member of the British Commonwealth and the Non-Aligned
Movement (G-77). Jamaica is a beneficiary of the Lome Conventions, through which
the European Union (EU) grants trade preferences to selected states in Asia, the
Caribbean, and the Pacific, and has played a leading role in the negotiations of
the successor agreement in Fiji in 2000. Historically, Jamaica has had close ties with the U.K., but trade, financial,
and cultural relations with the United States are now predominant. Jamaica is
linked with the other countries of the English-speaking Caribbean through the
Caribbean Community (CARICOM), and more broadly through the Association of
Caribbean States (ACS). In January 2000, Jamaica began serving a 2-year termon
the United Nations Security Council. Prime Minister Patterson visited Cuba at the end of May 1997. In the fall of
1997, Jamaica upgraded its consulate in Havana to an embassy, and the
nonresident Jamaican ambassador to Cuba was replaced by a resident ambassador. Principal U.S. Officials The U.S. Embassy in Jamaica is at 2 Oxford Road, Jamaica Mutual Life Center,
Kingston (tel. 876- 929-4850). The Consular section is at 16 Oxford Road,
Kingston (tel. 876-929-4850). The USAID Mission is at 2 Haining Road, Kingston (tel. 876-926-3645). The
Peace Corps is at 1A Holborn Road, Kingston (tel. 876-929-0495). Log on the internet to: http://www.usembassy.state.gov/kingston
for more information about Jamaica, the U.S. embassy and its activities, and
current contact information. Other Contact Information American Chamber of Commerce of Jamaica Caribbean/Latin American Action
TRAVEL AND BUSINESS INFORMATION Emergency information concerning Americans traveling abroad may be obtained from the Office of Overseas Citizens Services at (202) 647-5225. For after-hours emergencies, Sundays and holidays, call 202-647-4000. Passport information can be obtained by calling the National Passport Information Center's automated system ($.35 per minute) or live operators 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. (EST) Monday-Friday ($1.05 per minute). The number is 1-900-225-5674 (TDD: 1-900-225-7778). Major credit card users (for a flat rate of $4.95) may call 1-888-362-8668 (TDD: 1-888-498-3648). It also is available on the internet. Travelers can check the latest health information with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia. A hotline at 877-FYI-TRIP (877-394-8747) and a web site at http://www.cdc.gov/travel/index.htm give the most recent health advisories, immunization recommendations or requirements, and advice on food and drinking water safety for regions and countries. A booklet entitled Health Information for International Travel (HHS publication number CDC-95-8280) is available from the U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402, tel. (202) 512-1800. Information on travel conditions, visa requirements, currency and customs regulations, legal holidays, and other items of interest to travelers also may be obtained before your departure from a country's embassy and/or consulates in the U.S. (for this country, see "Principal Government Officials" listing in this publication). U.S. citizens who are long-term visitors or traveling in dangerous areas are encouraged to register at the U.S. embassy upon arrival in a country (see "Principal U.S. Embassy Officials" listing in this publication). This may help family members contact you in case of an emergency. |
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