Jamaica

A teacher works with students during a remedial education class at a local NGO. This program is part of USAID’s effort to support at-risk youth.

Overview

While Jamaica enjoys significant strides in its social, economic, and political history, the country is challenged by a persistent fiscal deficit and heavy indebtedness. These challenges are exacerbated by the global economic crisis.  At the end of 2009, the average unemployment rate was 11.4 percent, with youth unemployment doubling the national average. (The Planning Latitude of Jamaica (PIOJ) Economic and Social Survey 2009). The United Nations Development Program Human Development Report 2009 ranks Jamaica at 100 out of 182. The country has embarked on its first long-term strategic plan. Vision 2030 Jamaica – National Development Plan is a national multi-sectoral drive to make Jamaica the place of choice to live, work, do business, and raise families (Vision 2030 Jamaica).
A combination of high rates of unemployment, crime, and corruption are some of the factors impeding Jamaica’s improved competitiveness.  Frequent natural disasters impact key sectors such as tourism and agriculture. Jamaica is the U.S.’s third largest trading partner in the Caribbean. Over the last five years, the U.S. has also accounted for the largest share of foreign direct investment in the country.  Jamaica attracts over 1 million travelers from the U.S. each year.  Hence, the country’s political, economic, and social conditions directly affect U.S. national interests.

Programs

Governing Justly & Democratically

Through the Community Empowerment and Transformation project, USAID/Jamaica focuses on four components: increased citizen participation in security, i.e. youth participation and civic engagement; public education; partnership building; and institutional strengthening. USAID supports the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) by addressing institutional hurdles that hinder the effectiveness and sustained delivery of community policing. The JCF and the Ministry of National Security maintain that the most serious threats to national security come from gangs and transnational criminal networks. Therefore, USAID is funding the development of gang violence prevention strategies and sub-regional partnerships between law enforcement agencies and security stakeholders. To increase the level and quality of citizen participation in security, the project is helping to tackle corruption at varying levels by promoting youth participation in civic engagement and helping to strengthen the national integrity system. Due to the economic dimension of community safety and security and the direct relationship between youth employment and violent crime, the project supports micro-enterprise to create job opportunities through technical, financial, and policy support to private and public sectors.

Economic Growth

USAID’s economic growth program provides technical assistance to reduce bottlenecks within the legislative and regulatory framework. Streamlining development approvals and other business processes will support the enhancement of Jamaica’s regional and global competitiveness. In promoting economic prosperity and sustainable development, USAID is also supporting increased agricultural production. This includes increasing access to market information and financial services, as well as exposing selected farmers to improved marketing production and disaster mitigation practices, while discouraging environmentally damaging hillside farming practices.  Programs also focus on workforce development opportunities, particularly among women and youth, including training in job skills, information technology, and entrepreneurship.

Investing In People

USAID supports the National HIV Program by providing financial assistance to the Ministry of Health for behavior change interventions and improved data collection to better target related programs in Jamaica. USAID will work with its partners to reduce HIV transmission among the most at-risk groups, and to reduce stigma and discrimination. USAID will continue to strengthen civil society actors and non-governmental organizations, while working with other USG agencies and donors to reduce the spread and impact of HIV through sustainable systems of universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care, and support.

USAID is helping to improve the literacy and numeracy skills of primary school children by providing educational and life skills programs for out-of-school youth, making educational financing more sustainable through public/private partnerships, while encouraging parent and community participation to improve the quality and relevance of education. USAID will continue to support the national Education Transformation effort by financing policy studies and public consultations to build consensus around education reform.  Special emphasis will be placed on increased quality, access, and equity across genders and socio-economic groups. Best practices gleaned from the most recent education projects will be applied to the new program serving 250 primary schools across Jamaica. These include Expanding Educational Horizons and the Caribbean Center for Excellence in Teacher Training (C-CETT).