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U.S. Department of State

Background Notes: Jamaica, March 1998

Released by the Bureau of Inter-American Affairs.

Official Name: Jamaica

PROFILE

Geography

Area: 10,991 sq. km. (4,244 sq. mi.).
Cities: Capital--Kingston (pop. 566,200). Other cities--Montego Bay (85,500), Spanish Town (112,000).
Terrain: Mountainous.
Climate: Tropical.

People

Nationality: Noun and adjective--Jamaican(s).
Population (July 1995 est.): 2,574,291.
Annual growth rate (1995 est.): 0.78%.
Ethnic groups: African 90.9 %, East Indian 1.3%, Chinese 0.2%, White 0.2%, mixed 7.3%, other 0.1%.
Religions: Anglican, Baptist and other Protestant, Roman Catholic, Rastafarian.
Language: English.
Education: Years compulsory--to age 14. Literacy (age 15 and over)--85%.
Health (1995 est.): Infant mortality rate--16.1/1,000. Life expectancy (1995 est.)--74.65 yrs.
Work force (1996): 1.2 million. Industry--20%. Agriculture--23%. Services --57 %.

Government

Type: Constitutional parliamentary democracy.
Independence: August 6, 1962.
Constitution: August 6, 1962.
Branches: Executive--Governor General (chief of state, representing British monarch), Prime Minister, cabinet. Legislative--bicameral Parliament (21 appointed senators, 60 elected representatives). Judicial--Court of Appeal and courts of original jurisdiction.
Subdivisions: 14 parishes, 60 electoral constituencies.
Political parties: People's National Party (PNP), Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), National Democratic Movement (NDM).
Suffrage: Universal at 18.

Economy (1996)

GDP: $5.5 billion.
Real growth rate: 0.5%.
Per capita GDP: $2,171.
Natural resources: Bauxite, gypsum, limestone.
Agriculture: Products--sugar, bananas, coffee, citrus fruits, allspice.
Industry: Types--bauxite and alumina, tourism, garment assembly, processed foods, sugar, rum, cement, metal, paper, chemical products.
Trade: Exports--$1.4 billion: alumina, bauxite, sugar, bananas, garments, citrus fruits and products, rum, cocoa. Major markets--U.S. 36.6%, U.K. 13.4%, Canada 10.8%, Norway 7.6%, The Netherlands 7.6%, CARICOM 4.2%. Imports--$2.8 billion: machinery, transportation and electrical equipment, food, fuels, fertilizer. Major suppliers--U.S. 50.5%, CARICOM 8.7%, Japan 6.7%, U.K. 4.1%, Canada 3.6%, Venezuela 2.0%.
Official exchange rate: J$35.33=US$1.

U.S.-JAMAICAN RELATIONS

The United States maintains close and productive relations with the Government of Jamaica. Prime Minister Patterson has visited Washington, DC, several times since assuming office in 1992, and has met with President Clinton and other senior U.S. Government officials. In May 1997, Prime Minister Patterson joined President Clinton and 14 other Caribbean leaders during the first-ever U.S.-regional summit in Bridgetown, Barbados. The summit strengthened the basis for regional cooperation on justice and counternarcotics issues, finance and development, and trade.

The United States is Jamaica's most important trading partner: The bilateral trade in goods in 1995 amounted to $1.9 billion. Jamaica is a popular destination for American tourists--over 800,000 Americans visited in 1997, and the Jamaican Government hopes to increase that number. In addition, some 8,000 American citizens, including many dual-nationals born on the island, permanently reside in Jamaica.

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 fully supports efforts to create a Free Trade Area of the Americans (FTAA) by 2005. 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 is also 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, 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 FY96, the USAID mission in Jamaica operated a $11.2 million program.

The Peace Corps engages in projects designed to facilitate the growth and soundness of community-based organizations at the local level. Projects focus in one of four sectors: environment, business development, education/youth at risk, and health. The target groups for all sectors are the "poorest of the poor," i.e., women, youth, physically/mentally handicapped, and the unemployed/unemployable. Peace Corps' impact is at a grassroots-level. Over the long term, the 6,000 volunteers who have served in Jamaica have fostered a better understanding between Jamaicans and Americans. Moreover, Peace Corps' concentration of skills transfer has improved the capacity of the Jamaican people with whom the volunteers have worked.

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 1997, Jamaica eradicated 683 hectares of cannabis (compared to 473 hectares in 1996), seized 24 metric tons of marijuana (compared to 53 metric tons in 1996), and seized 414 kilograms of cocaine (compared to 236 kilograms in 1996). Effective cooperation between the DEA's Kingston country office and Jamaican law enforcement contributed to more than 3,350 drug arrests in 1997. In March 1998, the U.S. and Jamaica exchanged diplomatic notes bringing into effect a maritime counternarcotics agreement that is expected to help facilitate U.S.-Jamaican counternarcotics operations.

HISTORICAL HIGHLIGHTS

Arawaks from South America had settled in Jamaica prior to Christopher Columbus' first arrival to the island in 1494. During Spain's occupation of the island, starting in 1510, the Arawaks were exterminated by disease, slavery, and war. Spain brought the first African slaves to Jamaica in 1517.

In 1655, British forces seized the island, and in 1670, Great Britain gained formal possession. Sugar and slavery made Jamaica one of the most valuable possessions in the world for more than 150 years. The British Parliament abolished slavery as of August 1, 1834.

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 immigrate to the United States each year; another 200,000 visit annually. New York, Miami, Chicago, and Hartford are among the U.S. cities with 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

The 1962 Constitution established a parliamentary system based on the U.K. model. As chief of state, Queen Elizabeth II appoints a governor-general, on the advice of the prime minister, as her representative in Jamaica. The governor-general's role is largely ceremonial. Executive power is vested in the cabinet, led by the prime minister.

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 five 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 one month or other bills for more than seven 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

Governor General--Sir Howard Cooke
Prime Minister and Minister of Defence--P.J. Patterson
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade--Seymour Mullings
Minister of Finance and Planning--Dr. Omar Davies
Minister of Industry and Investment--Dr. Paul Robertson
Minister of National Security and Justice--K.D. Knight
Ambassador to the United States and the Organization of American States (OAS)--Dr. Richard Bernal
Ambassador to the United Nations--M. Patricia Durrant

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 866 2nd Avenue, 2 Hammarskjold Plaza, New York, NY 10017 (tel. 212-935-9000); and in Miami at Ingraham Building, Suite 842, 25 SE 2nd Avenue, Miami, FL 33131 (tel. 305-374-8431/34).

POLITICAL CONDITIONS

Jamaica's political system is stable. However, the country's serious economic problems have exacerbated social problems and have become the subject of political debate. High unemployment--averaging 16.2% in 1996--rampant underemployment, inflation, high interest rates, and labor unrest are the most serious economic problems. The migration of unemployed people to urban areas, coupled with an increase in the use and trafficking of narcotics--crack cocaine and ganja (marijuana)--contribute to a high level of violent crime, especially in Kingston.

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 his long-time deputy, P.J. Patterson. Patterson subsequently led the PNP to victory in general elections in 1993 and in December 1997. The 1997 victory marks 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 50 PNP and 10 JLP. The NDM, a breakaway faction of the JLP, failed to win any seats in the 1997 election.

Following the 1993 elections, the Jamaican Government, political parties, and Electoral Advisory Committee have worked to enact electoral reform. A U.S. firm was awarded a $14 million contract to institute a revolutionary electronic-based voter registration system. In the 1997 general elections, grass-roots Jamaican efforts, supplemented by international observers, helped reduce the violence that has tended to mar Jamaican elections. Local elections were last held in 1990, when the PNP won a decisive victory. Jamaican law requires that local elections be held every three years; elections may be delayed through legislation. The government now pledges to hold new local government elections by the end of June 1998.

ECONOMY

Jamaica has natural resources, primarily bauxite, and an ideal climate conducive to agriculture and tourism. The discovery of bauxite in the 1940s and the subsequent establishment of the bauxite-alumina industry shifted Jamaica's economy from sugar and bananas. By the 1970s, Jamaica had emerged as a world leader in export of these minerals as foreign investment increased.

The country faces some serious problems but has the potential for growth and modernization. A major constraint on Jamaica's economic prospects is a heavy foreign debt of more than $3.4 billion; debt servicing consumes 46% of the budget. Tourist arrivals remain at record levels, but are increasingly affected by tourist concerns about harassment and violence.

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.

In an effort to moderate growth in inflation and stabilize the Jamaican dollar, the government has pursued a tight monetary policy, offering high rates of interest on government securities and requiring high levels of reserves in the financial sector. The Government of Jamaica has outlined its ambitious National Industrial Policy which has a horizon of 15 years and is expected to produce growth of 6% per year. The policy covers a wide range of sectors, including manufacturing and agriculture, and service industries such as tourism and telecommunications. The goal of the policy is to promote investment, increase productivity, and foster growth in sectors producing tradable goods and services.

Efforts are also being made to implement a social partnership between government, employees, trade unions, consumers, and the private sector. This social partnership is intended to create a more investment-friendly environment through an improved industrial relations climate.

FOREIGN RELATIONS

Jamaica has diplomatic relations with most nations, and is a member of the United Nations and the Organization of American States. In the follow-on meetings to the December 1994 Summit of the Americas, Jamaica--together with Uruguay--was given the responsibility of coordinating discussions on Invigorating Society. Jamaica also chairs the Working Group on Smaller Economies.

Jamaica is a member of the British Commonwealth. A member of the eight-nation Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG), Jamaica has been at the forefront of countries calling for the return of democracy to Nigeria. Jamaica is a beneficiary of the Lome IV Convention through which the European Union (EU) grants trade preferences to selected states in Asia, the Caribbean, and the Pacific.

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). As a member of CARICOM, Jamaica strongly backed efforts by the U.S. to implement UN Security Council Resolution 940, designed to facilitate the departure of Haiti's de facto authorities from power. Jamaica contributed more than 100 personnel to the multinational force, which restored the democratically elected Government of Haiti in October 1994. Jamaica is committed to the rebuilding of the Haitian economy and the continued strengthening of its democratic institutions.

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 non-resident Jamaican ambassador to Cuba was replaced by a resident ambassador.

Principal U.S. Officials

Ambassador--Stan L. McLelland
Deputy Chief of Mission--James Cason
Economic/Political Counselor--Robert Windsor
USAID Mission Director--Carole H. Tyson
Defense Attache--Cdr. M. David Moore
Chief, Military Liaison Office--Lt. Col. James White
Consul General--Dean Welty
Public Affairs Counselor--James Foster
Peace Corps Director--Janet Simoni

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. 876-926-5001). The Peace Corps is at 1A Holborn Road, Kingston (tel. 876-929-0495).

OTHER CONTACT INFORMATION

U.S. Department of Commerce
International Trade Administration
Trade Information Center
14th and Constitution Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20230
Tel: 800-USA-TRADE

American Chamber of Commerce of Jamaica
The Wyndham Hotel
77 Knutsford Boulevard
Kingston 5, Jamaica
Tel: (876) 929-7866/67
Fax: (876) 929-8597
E-Mail: odudley@mail.toj.com
(Branch in Montego Bay)

Caribbean/Latin American Action
1818 N Street, NW
Suite 310
Washington, DC 20036
Tel: (202) 466-7464
Fax: (202) 822-0075

TRAVEL AND BUSINESS INFORMATION

The U.S. Department of State's Consular Information Program provides Travel Warnings and Consular Information Sheets. Travel Warnings are issued when the State Department recommends that Americans avoid travel to a certain country. Consular Information Sheets exist for all countries and include information on immigration practices, currency regulations, health conditions, areas of instability, crime and security, political disturbances, and the addresses of the U.S. posts in the country.

Public Announcements are issued as a means to disseminate information quickly about terrorist threats and other relatively short-term conditions overseas which pose significant risks to the security of American travelers. Free copies of this information are available by calling the Bureau of Consular Affairs at 202-647-5225 or via the fax-on-demand system: 202-647-3000. Travel Warnings and Consular Information Sheets also are available on the Consular Affairs Internet home page: http://travel.state.gov and the Consular Affairs Bulletin Board (CABB). To access CABB, dial the modem number: (301-946-4400 (it will accommodate up to 33,600 bps), set terminal communications program to N-8-1 (no parity, 8 bits, 1 stop bit); and terminal emulation to VT100. The login is travel and the password is info (Note: Lower case is required). The CABB also carries international security information from the Overseas Security Advisory Council and Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security. Consular Affairs Trips for Travelers publication series, which contain information on obtaining passports and planning a safe trip abroad, can be purchased from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, P.O. Box 371954, Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7954; telephone: 202-512-1800; fax 202-512-2250.

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 Services information can be obtained by calling the 24-hour, 7-day a week 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).

Travelers can check the latest health information with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia. A hotline at (404) 332-4559 gives 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). Registering with the embassy may help you to replace lost identity documents or help family members contact you in case of an emergency.

Further Electronic Information:

Department of State Foreign Affairs Network. Available on the Internet, DOSFAN provides timely, global access to official U.S. foreign policy information. Updated daily, DOSFAN includes Background Notes; Dispatch, the official magazine of U.S. foreign policy; daily press briefings; Country Commercial Guides; directories of key officers of foreign service posts; etc. DOSFAN's World Wide Web site is at http://www.state.gov.

U.S. Foreign Affairs on CD-ROM (USFAC). Published on an annual basis by the U.S. Department of State, USFAC archives information on the Department of State Foreign Affairs Network, and includes an array of official foreign policy information from 1990 to the present. Contact the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, P.O. Box 371954, Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7954. To order, call (202) 512-1800 or fax (202) 512-2250.

National Trade Data Bank (NTDB). Operated by the U.S. Department of Commerce, the NTDB contains a wealth of trade-related information, including Country Commercial Guides. It is available on the Internet (www.stat-usa.gov) and on CD-ROM. Call the NTDB Help-Line at (202) 482-1986 for more information.

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