Mr. Manley Destroyed a Vibrant Jamaican Economy
RECENTLY Damion Crawford made a very damning statement about his own party and the way how they have mishandled the Jamaican economy by running it into the ground, when he encouraged Jamaicans to leave this Island taking their talents and all to build other countries.
While I will admit that based on the prevailing circumstances in this country, there is little in the way of alternatives. What is shocking though is that at two points in our history Jamaica was well on its way to first world status: in the 60’s and in the 80’s. During those two periods other countries like Singapore came to Jamaica, adopted what we had and it has propelled them, especially Singapore to first world status. In that time the Jamaican economy was producing goods and services that other Nations wanted and was becoming rich. People had hope for a better future and it is incontrovertible that we had less social ills to contend with. Jamaica’s youths had every chance to make something of themselves by staying right here at home.
But it was Mr. Crawford’s party that destroyed all the hopes and dreams of a better Jamaica starting in the 70’s with the misguided Socialist madness. Manley made sure that he destroyed the middle classes by telling them “there is five flights to Miami leaving Jamaica daily” so if you don’t like it here get on one of them. What he did was to send away all those entrepreneurs that were creating wealth in this country and driving economic growth that would guarantee Jamaica acquirng first world status. How can a country develop without a sound economic base that is founded upon the timeless principles of capitalism, which encourages private individuals to open up businesses and put their creative minds to wealthy use?
As the Great Winston Churchill once remarked about Socialism: “Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery’s. “ and misery was what indeed the Jamaican economy and its people was subjected to. By the end of Manley’s experiment with destruction, the Jamaican economy shrunk by 25%! We are still feeling the effects of that now. So Mr. Crawford should explain to the Jamaican people that his party contributed to the present situation where he is telling us: we all should just leave.
Mr. Manley apparently decided that a redistribution of wealth was in order to “save” Jamaicans at the bottom of the social ladder. At least that is the line of argument his supporters give. That was where he went most glaringly wrong. You do not redistribute wealth by taking it away from those that create it without substituting something of equal or greater wealth creating potential in its stead. The only way that makes sense in redistributing wealth is to continue to create wealth in greater amounts then tax that wealth in a way that generates revenue for the state and still accommodates the creators of wealth making enough for themselves so that there is an incentive to continue creating wealth. That wealth that is accumulated through taxation should then be used in ways that actually help people to make wealth for themselves, and to build schools, hospitals, or on infrastructure development.
That way persons enjoy the benefits of the state and the creators of wealth enjoy creating wealth. Isn’t that how Capitalism works? It’s remarkable that Manley could think that following the Soviet’s misguided economy principles was better than following the only true creator of wealth for any country: capitalism.In his defense many persons will give this explanation: Jamaicans were not benefiting from the growth in the economy and social upliftment was a challenge and black people didn’t have a say and weren’t better off. Now let’s understand something: Manley’s experiment with the devil, did not produce a heaven on earth of joy prosperity and perpetual bliss. What it did do however, was to make the masses worse off than they were at the time that he took over. People must understand that wealth in a Nation will not reach everybody at the same time. It reaches a lot of persons only after a long period of time-the trickle-down effect.
Why is it that everybody does not feel wealthy at once? It’s simple, it cannot happen. It’s not possible. To witness that widespread feeling, you would have to visit the mythical city of Shangri La. The way how things work practically is that government creates the enabling environment for creative ideas to flow into business ventures and those that have that business mindset take on the risks of starting up businesses. What then happens is that people that are not into business ventures themselves go into a contractual relationship with the owners of businesses and sell them their labour for a price. What then follows is that the money earned from these employers can be used to purchase goods and services and to improve the lives of the wage worker.
Some will say people were not being paid enough to survive so Manley had to do something. I assure you even if that was so, the correct way would have been to institute a minimum wage and set it at a rate that would guarantee a better life for the workers, not destroy the economic base of the country! The only worthy reflection of the re-distribution of wealth throughout an economy, is to provide jobs for the people to go to! That’s the only sustainable way to do it because persons can work for the money they need while the state is collecting taxes to make life easier for the citizenry by improving social services, allowing owners of businesses to make a profit. The Soviet Union didn’t redistribute wealth and make the poor wealthy. All it did was to create a class of wealthy people aligned to the leader at the time whilst the rest of the masses gets poorer. They never lived up to the ideals they espoused at all. They suffered the same problems that Capitalism suffers from.
Mr. Manley destroyed a healthy vibrant and productive economy, and uprooted the entrepreneurial class and the moment he did that Jamaica was doomed to fail. The goods and services were not being produced as there was nobody to produce them (the owners of Capital were all gone and government was ill prepared to step in and fill the gap left by them) and the state was in no position to sustain itself because there was just no economic base whatsoever to stand on. He eventually had to run to the IMF. What was the effect of all that on the country? A sense of hopelessness and regret as once people saw that they were not better off under him and that his ideology was not working they turned to the JLP under Mr.Seaga.
One of the world’s most dynamic and brightest leaders, former Prime Minister of Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew in his seminal work From Third World to First in recalling an experience at a 1975 Commonwealth Summit in Kingston stated, “Michael Manley presided with panache and spoke with great eloquence, but I found his views quixotic (impractical)… the policies of (his) government were ruinous”. Incidentally, Lee Kuan-Yew successfully moved his country from developing to developed country status. Under Michael Manley’s leadership as Prime Minister between 1972 and 1980 the economy lost between 17.5 and 25% per cent of its GDP; the national debt increased tenfold from JA$300 million to JA$3 billion, inflation ballooned by 250 per cent, revenues remained constant while expenditure galloped by 66 per cent. The budget deficit sprinted from 3.9 per cent to 17.5 per cent of GDP, probably the highest for any country not at war, investment buckled by 40 per cent of GDP, foreign exchange reserves were eviscerated, collapsing from US$239 million to negative US$549 million and unemployment increased by over 43 per cent moving from 182,000 to 271,000!
But alas the destruction was not over just yet.
Patterson and Omar were yet to come.
Mr. Seaga, undoubtedly the greatest finance minister we have ever had took over the reins of power in the 80’s and set about restructuring and rebuilding Jamaica into the economic juggernaut it was before. He succeeded tremendously.He returned growth to the Jamaican economy. As the chart taken from the website indexmundi.com shows below, that under his leadership there were only three years that the economy suffered negative growth. He did such a good job that in 1986-87 the economy expanded by 7 and 7.7% respectively. With growth rates like that who wouldn’t want to stay here? I’m certain no government Minister in the 1980’s was telling anybody to leave this country. Businesses returned to the country, the Caribbean basin initiative (CBI) created more opportunities for Jamaican businesses to export to other Nations and as the economy transitioned from being an economy based on domestic consumption and more towards export orientation.
Things were back on track again and hope was being restored. We had a manufacturing sector that was thriving, except for the 1980 election campaign. Murders we kept under control and people felt a lot safer. Inflation came down from the dizzying heights it reached under Manley. The cumulative effect that it had on the economy of this country and its people was a positive one. There was hope. That hope was dashed when the PNP returned to power and Patterson and Davies set about destroying everything that the JLP built. Our future was ruined. So Mr. Crawford is correct when he said we all should go and then send back remittances to this country. He should be ashamed of himself. The table below shows why the PNP is an albatross around Jamaica’s neck. They only manage growth rates worthy of note in 1990 and that was a spillover from the 80’s. No wonder Mr. Crawford is telling us to runaway leave Jamaica.
| Year | Gross domestic product |
| 1980 | -4.041 |
| 1981 | 4.42 |
| 1982 | 3.08 |
| 1983 | 4.153 |
| 1984 | 0.95 |
| 1985 | -0.9 |
| 1986 | 7 |
| 1987 | 7.7 |
| 1988 | -3.993 |
| 1989 | 4.7 |
| 1990 | 4.875 |
| 1991 | 1.032 |
| 1992 | 1.743 |
| 1993 | 1.7 |
| 1994 | 0.9 |
| 1995 | 2.521 |
| 1996 | -0.243 |
| 1997 | -1.595 |
| 1998 | -1.011 |
| 1999 | 1.048 |
| 2000 | 0.879 |
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A sensible analysis !
hats off!! so freaking true!!
This is totally capitalist propaganda…as if tiny Jamaica with limited natural resources exist in a vacuum
Often times, there is no beauty in the truth, and it is often bitter. I can understand why Jamaicans tend to dismiss this article out of hand, especially about the leadership of Michael Manley, who is looked up to as one who actually tried—TRIED—to address the problems of the poor. But Manley made an assumption that is common to ALL Socialists; they assume wealth is always available, and if the Socialists can just pry that wealth loose from the rich, and spend on all these social programs, the society will improve. This is what the Socialists believe, and consistently practice when they come to power; but in practice it fails to deliver the better society they envisioned. In Manley’s case, all the programs that were enacted for the poor, are EXPENSIVE to start, and even MORE EXPENSIVE to maintain. Who will pay for the teachers under FREE EDUCATION? Who will pay the providers of the FREE LUNCH? As for FREE HEALTH CARE, who will pay the doctors and nurses, and other practitioners of specialized medicine? Who will pay for the medicine? These and many other questions concerning the ‘financial logostics’ of helping the poor; and the Socialists’ only solution is tax the rich. To ‘squeeze them’. And they dare cry out, vilify them and declare them ‘class enemies’. The harsh reality is if you want to help the poor, you have wealth; and you have to be able to CREATE wealth, because it’s not cheap to meet their needs. Manley’s resonate to wealth-makers, to those who produce hire others, only made things worse. A few years into Manley’s second term, Manley declared, “We must produce or die!” It was like demanding victory in a 100m sprint after cutting off the feet! The best one can say about Michael Manley is he meant well, that had good intentions. But when it comes the national development, Jamaica is learning the hard and painful way that good intentions simply isn’t good enough.
Damian Crawford, going by the same propoganda, that he hears, but their is no truth to that, Manley love Jamaica with all his heart, in fact Manley did not say Socialism, the way other countries administer it, he said Socialism the Jamaican way. Damian Crawford has no knowledge of Manley, the great leader he was. Manley inspired many of my generation, he wasn’t happy that many of these professional had to leave, but many of the one’s that left, weren’t fit to be there. Discrimination was rampant, class warfare was prevalent in those period. Manley changed many of that, if you weren’t light skinned; you could not get a job in a Bank. give credit to this great Icon, many of you enjoying the fruit of his sufferings. It’s so sad to hear many of you talk shit about a person that is no longer here to defend hisself, what I would suggest; go do some research, the truth lies in the declassified CIA Files.
#HurricaneMichaelManley, the worst disaster to have hit Jamaica!
# HurricaneMichaelManley, the worst disaster to have hit Jamaica!
I
This article makes good reading and discussion.
Michael Manley was a “God send” for the airline industry in the 70’s…his “5 flights a day” speach caused a huge increase in ticket sales for them, as many business people took his advice, by high tailing it out of the island…along with the acquired wealth…naturally!
I think the way u study all the wrong things mr manley did , it would b so easy for a person like to make the country right, but first talk about education
At least someone has the guts to say it out loud
Cannot take a FAILED IDEOLOGY to the BANK , this why even the MOTHERLAND OF SOCIALISM call MOTHER RUSSIA, saw the FAILED IDEOLOGY OF SOCIALISM would not make a better future, then came CHINA, saw in the 1970s , and the FAILED PNP -MANLEY IDEOLOGY ignored the truth , even awaken CUBA AND NORTH KOREA is slowly laughing at themselves, MANLEY is a joke, he was more committed to his DELUDED FAILED THINKING . he was not a Realistic man to procure VISION as JAH DICTATE IN THE BIBLE. MANLEY thought USSR would finance him like CUBA, and again, FAILED TO SEE THE FUTURE of USSR to apply SELF-DESTRUCTION of MARX- LENIN for it was a MYTHICAL IDEOLOGY . All the DELUDED FOLLOWERS OF MANLEY cannot even be awaken with the truth, they are still dreaming of adoration of a MYTHICAL PARADISE that has never happened and will never happen in this ever changing world . The two word , CAPITALISM and COMMUNISM is the same, it means one objective, it is all about CONTROL, as long as human beings are materialistic, NEEDS TO EAT, NEEDS TO CHANGE CLOTHES, NEEDS TO THINK, it will be of objective of the few to CONTROL those needs and it is all for MIND CONTROL
Thanks for the facts .regardless the only way I see this changing is for the people who have been there since his time, with the same mentality plus greed . Will have to go, they too have not made any change for better.
If we had listened to Micheal Jamaica would not be in this state now.
One always need to look at context. There are a lot of truth in what u say but the analysis is also simplistic.
I guess if things were that great under Seaga why was he voted out. The analyst is biased n one sided
I could just about forgive the phrase ” … make something of themselves by staying right here at home.” I had to stop reading when ‘great’ was used to describe Winston Churchill. I did’t want to vomit up my lunch. We as Jamaicans must get out of this mental constipation of PNP/JLP. If we have to waste any words on discussing this topic then the sensible thing to do is to ask why Manley was voted in, why he was voted out; why Seaga was voted in; and why he was voted out. If we can go some way towards answering these questions then we may start getting some ease. Looks like we need a good dose of Brooklax.
do you know when black people could not work in d front of banks in jamaica
Micheal said self reliance eat what we grow let we run our country but we say that is communism so everyone say we want American policy what did it get us IMF we lose we banana industry to chiquita and dole America own we bauxite we lose milk industry sugar and everything else now we import everything from America I everything
Utilizing excerpts from the award-winning non-fiction text “A Small Place” by Jamaica Kincaid, Life & Debt is a woven tapestry of sequences focusing on the stories of individual Jamaicans whose strategies for survival and parameters of day-to-day existence are determined by the U.S. and other foreign economic agendas. By combining traditional documentary telling with a stylized narrative framework, the complexity of international lending, structural adjustment policies and free trade will be understood in the context of the day-to-day realities of the people whose lives they impact.
The film opens with the arrival of vacationers to the island– utilizing Ms. Kincaids text as voice-over, we begin to understand the profound contrasts behind the breathtaking natural beauty of the island. The poetic urgency of Ms. Kincaids text lends a first-person understanding of the legacy of the country’s colonial past, and to it’s present day economic challenges. For example, as we see a montage of the vacationer in her hotel, voice-over: “When you sit down to eat your delicious meal, it’s better that you don’t know that most of what you are eating came off a ship from Miami. There is a world of something in this, but I can’t go into it right now.” (adapted excerpt “A Small Place”)
As we begin to understand the post-colonial landscape outlined in Ms. Kincaids text, we cut to archival footage of Former Prime Minister Michael Manley in a post-independence speech condemning the IMF stating that “the Jamaican government will not accept anybody, anywhere in the world telling us what to do in our own country. Above all, we’re not for sale.”
Former Prime Minister Michael Manley was elected on a non-IMF platform in 1976. He was forced to sign Jamaica’s first loan agreement with the IMF in 1977 due to lack of viable alternatives– a global pattern common throughout the Third World. At present Jamaica owes over $4.5 billion to the IMF, the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) among other international lending agencies yet the meaningful development that these loans have “promised” has yet to manifest. In actuality the amount of foreign exchange that must be generated to meet interest payments and the structural adjustment policies which have been imposed with the loans have had a negative impact on the lives of the vast majority. The country is paying out increasingly more than it receives in total financial resources, and if benchmark conditionalities are not met, the structural adjustment program is made more stringent with each re negotiation. To improve balance of payments, devaluation (which raises the cost of foreign exchange), high interest rates (which raise the cost of credit), and wage guidelines (which effectively reduce the price of local labor) are prescribed. The IMF assumes that the combination of increased interest rates and cutbacks in government spending will shift resources from domestic consumption to private investment. It is further assumed that keeping the price of labor down will be an incentive for increasing employment and production. Increased unemployment, sweeping corruption, higher illiteracy, increased violence, prohibitive food costs, dilapidated hospitals, increased disparity between rich and poor characterize only part of the present day economic crisis.
In one segment addressing the Free Trade Zones, we meet workers who sew five-six days a week for American corporations to earn the legal minimum wage of $30 U.S./week ($1200 – $1500Jamaican dollars/week). The port of Kingston is lined with high-security factories, made available to foreign garment companies at low rent. These factories are offered with the additional incentive of the foreign companies’ being allowed to bring in shiploads of material there tax-free, to have them sewn and assembled and then immediately transported out to foreign markets. Over 10,000 women currently work for foreign companies under sub-standard work conditions. The Jamaican government, in order to ensure the employment offered, has agreed to the stipulation that no unionization is permitted in the Free Trade Zones. Previously, when the women have spoken out and attempted to organize to improve their wages and working conditions, they have been fired and their names included on a blacklist ensuring that they never work again. Free Trade Zones are encouraged by the U.S. government, for example projects financed by the U.S. Agency for International Development (U.S. AID) have used over $34,960,000 in U.S. tax dollars to target, persuade and provide incentives to American companies to relocate offshore in Jamaica. Yet now due to NAFTA, these dismal yet precious jobs are being lost to Mexico, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic.
Another segment tells the story of a chicken plant which had a flourishing business selling high-quality chicken to the domestic Jamaican market. Business has recently been undercut by U.S. “dumping” of low-grade chicken parts in Jamaica . While there are many restrictions on foods and goods imported into the U.S., there are often no restrictions on food and goods exported to foreign developing countries. Agreements such as NAFTA and the Caribbean Basin Initiative function to enforce this inequity under the guise of “free trade.”
Yes he made some mistake. However the analysis is way too simplistic. For one the writer assumes that the PNP did not came up with the minimum wage–I don’t think that’s true. Further capitalism is not perfect either. Obama have a major trying to save the middle class and the poor in America. The trickle down economy the author described as failed. Time and time again poor And middle class Americans who have jobs cannot make ends meet. The top 10% of the wealthiest owns about 80% of the wealth. And woe to the middle person who unfortunately had a major illness they would end up bankrupt. So that why I say the analysis is simplistic and citing Churchill does not explain what went wrong. truth be told Obama has to address some of those same issues to create a equitable society.
Am glad some one have the guys to come out n say it
All i can say , poppycock.
PAGE 2
Life & Debt includes a segment on the banana industry wherein Jamaica has been granted preferential treatment from the British through the Lome Convention, providing a tax-free import quota for 105,000 tons/fruit per year to England. Through a case the U.S. brought to the WTO, the U.S. government is demanding the Lome Convention quota removed, (although the U.S. does not grow bananas on its own soil) forcing Jamaica to compete with exporters from Central America and South America. Specifically Chiquita and Dole, which are U.S. companies who produce bananas on a large scale. Central America is characterized by cheaper labor, a different soil type, high rainfall and a climate suited to large-scale banana production and thus more efficient. In 1993, a strike at Chiquita Farms in Colombia wherein 25,000 workers protesting for better wages was settled by firing shots at the striking workers and killing 40 people and the banana ships rolled insuring Chiquita’s high rate of “efficiency.” Jamaica’s entire banana production could be produced by one farm in Central America. Banana’s bring in 23 million US to Jamaica, comprising 8% of all exports. Yet, in the Windward Islands, bananas account for 50% of total exports. In St. Lucia, St.Vincent, bananas also comprise significant % of total exports, so quota loss will impact the entire Caribbean. At present the European Union has granted $600 million to help Jamaica become more efficient in their banana production so that they may attempt to compete on the “free market” in year 2000. The quota that is being so forcefully contested by US multinationals is under 5% of all global banana production. It is unlikely that the banana industry here could match the price of bananas from Central America. Already the number of small banana growers on the island have shrunk from 45,000 to 3,000.
Every country aims to be self-sufficient in milk production. The milk farmers in the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, and the European Union all receive huge subsidies to keep their milk prices low. Thus when the milk solids from the U.S. or Europe are exported they are at an artificially low price due to support. Jamaica’s local production of milk was on a strong upward climb. In a 5 year period (1987-1992) the industry grew to 30 million liters, producing over 25% of the nations consumption, and was poised to rapidly increase production. In 1992, liberalization policies demanded that the import taxes placed on imported milk solids from Western countries be eliminated and subsidies to the local industry removed. In 1993, one year after liberalization, millions of dollars of unpasteurized local milk had to be dumped, 700 cows were slaughtered pre-maturely and several dairy farmers closed down operations. At present, the industry has sized down nearly 60% and continues to decline. It is unlikely the dairy industry will ever revitalise its growth.
Life & Debt aims to clarify the impact that these economic policies have on the day-to-day lives of the people they are said to benefit. The voting rights within the IMF are roughly proportionate to the contributions paid in by member nations. The breakdown of the democratic process becomes clear as the Jamaican people are removed from participation in the decisions that truly affect their lives. The IMF promotes an agenda of monetary austerity, currency devaluation, and lowering wages. The goal is to reduce inflation by balancing a nation’s loan repayments and imports with its export earnings. The result is usually a recession. The World Bank takes a longer run perspective. It aims for structural adjustment, which means trying to transform a borrower nation’s economy into a free- market economy. It typically proposes market deregulation, sometimes accompanied by new lending from the World Bank and private lenders. These policies are supposed to benefit Third World economies by integrating them into the global market. What actually happens is that Third World people suffer, while commercial banks in the North collect a great deal of interest. In Jamaica, only 5 percent of total money borrowed since 1977 has been able to stay inside the country.
The lessons of Jamaica–where these policies have been in effect for nearly twenty-five years–extend far beyond its shores. In nearby Haiti, former President Aristide was pressured to accept loans from the IMF; in Russia, billions in IMF loans have been accepted for the first time and the country is already suffering from the stringent conditions prescribed by the Fund; throughout Africa, countries struggle to meet scheduled adjustments. Life & Debt is a tribute to the ingenuity and strength of the people who defy the odds of survival, yet its primary aim is to inform young adult audiences in the U.S. of the impact these policies have on our neighbors abroad.
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Everyone blaming Micheal should watch this film life and debt
This story is propopanda as usual. Michael Manley’s problem was he loved and trusted the people of his country too much. Many Jamaicans especially the so called “UP A CLASS” despise Manley’s idea of trying to break down the class barriers. Many of whom were the light skin business people of Jamaica who feared that their status would be changed if Michael had his way. Many of them resisted the idea of such change them and still do now, because we strive on the SLAVE-MASTER MENTALITY. It was because of this resistance that Manley made the statement of the five flights to Miami. These are some of the same people who will go to their grave blaming Michael Manley because as Jamaicans we strive on CLASS STATUS. Many of our people quickly like to display their haves but believe that only a certain group of people should have. What we need to do is get past this and look at Michael’s Manley true contribution to nation building and to Jamaica. All the Social changes in Jamaica were implemented under Michael Manley’s regime.
1. Removal of the Bastardy Act and its replacement with the Status of Children Act 1976, giving all children equal status and entitlement. (A law that ended discrimination against children born out of wedlock).
2. The Maternity Leave with Pay Act 1979.
3. Implementation of the National Housing Trust
4. National Minimum Wage
5. Maternity leave with pay, gender equity in pay scales
6. National Service
7. National Literacy Programme (JAMAL etc.)
8. The right of workers to join trade unions
9. Land-Reform programme
10. Several schools, Jose Marti, Garvey Marceo, and G. C. Foster College were all build by Cuba on the invitation of Michael Manley. Hundreds of Jamaicans were able to go to school in Russia and Cuba on free scholarship. Thanks to Michael Manley.
Michael Manley’s administration vigorously promoted education, cooperative development, child welfare, community health, women’s rights, worker participation, and self-reliance at national and community levels. In promoting self-reliance, Manley often led communities in manual work to provide themselves with social facilities and amenities. (Health inspectors would go to schools to ensure that children were vaccinated.) In ensuring that children attended school they had a free lunch program, they were given uniform material so they had clothes to wear to school.
Michael Manley also tried to get the Caribbean to unite in an effort to build a Bauxite Smelting Plan in the Caribbean as he felt that other countries were making too much from the bauxite and not Jamaica. I could go on and on so for anyone who dear to criticize Michael Manley tell the nation if he was wrong to implement these changes and give me any other Jamaican Priminister be it PN.P or J.L.P. that has contributed to the nation building than Michael Manley did. Unfortunately many of his plans were sabotage by the J.L.P, Edward Seaga and other external forces.
Michael Manley was indeed Jamaican’s best hope and truly a great Prime Minister. Read your history for yourself people…
This story is propopanda as usual. Michael Manley’s problem was he loved and trusted the people of his country too much. Many Jamaicans especially the so called “UPPER CLASS” despise Manley’s idea of trying to break down the class barriers. Many of whom were the light skin business people of Jamaica who feared that their status would be changed if Michael had his way. Many of them resisted the idea of such change them and still do now, because we strive on the SLAVE-MASTER MENTALITY. It was because of this resistance that Manley made the statement of the five flights to Miami. These are some of the same people who will go to their grave blaming Michael Manley because as Jamaicans we strive on CLASS STATUS. Many of our people quickly like to display their haves but believe that only a certain group of people should have. What we need to do is get past this and look at Michael’s Manley true contribution to nation building and to Jamaica. All the Social changes in Jamaica were implemented under Michael Manley’s regime.
1. Removal of the Bastardy Act and its replacement with the Status of Children Act 1976, giving all children equal status and entitlement. (A law that ended discrimination against children born out of wedlock).
2. The Maternity Leave with Pay Act 1979.
3. Implementation of the National Housing Trust
4. National Minimum Wage
5. Maternity leave with pay, gender equity in pay scales
6. National Service
7. National Literacy Programme (JAMAL etc.)
8. The right of workers to join trade unions
9. Land-Reform programme/Land Lease
10. Several schools, Jose Marti, Garvey Marceo, and G. C. Foster College were all build by Cuba on the invitation of Michael Manley. Hundreds of Jamaicans were able to go to school in Russia and Cuba on free scholarship. Thanks to Michael Manley.
Michael Manley’s administration vigorously promoted education, cooperative development, child welfare, community health, women’s rights, worker participation, and self-reliance at national and community levels. In promoting self-reliance, Manley often led communities in manual work to provide themselves with social facilities and amenities. (Health inspectors would go to schools to ensure that children were vaccinated.) In ensuring that children attended school they had a free lunch program, they were given uniform material so they had clothes to wear to school.
11. Land Lease. Government land would be lease to farmers, they would be given a loan to farm and then the crops would be bought back from them.
Michael Manley also tried to get the Caribbean to unite in an effort to build a Bauxite Smelting Plan in the Caribbean as he felt that other countries were making too much from the bauxite and not Jamaica. I could go on and on so for anyone who dear to criticize Michael Manley tell the nation if he was wrong to implement these changes and give me any other Jamaican Priminister be it PN.P or J.L.P. that has contributed to the nation building than Michael Manley did. Unfortunately many of his plans were sabotage by the J.L.P, Edward Seaga and other external forces.
Michael Manley was indeed Jamaican’s best hope and truly a great Prime Minister. Read your history for yourself people…
Why is it that so many of us thinks Socialism is a bad thing, let me school those of you who are not schooled properly, that has poor comprehension skills. Now I wonder why many of you parent send you to School, all that investment Manley made went to waste, because you simply hasn’t learned anything new. Now, the Road you drive on, that’s Socialism, the School your mother sent you, that’s Socialism, the Hospital that you visit, that’s Socialism, that free lunch that you get, that’s Socialism. I just don’t know what school you went, Because if you had proper education, you would have know. I have never been to a school, but I knew that off the back. Jamaica’s biggest problem is the so called capitalism that we yearn for, and your father, the great Uncle Sam dosent practice such, that’s something of the past. America is a land of oligarchy, with a mix of Socialism. Stop slandering your government, appreciate what you have, if you don’t like it, you too can leave.
Many people know the truth about the 70s under Michael Manley’s leadership.The way he intended things to go were miscarried by some of his followers and the big propaganda machine ran with it to create trouble. Time will be the judge of it all.One great politician said Michael Manley was one of the tallest trees in the forest but politics separated them .One thing we can still learn to do is ‘Eat what we grow,grow what we eat”. JAMAICA LAND WE LOVE.
Well spoken bro..Basically you cannot kill the Goose that lays the golden egg and expected to still benefit from such priveledge
I am happy that we are now talking about the disaster Michael was. This is the Truth now for Reconciliation and Rebuilding.
another arm chair expert with 20/20 hindsight, always knowing the problem and never presenting an alternative or solution. Give a damn solution Mr. Knowitall.
Look the fact of the matter is, 10% of the population had all the wealth back then and the rest of the population was living on the edge. So would you support a system that only looks out for the middle and upper class? Was Michael perfect ? No he wasn’t, But he put the poor and needy first. Please find some information of this man taking any money from the country for his person use ?
Michael Manley was the best prime minister of Jamaica. Let us never forget that US use Seaga and the JLP to destablize Jamaica during the late 1970s couple with the oil crisis is the 70s. How can a man that built 40, 000houses in 6years is the worst PM? Thank God for Michael my family was able to own a house through him! Thank God for Michael he started the National Housing Trust? National Youth Service! Built Several schools and teachers college! Get Cuba to build GC Foster College and Jose Marte High School! If those social programmes make Manley the worst! He is a dam GOOD worst!
Richard Hart “The US Government was becoming increasingly hostile to Michael Manley. They disapproved of his policy of maintain good relations with Cuba and were infuriated when he expressed support for Cuba’s action in sending volunteers to Angola to resist the invasion by South African troops intent on helping Joseph Savimbi to overthrow the MPLA Government. They disproved of the bauxite levy which adversely affected the profits of American companies and they disliked his democratic socialism rhetoric.”
Socialism did not frighten the entire Jamaica but a small group of people. What frightens people is that group in Jamaica that once had a great life for a very long time. They have been very privilege and they have found ways for years not to pay their taxes and make no contribution to the development of a just society and before we declare democratic socialism we began to address the problem of privilege; the gap between the rich and the poor; we introduce wealth taxes to get at people who skillfully avoided income taxes for many years and we began land reforms.—- Michael Manley
Are there anyone who’re listing to this man? Manley was the only one looking out for the poor
Karrit Levitt states, “The eight years … saw massive programmes of long overdue social reforms that had the support of the overwhelming the majority of the population: special employment programmes, literacy programme, school feeding, equal pay, minimum wages, land lease, food subsidies, free secondary and university education, increases in pension and poor relief, and a number of similar social measures.”
The 1972-1980 social reforms were drastic, sudden and created fundamental changes. Income increased by over 55 percent, employment increased by 35 000, illiteracy declined significantly, child mortality fell from 32.5 percent in 1970 to 11.3 in 1980 and from the time Manley came into power until its end secondary school enrollment increased from 55, 000 to over 270 000.
, “In 10 years from 1962 to 1971 the Opposition, when they were in Government managed to build 15, 868 houses. The average was 1, 587 a year. In 1973 we built 3, 016 houses and in 1974 we started, for the first time a system that I asked them to introduce.” Michael Manley built over 40 000 housing units in 10 years for Jamaicans. That was indeed a drastic change and such action warrants to be consider a Housing Revolution in Jamaica.
Trevor Munroe noted “the social reforms of the 1970’s has given the Jamaican people a sense of its own worth and dignity”
while this analysis was filled with fact it it is extremely bias. the author failed to indicate that JLP was supported by the US government while the PNP was sabotage by the US government with the help of the IMF.
Words for thought? Or as some have said, bare propaganda. I am not a Jamaican so I can’t comment. However, I do admit that after living in Jamaica for three years, classism and fairness of one’s skin are two serious problems in that country. I once had an experience in a NCB bank (which I would never forget). I use to go to this one teller all the time because she always dealt with me and my queries as a foreign student in a very professional and helpful manner. One day I went to another teller and she stated how come I came to her and why not my usual fair-skin teller fren ova dey so. I was totally shocked and bowled over by that statement. She further stated why mi neva come to her cause i she skin dark and hair picky so. I will never ever forget that. How could a woman of similar race and complexion of me , think so lowly of herself. Thankfully we are friends to this day, lol. But I do agree with the issue of classism in JA. Where did it come from? And why in the 22nd century, it still dominates that society.
So true
This is something I asked for thank you very much, Jamaicans can now see the party that is growth
Good Article!!! However, I disagree with the GDP growth figures. Perhaps the article could have stated the prices (base year) at which GDP was calculated. Without tip toeing around politics, I would only give Lee Kuan Yew credit for bravery for implementing an economic model (that he never wrote) that was written by Sir W. Arthur Lewis, St. Lucian, Nobel Laureate in Economics and former Vice Chancellor of the University of the West Indies. Now, here is the surprising part: Sir W. Arthur Lewis was invited by Sir Alexander Bustamante in the late 1950’s to write the economic model for Jamaica (interesting story behind this model). Subsequently, the implementation of the model by the JLP government was reaping tremendous success in the 1960’s, when Lee Kuan Yew was drawn to Jamaica’s economic success. Lee Kuan Yew visited his friend Sir Arthur Lewis in Kingston in the early 1960’s, got the economic model, and the rest is history…
Great analysis and very factual
We need to start thinking Jamaica, and not pnp.Jlp..
Total madness . If Jamaica had follow the adv Ice OF THE GREATEST PRIME minister IN JAMAICAN HISTORY, WE WOULD BE A BETTER NATION TODAY , INSTEAD WE LET THE AMERICAN WICKEDNESS CONQUERED US .. THE COULD NOT CONQUERED CUBA , WE COULD LEARNT FROM CUBA GOW TOSURVIVE THE AMERICAN WICKEDNESS
EAT WHAT WE GROW AND GROW WHAT WE EAT WAS THE WORDS OF MR MICHAEL MANLEY . WE CAN STILL PRACTICE THAT
Never better put
I did not read this Article to the final sentence, because when i read Articles such as this i look for evidence to see the motive behind such Rethetoric ; where the Author obtain his/her information ; if the Author has ulterior motives other than educating the reader or if he/she know what he/she is spouting subjective self bias.
I dont know much about Michael Manley’s Politics or what he said , because i was not there ,and he is not here to defend him self.
But i will say this based on my research, and first hand information that i have gathered over the years about the powers the Controll the whole earth. This person who wrote this article is in my opinion uninformed, Miseducated,and misinformed ,and has not taken the time to research his subject before he made such accusations. That leads me to think that he has ulterior motives,because Manley’s legacy has nothing to do with the condition of Jamaica today. I wonder if the Author ever heard of GDP or does he know what GDP is ? lets begin with basics for those who do not know what create welth/money /poverty in any eceonmy country ,GDP means Gross Domestic Product. The total market value of all final goods and services produced in any country by the people of that country or resources in a given year, which equal to total consumer investment and government spending, plus the value of exports, minus the value of imports. in other words what Minerals,resources etc. does Jamaica have or produce to gererate money ( FIAT CURRANCY) (USLESS PAPER THAT CANNOT BE EATEN ) ? ,sugar cane, coffee,cocoa BANANA,YAM GRAINS MILK, MEAT POULTRY etc. those things can be eaten ( thats money )( Bauxite )and ,Tourism is another ok secondly if none of this is available how does that Country generate Money ? at this point it is important to note here that there is NO MONEY ! money is created by your energy ( your tallent,labor, your inventions etc. ) when you sign your name to get credit,the Federal Reserve Bank has what is called Fractional Reserve Lending: the Bank submit your application to the FEDS.the feds in turn authorize the Treasury to prin ten times the amout of your requested loan (ex.$5,000.treasure print $50,000 ) and the bank deposit the $5,000 you applied for in your bank account (digitally) and you pay the interest on that amount, and in turn the Bank is left holding $4,500.00 and at the end of the year they file what is call 1099A (Abandonment ) form with the IRS thats means you the BORRER /signer has Abandoned that $4,5000, AND IT GOES TO THE BANK and its share holders.That is the way it is all over the world with countries that take IMF LOANS,that said i wont go any further with that DO YOUR HOMEWORK ! ok here is the next thing are you people aware of the EU/WTO CAP ( to eliminate competition ) that was placed on Jamaican farmers and agriculture when they took the IMF LOAN UNDER EDWARD SEAGA and other clowns in jamaican politice ? ARE YOU PEOPLE AWARE OF THE AMOUNT OF BEEF,MILK AND DAIRY PRODUCT THAT HAD TO BE DUMPED under this POLICY ? BECAUSE JAMAICA WAS FORCED FROM THAT MOMENT TO ABANDON ITS OWN SOVERIGN RIGHT TO PRODUCED ITS OWN BEEF,MILK AND OTHER PRODUCTS ,AND TO BUY FOREIGN BEEF,DAIRY,AND AGRICULTURAL PRODUCT UNDER THIS EU/WTO Pact which accompany IMF LOANS ( Manley was trying to avoid taking this Loan because he knew what came with it he wanted to encourage farming because that is true wealth ,this is why these Devils devise this plan to take the resources of the world and leave you holding a false debt and some pieces of paper .Secondly this person is spouting about first world country what is a first world country ? Today, people use the terms First or Third World to rank the development of countries or the strength of their economy. This is a pretty recent development, and veers away from the original usage of the terms, which were coined during the Cold War as part of a rough—and now outdated—model of geopolitical alliances : The term “First World” refers to so called developed, capitalist, industrial countries, roughly, a bloc of countries aligned with the United States after World War II, with more or less common political and economic interests: North America, Western Europe, Japan and Australia, Jamaica as an individual island do not fall in line with that idea its obvious to me that the Author of this article is misinformed , and do not know what he is talking about or is set up to mislead the jamaican people.I will leave it there ,you people must do your home work dont listen to these dead head that have no idea about the economic structor of the world…blessed love
Mr. Manley Destroyed a Vibrant Jamaican Economy
RECENTLY Damion Crawford made a very damning statement about his own party and the way how they have mishandled the Jamaican economy by running it into the ground, when he encouraged Jamaicans to leave this Island taking their…
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Well this sounds pretty acuurate and of a true nature .jamica was destroyed but each and every politician why they dont have the countries best intrest at heart and there is no one been held acountable. But i urge all jamicans to open our eyes and fight to save our little slice of paradise , pretty soon it will no longer be in local hands
You deleted my comment because you are here spreading propaganda and you can’t handle the truth about your nonsensical biased diatribe. You still offer no solution which is what is important but I am sure that is what you will never write about a solution.
What’s done is done tho….heard no sensible recommendations for the future
He had great ideas how to distribute the wealth, but forgot that you have to create the same before you distribute it
The people are also to blame for voting for these people. Seaga did a lot for Jamaica but hardly any public building or currency note has his name on them. The people have to take a share of the blame for mashing up JA.
Fantastic article..those who do not agree with you and will call your article propaganda (I guess the truth hurts).have Manley on this pedestal.While he did a lot of good,the bad he did outweighed the good and Jamaica to this day has never recovered from it. Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore (one of the best and most successful transformational leaders that the 20th century has ever seen) called Manley’s policies regarding redistribution of wealth unrealistic and ruinous.Manley placed too much emphasis on redistributing wealth and little on creating it.Therefore under Manley’s disastrous socialist regime the wealth created before him becoming Prime Minister had begun to be depleted and would continue to deplete. Margaret Thatcher another one of 20th century’s great transformational leaders stated that the problem with Socialism is that you eventually run out of other people’s money.
Utilizing excerpts from the award-winning non-fiction text “A Small Place” by Jamaica Kincaid, Life & Debt is a woven tapestry of sequences focusing on the stories of individual Jamaicans whose strategies for survival and parameters of day-to-day existence are determined by the U.S. and other foreign economic agendas. By combining traditional documentary telling with a stylized narrative framework, the complexity of international lending, structural adjustment policies and free trade will be understood in the context of the day-to-day realities of the people whose lives they impact.
The film opens with the arrival of vacationers to the island– utilizing Ms. Kincaids text as voice-over, we begin to understand the profound contrasts behind the breathtaking natural beauty of the island. The poetic urgency of Ms. Kincaids text lends a first-person understanding of the legacy of the country’s colonial past, and to it’s present day economic challenges. For example, as we see a montage of the vacationer in her hotel, voice-over: “When you sit down to eat your delicious meal, it’s better that you don’t know that most of what you are eating came off a ship from Miami. There is a world of something in this, but I can’t go into it right now.” (adapted excerpt “A Small Place”)
As we begin to understand the post-colonial landscape outlined in Ms. Kincaids text, we cut to archival footage of Former Prime Minister Michael Manley in a post-independence speech condemning the IMF stating that “the Jamaican government will not accept anybody, anywhere in the world telling us what to do in our own country. Above all, we’re not for sale.”
Former Prime Minister Michael Manley was elected on a non-IMF platform in 1976. He was forced to sign Jamaica’s first loan agreement with the IMF in 1977 due to lack of viable alternatives– a global pattern common throughout the Third World. At present Jamaica owes over $4.5 billion to the IMF, the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) among other international lending agencies yet the meaningful development that these loans have “promised” has yet to manifest. In actuality the amount of foreign exchange that must be generated to meet interest payments and the structural adjustment policies which have been imposed with the loans have had a negative impact on the lives of the vast majority. The country is paying out increasingly more than it receives in total financial resources, and if benchmark conditionalities are not met, the structural adjustment program is made more stringent with each re negotiation. To improve balance of payments, devaluation (which raises the cost of foreign exchange), high interest rates (which raise the cost of credit), and wage guidelines (which effectively reduce the price of local labor) are prescribed. The IMF assumes that the combination of increased interest rates and cutbacks in government spending will shift resources from domestic consumption to private investment. It is further assumed that keeping the price of labor down will be an incentive for increasing employment and production. Increased unemployment, sweeping corruption, higher illiteracy, increased violence, prohibitive food costs, dilapidated hospitals, increased disparity between rich and poor characterize only part of the present day economic crisis.
In one segment addressing the Free Trade Zones, we meet workers who sew five-six days a week for American corporations to earn the legal minimum wage of $30 U.S./week ($1200 – $1500Jamaican dollars/week). The port of Kingston is lined with high-security factories, made available to foreign garment companies at low rent. These factories are offered with the additional incentive of the foreign companies’ being allowed to bring in shiploads of material there tax-free, to have them sewn and assembled and then immediately transported out to foreign markets. Over 10,000 women currently work for foreign companies under sub-standard work conditions. The Jamaican government, in order to ensure the employment offered, has agreed to the stipulation that no unionization is permitted in the Free Trade Zones. Previously, when the women have spoken out and attempted to organize to improve their wages and working conditions, they have been fired and their names included on a blacklist ensuring that they never work again. Free Trade Zones are encouraged by the U.S. government, for example projects financed by the U.S. Agency for International Development (U.S. AID) have used over $34,960,000 in U.S. tax dollars to target, persuade and provide incentives to American companies to relocate offshore in Jamaica. Yet now due to NAFTA, these dismal yet precious jobs are being lost to Mexico, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic.
Another segment tells the story of a chicken plant which had a flourishing business selling high-quality chicken to the domestic Jamaican market. Business has recently been undercut by U.S. “dumping” of low-grade chicken parts in Jamaica . While there are many restrictions on foods and goods imported into the U.S., there are often no restrictions on food and goods exported to foreign developing countries. Agreements such as NAFTA and the Caribbean Basin Initiative function to enforce this inequity under the guise of “free trade.”
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Structural adjustment programs (SAPs) consist of loans provided by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank (WB) to countries that experienced economic crises.[1] The two Bretton Woods Institutions require borrowing countries to implement certain policies in order to obtain new loans (or lower interest rates on existing ones). The conditionality clauses attached to the loans have been criticized because of their effects on the social sector.[1]
SAPs are created with the goal of reducing the borrowing country’s fiscal imbalances in the short and medium term or in order to adjust the economy to long-term growth.[2] The bank from which a borrowing country receives its loan depends upon the type of necessity. The IMF usually implements stabilisation policies and the WB is in charge of adjustment measures.[2]
SAPs are supposed to allow the economies of the developing countries to become more market oriented. This then forces them to concentrate more on trade and production so it can boost their economy.[3] Through conditions, SAPs generally implement “free market” programs and policy. These programs include internal changes (notably privatization and deregulation) as well as external ones, especially the reduction of trade barriers. Countries that fail to enact these programs may be subject to severe fiscal discipline.[2] Critics argue that the financial threats to poor countries amount to blackmail, and that poor nations have no choice but to comply.[citation needed]
Since the late 1990s, some proponents of structural adjustment, such as the World Bank, have spoken of “poverty reduction” as a goal. SAPs were often criticized for implementing generic free-market policy and for their lack of involvement from the borrowing country. To increase the borrowing country’s involvement, developing countries are now encouraged to draw up Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs), which essentially take the place of SAPs. Some believe that the increase of the local government’s participation in creating the policy will lead to greater ownership of the loan programs and thus better fiscal policy. The content of PRSPs has turned out to be similar to the original content of bank-authored SAPs. Critics argue that the similarities show that the banks and the countries that fund them are still overly involved in the policy-making process.[citation needed]
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Life & Debt includes a segment on the banana industry wherein Jamaica has been granted preferential treatment from the British through the Lome Convention, providing a tax-free import quota for 105,000 tons/fruit per year to England. Through a case the U.S. brought to the WTO, the U.S. government is demanding the Lome Convention quota removed, (although the U.S. does not grow bananas on its own soil) forcing Jamaica to compete with exporters from Central America and South America. Specifically Chiquita and Dole, which are U.S. companies who produce bananas on a large scale. Central America is characterized by cheaper labor, a different soil type, high rainfall and a climate suited to large-scale banana production and thus more efficient. In 1993, a strike at Chiquita Farms in Colombia wherein 25,000 workers protesting for better wages was settled by firing shots at the striking workers and killing 40 people and the banana ships rolled insuring Chiquita’s high rate of “efficiency.” Jamaica’s entire banana production could be produced by one farm in Central America. Banana’s bring in 23 million US to Jamaica, comprising 8% of all exports. Yet, in the Windward Islands, bananas account for 50% of total exports. In St. Lucia, St.Vincent, bananas also comprise significant % of total exports, so quota loss will impact the entire Caribbean. At present the European Union has granted $600 million to help Jamaica become more efficient in their banana production so that they may attempt to compete on the “free market” in year 2000. The quota that is being so forcefully contested by US multinationals is under 5% of all global banana production. It is unlikely that the banana industry here could match the price of bananas from Central America. Already the number of small banana growers on the island have shrunk from 45,000 to 3,000.
Every country aims to be self-sufficient in milk production. The milk farmers in the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, and the European Union all receive huge subsidies to keep their milk prices low. Thus when the milk solids from the U.S. or Europe are exported they are at an artificially low price due to support. Jamaica’s local production of milk was on a strong upward climb. In a 5 year period (1987-1992) the industry grew to 30 million liters, producing over 25% of the nations consumption, and was poised to rapidly increase production. In 1992, liberalization policies demanded that the import taxes placed on imported milk solids from Western countries be eliminated and subsidies to the local industry removed. In 1993, one year after liberalization, millions of dollars of unpasteurized local milk had to be dumped, 700 cows were slaughtered pre-maturely and several dairy farmers closed down operations. At present, the industry has sized down nearly 60% and continues to decline. It is unlikely the dairy industry will ever revitalise its growth.
Life & Debt aims to clarify the impact that these economic policies have on the day-to-day lives of the people they are said to benefit. The voting rights within the IMF are roughly proportionate to the contributions paid in by member nations. The breakdown of the democratic process becomes clear as the Jamaican people are removed from participation in the decisions that truly affect their lives. The IMF promotes an agenda of monetary austerity, currency devaluation, and lowering wages. The goal is to reduce inflation by balancing a nation’s loan repayments and imports with its export earnings. The result is usually a recession. The World Bank takes a longer run perspective. It aims for structural adjustment, which means trying to transform a borrower nation’s economy into a free- market economy. It typically proposes market deregulation, sometimes accompanied by new lending from the World Bank and private lenders. These policies are supposed to benefit Third World economies by integrating them into the global market. What actually happens is that Third World people suffer, while commercial banks in the North collect a great deal of interest. In Jamaica, only 5 percent of total money borrowed since 1977 has been able to stay inside the country.
The lessons of Jamaica–where these policies have been in effect for nearly twenty-five years–extend far beyond its shores. In nearby Haiti, former President Aristide was pressured to accept loans from the IMF; in Russia, billions in IMF loans have been accepted for the first time and the country is already suffering from the stringent conditions prescribed by the Fund; throughout Africa, countries struggle to meet scheduled adjustments. Life & Debt is a tribute to the ingenuity and strength of the people who defy the odds of survival, yet its primary aim is to inform young adult audiences in the U.S. of the impact these policies have on our neighbors abroad.
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Damian Crawford is an idiot many of those entrepreneurs who ran away to America could not be entrepreneurs there they had to be janitors, salesmen, are they had to go back to school are became drugs dealers it was not a bed of roses there.
Mr.Manley did a good job to break the social ills.On the other hand,the economy under his leadership got significantly worse.He should have find ways to accommodate the upper and middle class but i guess that’s easier said than done.That been said the leaders following have less social issues to deal with and should have put Jamaica on a financial growth path.Remember it takes cash to assist with caring and while its important for any country to have social equality its important also to have financial growth.Mr.Manley did well but made serious errors.He had Jamaica and Jamaicans interest at hearth.The same can not be said about some of the leaders that followed.I think they focus and winning elections and does what was required to do so.This lead to our present state and if serious changes are not implemented then imagin what the future will be.
An interesting article, which could have been presented more balanced. Interestingly, the omission of balance in our endeavours, seems to be our nemesis. hence the need for a coalative effort in overcomming our challenges and acheiveing our objectives. Freedom comes in truth. The time has come whereby we have to face our truths, and supress our petty predjucies. This is the time for unconditional, LOVE as a means for unifying us as a Nation on a mission of acheiveing EQUAL JUSTICE and SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT. JAH BLESS ONE LOVE.
So it was the USA that caused our problems? So it was the “class” structure that caused our problems? So it was the CIA that cause our problems? When the day comes and the people of Jamaica wake up and learn that our problems are home grown and we will only come out of poverty with real economic growth, we are doomed to be a 4th world country. Bad policies and pipe dreams have taken Jamaica down the road of destruction., with no one to blame but our naive people who are driven by tribal politics. Not even the good Lord can help us if we dont take the bull by the horns and start to vote based on issues and not blind devotion to any one party. We are doomed to being a backwater poor nation with no future. .
Thank God for one honest comrade……..
I will totally agree because I saw the negative changes that took place during the PNP’s tenure. I remember married good which trickled over in the eighties. And do not forget the mirad amount of closure by manufacturing companies in the nineties. The financial collapse, JPS monopoly, etc..
Remember, you can’t compare Cayman to Jamaica, Apples to Oranges, Cayman is where the Capitalist Criminal Enterprise, use as a safe heaven. Governments like the one in the Cayman Island, live off these tax evading Corporations wealth, I called it kick back. Jamaica has a abundant amount of natural resources, plus human capital. Jamaica is not mashed up, as some might say, I think Jamaica is still a vibrant economy. You can not use the devaluation of the dollar to assume that the country is mashed up. I use The Japanese Yen as an example; what’s the rate of the Yen to the dollar, 0.0084,
Jamaican dollar 0.0087, those of you that went to school but are having problem comprehending, I just made it simpler. Jamaica’s problems lie within its people, those of you buying exotic goods, you’re the ones creating fictitious devaluation of our dollar, why would someone leave Jamaica every few days, to purchase bagel, To sell in Jamaica. In the 70’s and 80’s we had quite a few Shoe Factories in Jamaica, where are they now, they are all gone, why, we have too much of a big appetite for foreign made items. That’s the reason for the devaluation of our dollar, stop blaming the government for your greed.
Seaga was a bright guy, but he was a puppet for the Republican.
what utter, one sided crop…..
Mi nuh waste time wid ignoramuses…my yute go look up weh Tonto mean inna Spanish ahn see how close it is to Tanto. Dat seh it all…lmao
Written like a true capitalist and a Labourite (without you saying it explicitly your words revealed who you are)….please stop living in the past. I do not outright support any one party and I taken a non-partisan approach to policies. What are your recommendations to mitigate the actions of the previous administrations? Please put you writing skills to the future outlook and refer to history as a guide. Stop the blame game that is why the country cannot progress. Continuously, groups of people who call themselves PNP and JLP keep playing tug-of-war for Jamaica.
My family and I took one of those 5 flights to Miami. Thank God. Manley destroyed Jamaica . Before his election the Jamaican dollar was worth more than the US dollar. Now what is it? Now in Jamaica there are a few very wealthy and the rest dirt poor. I hope Manley rots in hell for what he did to our beautiful country.
Can only go so far by ignoring the truth. Great analysis
I agree 100 percent, and was there to see the commencement of Jamaica’s demise under Manley, what came after I cannot be sure of, except the results are not that good. Great article, and the figures are there to back up the facts. By the way, the country was destablized before the CIA came, they may not have stopped the destablization process, but had they not intervened, the situation could have been much worse. Do not invent history, we who lived it know it.
YUP pretty much! but guess what the government did one thing right…kept the people uneducated…that is our biggest problem… this hate crimes against each other based on parties , as well as this idea of voting for a party because your grandparents voted for it …utter rubbish… Jamaicans need to be educated about their political systems …their government fail to implement that so as to reap whatever they can during their terms…
Now is the time to analyze all that have been said here, many of you were born after the seventies, I can remember everything that happened in my life; since I was two years old, I’m not kidding. How many of you met Manley, the man, I have. Many of you say stuff that were told to you by your partisan parent, I grew up in a time when Jamaica was so divided, I saw brothers killing brother, sisters killing sisters. There were times in Jamaica, when people treated each other with love and respect, you could scold your neighbor kids, and there would never be a problem, I’m still young and strong, doesn’t that tells you something. Within the last fifteen years, there has been a revolution, I would say, Jamaica has been fully Americanized, the level of respect that we show each other, women/ young girls showing little or no self worth. I have seen videos coming out of Jamaica, I just can’t believe what my eyes are seeing. When did Jamaica got to this point.
We can complain about Manley, but the real problem still exist, all those of you saying Jamaica Mashed up, no! you’re totally wrong, we are far from there,just be honest with yourself, twenty years ago, how many people could have afford a mobile Phone, there were no High ways,Jamaica has the largest number of low income housing throughout the entire Caribbean, South and Central America’s, you should be proud of Digicell, Jamaica created Digicell, the Government of the day made it happen, that’s called de-regulation. How many of you remembered when Cable & Wireless use to rip us off, how many of you knew when your parent couldn’t read, they hid it so good, Ah! ah!. Thanks be to Jamal, I love them Vegetable Patties, from Nutrition Products.
How many of you remember when bus fares were $0.05, five cents. Things have changed, Jamaica is not a producer of Oil, but yet we as a people can’t seem to understand that, how many of you pay your tax on time, how many of you been to the Hospital lately, did you see the Doctor, and if you did,who paid the bill, did you send your child to School, if you did, who paid that Teacher, the Custodian, who paid for the Text Books, and the IPad,if your child was issued one. all these things are been paid for by tax dollars, so next time you mentioned that the government not doing anything, please rethink, they have been doing a lot, you are too lazy to really notice, and ungrateful. When was the last time you did something for your country, yet you want your country to do for you. You expatriate, remember to pay back your Student loans, there are others that needs it.
Jamaica is way better than many countries, you cannot judge your country economy by the devaluation of its dollar, if that how you judge the health of Jamaica, then Japan, Greece,and Nigera should be disappearing soon. Jamaica’s greatest problem is; the fact that we import too much, and not producing enough, we need to export more, we have a trade imbalance, that’s what messing up our country. I came across a lady in Florida, quite recently, buying Bagles, to sell in Jamaica, that’s so outrageous, she did this several times a week, that’s Jamaica’s problem, we caused the dollar to devalue.
16 hours agoDetails
This article is a study in historical revisionism, sanitization and omission. Fault Manley–the true patriot and not a puppet–for making some political missteps.
Manley was not a communist nor did he aspire to become a communist; akin to most of not all Scandinavian countries, he was an advocate for social-democracy. However, to negate America’s direct involvement in the destruction of Jamaica and her economy is tantamount to denying our historical truths. An envious Edward Seaga misinformed the US about Manley’s intentions for Jamaica and the US was compelled to act and act they did…
There is so much to say about the demise of Jamaica and why; however, the ones need to be mindful of the fact that it was the US who destroyed Jamaica. If the write, et al are interested in provable facts, then I would be inclined to go further…
That’s the raw facts, like it or not
People are taxed on a percentage basis. Those with more or less means. The governments make policies to encourage private enterprise and the rule law ( equity).
Some would like to say that it is only by their effort alone that they were sucessfull, therefore they alone should reap the blessings of their enterprise. Robing the hireling to reach their goal, and tossing him / her under the bus at the slightest opertunity to gain a buck.
Before Manley, many hard working black Jamaicans lived in abject poverty, classism, neo-colonialism reign supreme. Are you romanticising about those good old days? He encourage many about being self-sufficient, was against skin bias in hiring and in schools. There were many forces at work sobataging the interest of Jamaica, both internal and external. Brought in guns to destabilize, the government and to establish their own aims. Remember those food shortages? Marrying soya beans with flour, then emediately after elections, ships off load, warehouses open and evething was back to normal. Some warehouse had throwaway some of their goods that had spoiled. Look, since I traveled I came to understand the dynamics that was at work. Credible international documentary revealing the whole apparatus that was at work.
Wake up Jamaica, still looking for a foreign savior? The power is in your hands. Is not that a rod in yours hand?
Jamaica was almost under a virtual embargo, with the consent of certain internal forces, whom you claim to be you friends. In the politics of small countries and super powers. You choose the wrong team, you get crush. Manley was trying to free the country of the suffocating vestiges of colonialism, but their were people who rather close down shop and leave, while others were saying that Jamaica was going communist, to build fear, create a cause for foreign intervention. No doubt, he check out weather that was an option since he was being forced to
Seek a super power patron like Cuba, to protection the country from foreign intervention, since some people were not satisfy with the out come of the popular vote.
I doubt the majority of the people in Jamaica would be contented under a communist regime. But that thing about the planes leaving, was a ploy to get some of those, same people that was holding the poor hostage to leave, relinquishing their death grip on power and the limited resources of the country.
You should kiss the ground that man walk on, many of you and yours would still be trapped in some hut on some backra plantation, trying to ech out a living, he tried to open many doors for the poor, even those of darker persuasion, first country to have black commercial air plane pilots. Do not forget this man Jamaica.
A sizable portion of the Jamaican GDP is spent on oil / energy, we need to find cheap and locally produced, weither through drilling or research and development. Establish and industries in the area of locally grown foods, with factories for processing, preserving and storing, means of mass distribution locally, exporting to the dioaspora and beyond.
In the area of technology, focus on manufacturing small expensive gadgets, such as software rather than bulky items which require major logistics.
Foster inovation and invention. Be aware of the international markets for oppertunties to invest, especially when certain geopolitical situations create an opertunity. Pay down the debt. Slowly remove your hand out of tiger mouth. Do not go on a trumpet and advertise you action, for you will only be attracting opposition. There are certain forces out there that use certain mechanisms to enslave the world. The borrower is truly a slave to the lender. Cheep energy will attract businesses, such as hosting / servers, light clean non polluting manufacturing. You live on an island, manage your ( fish )estuaries well, a major protein resource. Raise and restock ocean with local fish, manage and educate fishermen with respect to size of the catch. Do not allow fishing factories to decimate fish stocks. Build sensible major wholesale markets, a/c , to reduce spoilage, and to receive the farmer produces. Go back to farming, various crops using less labor intensive methods. Trackers and machine ties to assist farmers, along with the delinquent youths, agricultural schools, corps of egineers from JDF. There goes a return on your investments. Build roads also and turn it over to private sector. Midsize uav’s unarmed to assist law enforcement and coastguard, you get my point, develop ethics, respect, trust, and learn to work with each other, for each one of you have a part of the solution.
I would like to add a second part to this fact-less article that Michael Manley Destroyed a vibrant economy , what i am about to say can be verified you just have to research . Any one that is informed or educated on the subject know that this statement has no facts to back this claim Let me set the record straight by giving you historical facts , to begin with our nation started out flat broke we did not have money ,we started out in 1962 as a broke Independent Nation,so the Government, and the Bank Of Jamaica (whic is a foreign own entitiy Borrowed money from preditory lenders ( IMF,IDB,and WORLD BANK ), and those Loans carry harsh interest rate, and penalties called , STRUCTURAL AJUSTMENT POLICIES, an example of these policies is this : we have three million people on the Island of Jamaica,and only six General Hospital, second Portmore is the most populated city in the Caribbean, and it still does not have a General Hospital, because of this STRUCTURAL AJUSTMENT POLICIES ; Thirdly its forces the sell off every major assets held by the people ex.BAUXITE, TOURISM,AIRLINES,COMMUNICATIONS,AGRICULTURE,UTILITIES,AIRPORTS, AND HIGHWAYS ,Fourth ,when the IMF lends you money they tell you,what you can spend it on ,and they told Jamaica explicitly that we cant build any new schools ( we have not build any new schools in over 20 years ) or Hospital ( we have not build any new hospital in 30 years ) .Those STRUCTURAL AJUSTMENT POLICIES is running the economy of Jamaica it dictates every thing from the value of the Dollar,the rate of incomn tax to weather a school stay open,or a road get fixed,every dollar of tax you pay goes to the debt not to the building of infrastructure , or the development of the economy half of every dollar of tax you pay goes to the debt,and the others half to share holders,and bond holders on wall street, the end result a usless currency,high prices,and an impoverish Nation working to pay a debt we did not create.The Jamaican people are now Debt slaves with no end in site.The CENTER FOR RESPONSIBLE ECONOMIC POLICIES IN WASHINGTON D.C published a report about a year or so ago, in that report they declared that ” Jamaica is the single most indebted Nation on Earth our debt exceeds our GDP “.end quote this debt is impossible to repay,because it was designed as such it was not meant for us to repay. Michael Manley knew all about this,and was trying to avoid this tragedy , so before you jump to demonize him do some home work .Wake up and live or go back to sleep…Blessed Love
I so agree with you Edward Phillip Sinclair!! I agree One Billion Percent…
Great article. Well said
Thank you Mr. Sinclair for heightening the understanding of those who chose to defame Mr. Manley valuable contribution to Jamaica. I am laughing. The same thing President Reagan was criticizing PM Manley for was taking place in the United State at the time. The “New American Society” was bringing social change and those who supported it were branded as socialists. Thanks for knowledge. I am from one of the poorest area in Jamaica, but thanks for education. I am able to ascend my status. Most of us are agreeing with Mr. crawford rhectoric, but I am asking what is Mr. Crawford expertise? It is okay to use one free speech, but to pose it as the truth without doing thorough research is reckless.
Thank you Mr. Sinclair for heightening the understanding of those who chose to defame Mr. Manley valuable contribution to Jamaica. I am laughing. The same thing President Reagan was criticizing PM Manley for was taking place in the United State at the time. The “New American Society” was bringing social change and those who supported it were branded as socialists. Thanks for knowledge. I am from one of the poorest area in Jamaica, but thanks for education. I am able to ascend my status. Most of us are agreeing with Mr. crawford rhectoric, but I am asking what is Mr. Crawford expertise? It is okay to use one free speech, but to pose it as the truth without doing thorough research is reckless.
One of the biggest resources of Jamaica is its people at home and abroad. Integrating relationships with trade, while tapping into locally available natural resources, with economically efficient technologies or methodologies to overcome obstacles that has previously hindered us from sucessful. Where there is a will there is a way, the mind is truely a terrible thing to waste.
MANLIE and his deception is now revealed.
If Michael and the pnp was the worst disaster Jamaica have experience then 75% of the electorate are idiots. I don’t think so Sir. It is a pity you did not balanced your analysis of the Jamaican economy at that time to see what causes some of his policies to. Fail. CIA. Those that succeed make Jamaica a better place today even with all our woes
I got as far as the trickle-down nonsense and gave up. What an idiot
Such narrow minded views. If the PNP is to be blamed for what is happening in Jamaica at this time, then sir your view of the Jamaican populace is warped. You are forgetting that it was the people who elected the PNP for 18 yrs, so in essence you are saying that they are stupid. If the JLP was better at managing the economy, don’t you think the would have elected them instead. The JLP got one term after Patterson, and the people, yes sir, the Jamaican people realize that they are not worthy to lead. Now the present govt. have to makes tough decisions to bring the country back on course. No pain, no gain. The People are not stupid. They understand what is happening and sure enough sacrifices have to be made so that our country can grow.
There are tremendous gaps in the arguments posited. Utilizing certain data to justify a particular agenda/position exacerbates the highly flawed conclusion.
total load of garbage
Thank you Ms Virtue-Murray for sharing the Reality in your comments.
Thank you Ms Virtue-Murray for sharing the Reality in your comments.
This Fabian is not much of a scholar,To me this article is nothing but garbage,you Fabian should speak to more people Like Mr Edward Phillip Sinclair & then write,by the way were you living in Jamaica during those years shame on you ever heard better to be thought of as a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.
if u going to quote people, at least do it right. knowing michael manley, his use of english was impeccable.. he would not have said ‘ there is 5 flights..etc’.. and churchill would not have said ‘ the sharing of MYSERY’S’..so truthyfully.. i can’t be bothered to read anymore of your crap!!!
if u going to quote people, at least do it right. knowing michael manley, his use of english was impeccable.. he would not have said ‘ there is 5 flights..etc’.. and churchill would not have said ‘ the sharing of MYSERY’S’..so truthyfully.. i can’t be bothered to read anymore of your crap!!!
Michael Manley should have died at birth,the bad he did, outweighed the good, by tonnes,not only that the economy was ruined, but the social infrastructure was destroyed….
Look at all the other prime ministers who proceeded Michael Manley. If Manly was so wrong why wasn’t it made right. A cowardly way off encouraging Jamaicans to give up and invest in other countries. So jamaica is not worth a saviour of help to build. Jamaica is not the only country suffering under misguided government. Bigger and better have gone belly up and so can the sweet island of jamaica.
Look at all the other prime ministers who proceeded Michael Manley. If Manly was so wrong why wasn’t it made right. A cowardly way off encouraging Jamaicans to give up and invest in other countries. So jamaica is not worth a saviour of help to build. Jamaica is not the only country suffering under misguided government. Bigger and better have gone belly up and so can the sweet island of jamaica. It was fear of change why jamaica failed.
You making a lot of people unhappy with this article.
I wish people would take an actually history lesson, and stop take the line out of context. That’s not even the complete sentence.
tHE jAMAICAN PEOPLE WILL CONTINUE TO PAY FOR THE MISTAKES MADE BY THE PNP DURING THE L97OS FOR MANY, MANY MORE YEARS TO COME. A FABULOUS FUTURE WAS SQUANDERED ON THE ALTAR OF SOCIALISM AND WHERE DID IT GET US ALL- INTO BANKRUPTCY AND CORRUPTION. THIS LITTLE ROCK IS DOOMED. CRAWFORD IS CORRECT THE LARGEST SOURCE OF FOREIGN EXCHANGE COMES FROM REMITTANCES GOD BLESS THOSE WHO SEND THE REMITTANCES WITHOUT WHICH WE WOULD SINK BENEATH THE DEBT EVEN FASTER THAN EVER
Maybe there is a lot more to the story than people know –> clip from the past shot in 1982
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ziUsqGKhumc
Michael Manley was the greatest leader Jamaica have ever seen. Seaga inherited a country with less than a billion dollars in debt in it’s 20 yrs of history, and in eight years he tripled that debt. When I look at Seaga I see the devil himself. I have friends from Tivoli who hate this man and blame him for the destruction of our beloved island.
The time has come to suspend the apportionment of blame.
Having rightly identified the politics that we have so far employed as the stumbling block to our growth as a new nation, we must search for a system that will no longer divide our human talent into two warring factions, but that will mobilize us to move forward. This search is for creativity, not imitation of older nations. We are a new nation, needing a new form of governance. The PNP and JLP should be asked to do the most patriotic thing – that is to leave the public stage to creative visionaries. Far from being upset, Messrs Bustamante and Norman Manley would applaud their exit from the national scene; they would not want the parties they formed to be responsible for the decline of Jamaica.Acknowledge their efforts for guiding us into Independence, and even their efforts up to this point. Together they should be big enough to jointly thank their dwindling supporters for their loyalty over the past 70 years and to explain that the task ahead is greater than either of them can accomplish by themselves.
https://youtu.be/8WyIUIJjFmg
Obviously is a dutty laborite write this. Propoganda!..forget seaga was cia…
Watch the video “life and debt” on you tube and ignore this laborite.
LoL. This guy is delusional! Redistribution of wealth? Where? Certainly not Jamaica. Is anyone capable of thinking for themselves who can pinpoint ANY redistribution of wealth that occurred in Jamaica, then and now?? To this clown it’s almost as if the Oil Embargo that brought the world to its knees in 1973 never happened. The numerous after shocks never apparently occurred either. Hmm. 2008 must have also been a figment of everyone’s imagination!
Edward Phillip Sinclair, you have said it very well for me and that is enough. Know that it is so! Any competition about best PM of Ja. starts behind the Late Great Michael Manley. Know that also.
The United States has tried your “trickle down” for over 30 years. We have inequality, more people in prison than any other nation, some of the worst health outcomes of the developed world, need I go on?
The article focuses on effect, but not the causes. Provide some specific policies that Manley’s government put forward that have the effects that are highlighted. A small economy like Jamaica’s cannot be viewed in a bubble – what else was going on in the Caribbean, North America, and the world around those times?
What were the specific policies that lead to growth under Seaga? Also, couldn’t one say that economic growth is not instantaneous – the moment someone steps into office the economy won’t change – therefore much of the cause – particularly during the first year – is due to policies before that person took office.
so what if manley “loved his country,” no one is disputing that. loving your country doesn’t make you a good fiscal leader. redistribution of wealth fails wherever it’s tried cause people vote with their feet.
what a load of misguided crap. the documentation is there for those who wish to research. the issues is not a simplistic as the author is making out. mr lewis doesn’t have a clue as to what he is speaking about. i doubt he was here. just regurgitating old propaganda pfft!
Its the same story economically everywhere except perhaps in China and a few other countries but they have their problems too. I left the island too but for other reasons as well. Maybe Manley’s intentions were for the people but the map is not the territory. It needs more than good intentions to change a society especially with the USA so close with their “National Interests” to protect.. From the little I know nothing much has really changed except for a few people or cosmetically perhaps. But this is a human problem and the same kind of thinking and consciousness prevails as people get educated/indoctrinated in USA or Europe. Same old, same old!
If Jamaica wants to get itself out of the problems it feels its in then new and original thinking is required for starters. You cannot keep looking back and blaming. Its history…its gone. Get with it now and make it happen. Never heard China complain about what happened to them and my word they had more than their fare share of problems. Time to wake up!