Life In Jamaica

I had never considered Jamaica in the way they did in the movie, Life and Debt. Whenever I thought about the country, which would have been rarely, I always only considered it as a tourist destination. I never took the time and considered what life could be like for those living there yearlong, and particularly those who were not involved in the tourism industry. I mean, if you ask almost any American how they would describe Jamaica, they would describe it’s tropical, beach-like atmosphere, but almost no one would discuss how difficult life is for it’s citizens.

When Jamaica’s government needed money, they went to the IMF for some of their loans, and entered these loans under an IMF conditionality agreement. IMF conditionality is when a government must adopt certain policies in order to be eligible for the loan from the IMF. These policies often make life even more difficult than when the country was “strapped-for-cash”. Governments have even been overturned due to unrest and disagreement with the IMF conditions.

The types of reforms the IMF generally requires from states seeking loans are generally implemented through a structural adjustment program. The IMF “demands” that inflation-levels are controlled and lowered, which means reducing government spending. This includes lowering or eliminating subsidies, and also often leads to a rise in unemployment. The IMF encourages long-term investment over short-term consumption, which will push and encourage economic growth, but makes the current situation that much more difficult. The Washington Consensus is the “standard” reform package used in developing countries. It includes ten general recommendations, which include controlling fiscal policy (as discussed above), tra...

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...maica. Not only would I still be able to enjoy the sand and sun, but I would also be able to explore and appreciate the environment elsewhere. I would be able to look at the trip, not only as a vacation, but also as a learning experience. It would give me a chance to learn about the culture and the issues there, not from a movie, but from the source. I am more hesitant to make the trip then I would have before seeing this movie, however. Because I now know the sort of unrest that is taking place in Jamaica, it makes it harder to know what to expect when you go there. Will all people be friendly towards Americans? Would there be some hostility? It’s hard to know, but I do feel like you need to give it a chance. Once people realize you want to help them and understand their problems, they will often be quite willing to share their story. Only time will tell.