Jamaica Needs A Safety Net For It’s Most Vulnerable People And The Unemployed Especially During This Covid Pandemic

Jamaica needs a safety net for its most vulnerable people and the unemployed especially during this covid pandemic. In September 2020, the Jamaica Gleaner published an article in its newspaper entitled:  Social safety net stretched as savings wiped out – expert”  which reported “that the scale of the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated that Jamaica’s social safety net needs to be widened and deepened, sociologist Dr Orville Taylor has asserted. The preliminary findings of a recent study conducted by UNICEF and the Caribbean Policy Research Institute (CAPRI) on the impact of COVID-19 on children and families revealed that 80 per cent of families suffered a reduction in income.” (https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20200911/social-safety-net-stretched-savings-wiped-out-expert). The article continues pointing out that in a “country where the median age is increasing, there is need for greater emphasis at the national policy level on medium- to long-term social protection. That is investment in what happens to people when they are outside of the labour force, whether short term or long term” (https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20200911/social-safety-net-stretched-savings-wiped-out-expert). I agree, but how is this possible given Jamaica’s debt, size and haphazard growth and limited net national income? But the Gleaner article citesTaylor, head of the Department of Sociology at The University of the West Indies, Mona, as saying that “Barbados, a fellow CARICOM country, which has a national insurance scheme that incorporates unemployment protection and a severance payment fund – a system he said Jamaica could model” (Ibid).

However, how can the Government Of Jamaica (GOJ) provide for these people when most Jamaican workers (unlike Barbadians) don’t pay into an insurance scheme and the earnings of majority of Jamaicans are done through the informal economy which makes it impossible for the GOJ to track, collect and accrue revenues from these ventures (to put aside as stimulus or aid to Jamaicans in times of catastrophic need). Yet the Jamaican people who are now reeling from a spike in Covid infections and Covid—related deaths turn to their political leaders for a workable strategy and solution that minimizes them from the shocks of the pandemic. 
Unfortunately the GOJ cannot and does not respond in—kind as they have limited or negative cash flow. Many blame the government for their inabilities to provide such benefit programs. Is it because the GOJ has notalways practiced basic economic decision-making by applying the principle of opportunity—costs and trade—offs and not doing first things first? Is it due to the GOJ minimal and narrow examination framework that prevents the. From re-evaluating and changing strategies to meet current needs and opportunities? The Jamaican government continue to promote infrastructure programs that do very little to change their plight right now. What’s the use of such programs right now given the tightening up and shutting down of not just their economies but the world which has either slowed down or changed tectonically. So that work and play are remote or involved web-based service, programs and operation/HR systems (and Jamaica is woefully behind in this regard). Work and travel are fewer and In—between, money and food are scarce due to the Covid pandemic, yet the GOJ strategy has been to look for more aid, while continuing spending on draconian and irrelevant infrastructure programs and focusing on outdated and untimely priorities. If they do get funding it is for the purpose of studying perceptions and reactions to the covid only to produce more reports that does little to change the Jamaican peoples narrative of “life and debt”.  
Moreover, industries that supply Jamaica’s revenues such as tourism, are shutting down. Recently the GOJ applied more measures to tighten the country thereby restricting the earning potential of many of its citizens without providing a safety net that cushions the effects of the shut down. To add insult to injury the GOJ admitted that it made a huge mistake, leaving out of the 2021-2022 budget any allocation to help the homeless. This kind of blatant oversight is ominous to any hope that Jamaicans may have of carving out a strong future because of their leaders constant mistakes, limited vision and reactive and shortsighted plans that continue to keep Jamaica in a state of dependency. 

Therefore, having programs such as unemployment insurance and a social welfare program and a stimulus for all Jamaicans would help to mitigate major problems such as rising poverty correlated by a ferocious surge in crime and violence, but where’s the will of the leaders to do this. Where’s the money? Firstly, there’s is no will and secondly there’s is no money. Yet, many Jamaicans expect to get help from a government and programs that they barely contribute to since their earnings are hardly reported as the economy is mostly informal. 

If Jamaicans are to overcome this pandemic then not only are the leaders expected to exhibit the will and apply measures that respond to the issues now. Example the GOJ announced during their 2021-2022 budget presentation that they are hopeful as they are continuing with infrastructure programs and projects. But what does this have to do with improving lives in a country that does not have the enterprises that require such infrastructure. Jamaica already has one of the better infrastructure relative to other small developing states in the “Global South”. Roads won’t do anything if people don’t have places to work and if jobs are closing down and monies drying up. 
So, give the people a stimulus and a net to stimulate and save the already crippling economy. If Barbados can do it why not Jamaica. Unless the government projects being done or planned are loans or foreign investments which are used to provide jobs and incomes to many for the short—term. But what usually happens is that in the end the infrastructure programs become profit making tools only for foreign capital. Moreover, it’s tectonic development that Jamaicans needs as work and travel becomes remote. After the infrastructure projects are completed and you now have newer buildings, roads, highways and power supplies, you will find that no one will use them as service becomes remote and Jamaicans are too poor to afford to pay to travel on highways and to do business in pretty buildings that they are unable to rent or do business in since remote working is the new trend. 

The blog post/article was written by 

Rev. Renaldo McKenzie,

Doctoral Candidate at Georgetown University and Lecturer at the Jamaica Theological Seminary.

Renaldo is the author of the upcoming book: “Neoliberalism, Globalization, Income Inequality, Poverty and Resistance” available for purchase April 15, 2021.