A new industrial drive - Calvin Bowen

Calvin Bowen

JAMAICA IS evidently on a new industrial drive, with greater pressure on the productive sector to turn out more goods and services for the domestic market and for export; and thereby help to return the national economy to the plateau of prosperity which it used to enjoy.

Stimulus for this increase in industrial activity has come from the prospect of a restoration of the textile export industry which as been given a welcome shot-in-the-arm from the passage of new legislation in the United States, affording easy access of Jamaican-made garments into that market.

The apparel industry has been in recent years a major contributor to the economy, both as regards domestic employment and the earning of valuable foreign exchange. An improvement in the ability of this industry to make this significant social and economic contribution is therefore a spur to more general industrial activity.

When the sewing machines in the garment factories resume their song of success, when the many Jamaican workers, most of them women, get gainful employment in this industry once again, Jamaica will be energised by a greater urge to more and better output in other areas of production.

Sugar and bananas, those two traditional mainstays of the economy, have not been doing so well recently. But there are signs that these two industries, with their high export potential and greater employment opportunities, are coping with their difficulties and striving vigorously to maintain their value to the nation.

A new area that holds out the promise of better things to come is that of information technology. Jamaica has been a slow starter in the race along the international communications highway, but indications are that some progress is being made in this direction and that the benefit to the economy will in time be realised.

An even more promising development is taking place in a very old and well-established industry. JAPEX 2000, the trade fair of the Jamaican tourist industry, which was held successfully in Kingston this past weekend, was a powerful reminder not only of the importance of tourism to the economy but also of its continued vibrancy and viability over the years.

Scourge of crime

Jamaica is blessed with the natural assets that make for a successful tourist industry. When those natural attractions are added to the other elements of its history and its culture, Jamaican tourism becomes an attractive product which is easily marketed to the outside world.

Certain negative aspects of life in Jamaica, however, have tended to have an adverse effect on the progress of the industry. The dreadful scourge of crime and violence which has become a national nightmare has done considerable harm to the industry. Poor infrastructure, notably in public transportation, has also proven to be a deterrent to increased visitor traffic.

Despite the setbacks, however, Jamaican tourism continues to hold its own in the international marketplace as a preferred holiday destination. The hotel sector remains stable, the cruise-ship business maintains momentum.

As long as the physical attractions of the island remain intact, as long as Montego Bay, Ocho Rios and Negril offer their special brand of holiday delights, as long as Port Antonio and Mandeville and the South Coast retain their old-world charm and bucolic beauty, as long as Kingston continues to be a centre of international trade and travel, yet redolent of its rich cultural history and appeal, Jamaican tourism will remain a vital element in the national economy.

Nor should we forget manufacturing. After its long period of relative inactivity, this once dynamic sector of the economy has awakened from slumber and beginning to demonstrate that it can once again be the engine of growth, providing more goods and jobs for Jamaicans.

Happily, both the Government and the private sector are working together to energise the mew industrial thrust that is taking place. The Government, through its relevant agencies, the Ministries of Trade and of Industry, has led the way in opening up doors and windows of opportunity. The leadership of the productive sector has affirmed renewed faith in the future and has pledged to galvanise its membership to greater achievement.

Tourism has benefited enormously from the presence of a new and very active Minister who, along with her team of industry experts, has infused new life and enthusiasm into the industry. Under her watch, the industry appears set for a distinct upturn in its fortunes.

Agriculture, despite being having to cope with the natural disadvantages of drought and flood, is still the bedrock on which the economy was built. Under the leadership of a dynamic Minister, who is not afraid to take tough decisions, the farming element in Jamaican life is still a source of economic benefit, as a crucial component of a bright future.

Calvin Bowen is a retired Assistant Editor of The Gleaner.

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