Delroy Chuck SOME MISGUIDED persons actually believe from my comments in last week's column that I am against local manufacturing and production. How could I be? The underlying thread throughout the column was that local manufacturers must produce cheaper and better to compete with foreign imports. I support local industries. It is primarily through the support, improvement and growth of local production that Jamaica can expand, export and extricate itself from its huge indebtedness, economic decline and social disarray. I am against tariffs, protection and monopoly, as they are economically unsound and promote inefficiency, high prices and the delivery of poor goods and services.
The present campaign to eat Jamaican products deserves the unswerving support of every citizen here and abroad. Yet, it has its limits, as public relations, exhortation and patriotism cannot overcome simple economics and consumer's choice. Obviously, there would be no need for such a campaign if we grow and produce enough quality Jamaican products cheaper and better than foreign imports. Consumers cannot be easily fooled, perhaps once but not forever. Ultimately, economics will always triumph over patriotism, which in the global marketplace is a lost cause.
In a competitive environment, with freedom of choice, and an abundance of good products, local producers will simply have to produce and market at a higher and more efficient level. Consumers cannot be forever persuaded to buy poor products of questionable quality and sometimes more expensive, whether or not they are produced locally. The Eat Jamaica Camp-aign should therefore focus on providing the discerning consumers with cheaper and better Jamaican products it is the only way to keep Jamaica growing.
COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT
Jamaica has the ability and potential to produce sufficiently for the local, regional and overseas markets. Every ounce of sugar, pound of ginger, bunch of bananas, berry of coffee, Tastee or Juici patty, or bottle of Ting soft drink, etc. produced can be sold here and abroad but we simply do not produce enough. We are in fact a country of samples, catering to small niche markets, with unreliable supplies of every product, poor marketing strategy and a weak and inefficient business environment. The end result is that Jamaican products are produced and marketed inefficiently and are uncompetitive in the global marketplace.
Our business strategy to compete globally must look beyond local consumption. If we cannot produce competitively for the local market then soon the global market will swallow us. The Eat Jamaican Cam-paign, therefore, can only be a stopgap and short-term strategy, which must extend in the shortest possible time to an Export Jamaica Campaign. It is this new mindset that is urgently needed to move Jamaica from a country in decay to a country whose economy is throttling and boosting the quality of life. The real impediment to economic growth and production is the hostility to business and unfriendly economic policies. When everybody, especially the bureaucrat and politician, sees the producer, developer and businessman as a source of wealth from whom something must be taken whether in the form of bribe, extortion or taxation - how can a favourable business climate be created? The mindset toward businessmen is unsympathetic, as they are seen as powerful men who exploit their workers and feed on the poor consumers. What is the business community doing to change that mindset?
BUSINESS FRIENDLY
To be sure, the country needs to become much more business friendly and business oriented, with a fast track for businesses to get off the ground, less taxation and a well-oiled bureaucracy to allow businesses to make money and create wealth. Jamaicans need to understand that nothing is wrong in making money and creating wealth, it is the only way for Jamaica to offer its citizens a better life. We do not have enough natural resources, like oil, on which we can depend to provide the income for a decent lifestyle. If Jamaica is to grow and join the First World economy, we have to depend on the creativity, marketing strategy and production skills of businessmen, whether local or foreign investors.
Unfortunately, Jamaican businessmen are their own worst enemies. They fail to demand and work for the favourable business environment, in which all businesses can grow and expand. Selfishly, they are only concerned with their own business, going around the red tapes, working the bureaucracy, making the needed contacts, getting the government's favour and support and looking after their own narrow interests. How much better it would be for the whole country if they exposed and excised the impediments, burdens and additional costs to produce and do business here.
To do business in this country is undoubtedly a hassle and a heavy burden, but who cares? Who is really determined to make Jamaica a business friendly country, willing to educate the public about the importance of business and happily rejoice when businesses make money, lots of money? In a country that believes in the distribution of wealth, loosely talks about social and economic justice and sees itself as a victim of imperialism and globalisation, it is an unenviable task. But it must be done if we are to improve local production and extricate the country from the economic dump into which we have plunged.
Delroy Chuck is an attorney-at-law and Opposition Member of Parliament. He can be contacted by email at delchuck@hotmail.com
