When I say Jamaica is near the bottom of the barrel in the Caribbean, I’m referring to key development indicators—not culture, talent, or the resilience of the Jamaican people.

Excluding Haiti, which is currently experiencing a severe political and security crisis, Jamaica consistently ranks in the lower tier of CARICOM countries on several important measures:

• GDP per capita trails countries such as The Bahamas, Barbados, Trinidad & Tobago, Antigua & Barbuda, St. Kitts & Nevis, and others.
• Jamaica’s labor productivity remains relatively low compared to many regional peers.
• Violent crime rates have historically been among the highest in the Caribbean, despite recent improvements.
• Economic growth has been sluggish for decades, averaging well below what would be needed to significantly raise living standards.
• Large numbers of skilled Jamaicans continue to migrate abroad in search of better opportunities.
• Infrastructure, public transportation, healthcare access, and public services still lag behind many smaller Caribbean states.

The tragedy is that Jamaica has enormous advantages: strategic location, world-renowned culture, tourism, agriculture, natural resources, and one of the most recognizable national brands on Earth. Yet after more than 60 years of independence, the country’s economic and social outcomes remain below what many Jamaicans believe they should be.

So my point is not meant as an insult to Jamaica. It was a criticism of the development model and political leadership that have failed to fully convert Jamaica’s potential into broad-based prosperity for ordinary citizens.”