World Bank: Jamaican Crime Reduction Could Mean 5 percent Increase in Growth

By: - April 14th, 2011

If Jamaica can reduce its crime rate to the level of Costa Rica, it could see a 5.4 percent increase in gross domestic product, according to the World Bank’s World Development Report for 2011. “Indirect costs — associated with stress and trauma, time off work due to violent incidents, and lower productivity from injury or mental illness — far overshadow direct costs,” the report said. Costa Rica has a murder rate of 11 per 100,000 persons; Jamaica has a rate of 55 per 100,000 persons and a population of 2.7 million.

Jamaica

Jamaican Government Temporarily Cuts Fuel Taxes, Staves Off Protest

Minister of Finance and Public Service Audley Shaw The Jamaican Government temporarily reduced the ad valorem tax on petrol from 15 percent to 10 percent yesterday, with the cut set to take effect Thursday. The move came after threats of protests by the opposition People’s National Party if the government did not cap the taxon […]

Jamaica

Jamaica to Tap Chinese Coffee Market

The Jamaican Government is moving to broaden the market of Jamaica’s high-end Blue Mountain Coffee, as the first 16,500 kilogram shipment of Jamaican green bean coffee was sent off on its way to Hangzhou, China. Last year, the Hangzhou Coffee and Western Foods Association signed a memorandum of understanding with Jamaica’s Ministry of Agriculture and […]

Jamaica

U.S. Firm Manatt, Phelps and Phillips Mum on Commission Evidence

A conference room at the firm’s office The ongoing commission examining efforts by Jamaica’s leaders to lobby the United States concerning the requested extradition of Christopher “Dudus” Coke could hinge on whether U.S. law firm Manatt, Phelps and Phillips, which is at the center of the enquiry, will produce evidence. The firm has not said […]

Golding, Testifying at Commission, Says No Contact with Coke

 As Jamaica’s Manatt Commission of Enquiry draws to a close, Prime Minister Bruce Golding said that he had not tipped off former Tivoli Gardens strongman Christopher “Dudus” Coke after Jamaica received the United States’ extradition request. “I have not seen or spoken to Coke for at least a year and a half before the extradition […]

David Smith to Plead Guilty to $220M Fraud in Orlando Federal Court

 David Smith, who led the failed investment scheme OLINT, will plead guilty to 23 charges in Orlando federal court. Smith, who began OLINT in Jamaican until moving it to Turks and Caicos (where he pleaded guilty to fraud and conspiracy charges last year), described OLINT as a private investment club that pooled investors’ money in […]

Jamaica, Barbados Meet to Discuss Alleged Incident at Grantley Adams Airport

 As Jamaica’s Manatt Commission of Enquiry draws to a close, Prime Minister Bruce Golding said that he had not tipped off former Tivoli Gardens strongman Christopher “Dudus” Coke after Jamaica received the United States’ extradition request. “I have not seen or spoken to Coke for at least a year and a half before the extradition […]

Jamaica Complains to CARICOM on Alleged Barbados Immigration Incident

 The Jamaican Government will raise the issue of an alleged mistreatment of a Jamaican woman by Barbados customs officials, Foreign Affairs Minister Ken Baugh announced. Jamaican national Shanique Myrie claims she was subjected to two demeaning cavity searches, along with several hours of detention, on a visit to Barbados Mar. 14. The claims have been […]