News

Foreign Investment to Jamaica Grew By 75 Percent in 2012: Report

By: Caribbean Journal Staff - May 16, 2013 - 10:53 am

Above: Kingston (CJ Photo)

By the Caribbean Journal staff

Foreign direct investment to Jamaica rose 75 percent in 2012, according to preliminary data from the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean.

That represented a total of $381 million in foreign direct investment to Jamaica in 2012, up from $218 million in 2011, although still far short of its levels of investment before the global economic crisis, when, for example, Jamaica received $1.4 billion in 2008.

The increase in Jamaica came in large part due to mining and tourism, although both sectors are receiving “a fraction of the sums they used to,” the UN said.

In the past two years, Jamaica’s telecom sector has received the biggest foreign investment boost, with new entrants like Digicel and Columbus capturing the market from Cable and Wireless.

Foreign direct investment to the Caribbean region as a whole rose by $2.25 billion in 2012, a 39 percent increase.

The Dominican Republic received the most foreign investment, a total of $3.61 billion. Within CARICOM, Trinidad received the most overall foreign investment, at $2.34 billion, while Belize saw the biggest growth rate, at 96 percent.

The Bahamas saw the region’s biggest drop in foreign investment, falling from $971 million in 2011 to $465 million in 2012, a 45 percent reduction.

Grenada also saw a drop in foreign investment, falling 28 percent to $33 million from $45 million the previous year.

Haiti received $179 million in FDI, practically the same amount as in 2011, despite some new investment in manufacturing and services.

Popular Posts antigua long bay

25 Perfect Caribbean Beaches to Add to Your Summer Bucket List

There’s nothing like a Caribbean beach in summer. The crowds thin out, the winds relax, and the islands start breathing in a different way. The beaches you thought you knew feel new again— stretches of sand once packed with winter […]


The 15 Best Hotels in Trinidad and Tobago, From Hidden Eco-Retreats to Luxury Towers

trinidad and tobago hotels where to stay

From Port of Spain to Tobago’s quiet coasts, these are the places to check in now No two Caribbean islands are quite like Trinidad and Tobago—and no two hotels here feel the same. This is a destination of contrast: Carnival […]


This Marriott All-Inclusive Resort Is Coming to Barbados —  And You Can Book It With Points

new brand for the caribbean

Barbados has long been a haven for adults in search of refinement — the kind of place where luxury and culture blend in quiet, confident harmony. Now, that ethos is becoming the foundation of a new resort concept that aims […]


Related Posts vida cayman

This Caribbean Hotel Will Give You 50 Percent Off—If You Hand Over Your Phone

The air feels different the moment you step onto the deck. It’s quieter. Calmer. Like the world shrank to the sound of the sea and the breath in your chest. And your phone? That’s gone—locked away in a drawer somewhere […]


Why Guadeloupe Is a Caribbean Island Hopping Paradise

guadeloupe is an island hopping paradise

Guadeloupe isn’t one island—it’s a self-contained archipelago of six inhabited isles (and countless islets and cays), each with its own rhythm, landscape, and identity. Set in the French Caribbean, Guadeloupe is unified by a strong Creole and French heritage, yet […]


The Story from the Latest Caribbean Hotel Data: Occupancy Lower, Rates Up Slightly 

montego bay

Caribbean hotel occupancy is declining. We won’t sugarcoat it (although it’s far more market-dependent, with many islands actually seeing climbs). But overall, region-wide, it’s down. That’s the story from the latest data from STR.  Occupancy in May was 61.7 percent […]