Fostering growth through the rural economy
Akey feature of development is a model that is inclusive of all cross sections of societies. In recent times we have seen exponential deployment of capital. During a quick drive through Kingston we see evidence of this massive capital deployment. Over the last four years we have seen heightened investments in the infrastructure network across Kingston, providing linkages between this city and other areas of the country. As such, the commute time between Montego Bay and Kingston has been tremendously reduced.
Massive investments in infrastructure oftentimes increases the attractiveness of a country for investments, bringing employment and much-needed income for individuals, and, by extension, improving the standard of living of these individuals over time.
The Jamaican economy has several layers that are not being fully utilised to their fullest extent. One area that has the potential for further growth and development is the rural economy, an important bedrock of the Jamaican economy. A common economic feature of rural Jamaica is agriculture, and with the right capital deployment in the area of infrastructural development this sector can fast-track real development within these communities.
The St Thomas countryside, for example, is covered with farmlands. Farming allows men and women living in St Thomas to put food on their tables. In 2008, before Tropical Storm Gustav, banana farming was the sector in which many farmers strived. The storm destroyed Eastern Banana Estates, rendering useless over 3,000 acres of land that would have normally been under banana culti- vation. The closing of the estate put nearly 500 farmers out of work and shattered the market.
The recent closure of Golden Grove Sugar factory is also having a negative impact on the parish. Farmers there are now fearful of what their future may hold. How do we build a new day in Jamaica with agriculture at the centre of rural development?
About 47 per cent of the Jamaican population live in rural areas and 16.5 per cent live below the poverty line. The agriculture sector mainly comprises small and medium-size farmers, who account for 85 per cent of total agricultural holdings. In general, agriculture-dependent parishes have the highest incidence of poverty in Jamaica.
At current output levels the agriculture sector contributes around 7.3 per cent of Jamaica’s GDP, which gives it a valuation of US$1.15 billion, using 2019 numbers. At current levels the sector is responsible for 20.1 per cent of the current labour force, thus highlighting the important role it plays in the overall economic growth agenda.
The first stage of building out an environment that facilitates economic growth should be centred on fostering growth through the agriculture sector. But the question is how do we go about fostering that growth?
The first area that should be given attention if we are to expand the capabilities of the rural economy is the modernisation of the infrastructure. A quick drive across many rural communities highlights ageing infrastructure. This serves as a disincentive for greater investments by private sector players, who could further stimulate growth in these communities. Improving infrastructure such as farm roads and the roads leading to these communities could lead to greater levels of output. It would also open up these farmers to new markets, which could be facilitated as commute times would be significantly reduced and farmers would be better able to get goods in a timely manner to their designated markets, thus reducing loss via spoilage.
With the effects of climate change becoming more prevalent, the issue of irrigation needs greater focus. It is no secret that water is a well-needed input material for the proper functioning of farming systems. Over the years, due to the change in weather patterns, we have begun to experience longer droughts and unpredictable weather patterns. For sustainable development within the agro sector there needs to be greater investment in irrigation systems and wastewater catchment equipment to reduce water shortage in times of drought.
There needs to be a public-private partnership that develops forward and backward linkages between the various sectors of the economy. At current levels, 45 per cent of what the local hotel industry uses for food consumption within their operations can be produced locally. Creating a public-private partnership with the aim of creating linkages within the economy would give rise to additional markets for local farmers. This public-private partnership could be extended to the creation of a credit revolving fund and greater knowledge of the opportunities that exist for farmers and potential farmers regarding funding accessibility.
Access to capital has been a major detriment to small farmers. Creation of a credit revolving fund dedicated to small farmers would increase their ability to expand operations and substantially grow their income.
The minister of agriculture is on the right path, as indicated in his June 18, 2020 release that $1 billion will be available to support farmers and fisherfolk. The path to full economic growth is one that centres on a growth strategy which underpins all cross sections of the Jamaican society; it is a path on which prosperity continues to be inclusive, as we have begun to see. Jamaica would thrive if we promote agriculture as a way by which people can make a decent living.
— Dr Michelle Charles is a dental surgeon and Jamaica Labour Party coordinator for St Thomas Eastern.
The United States Supreme Court, the highest court within that country’s judicial system, is the subject of extensive scholarly and journalistic opinion. One point of focus concerns the ideological predisposition of each individual member of the court. It is often presumed that judges will normally vote in accordance with identifiable philosophical positions, with Conservatives and Liberals in almost constant debate on the nine-member bench.
Division not new
This is, of course, not a new feature of the Supreme Court. As noted by Bob Woodward and Scott Armstrong in The Brethren, the court led by Chief Justice Warren (the Warren Court) took American jurisprudence in a distinctly Liberal direction in the 15 or so years leading up to 1969. And even from that time, some Conservatives have maintained that pronounced and deliberate political efforts must be made to bring the court back to the right, after the entrenchment alleged Liberal “excesses” in the law by judges such as William Brennan, Thurgood Marshall, and others of the Warren Court and beyond.
‘intellectual Feast’
Along the road of left/right ideological disputation, notable milestones have come to be associated with the process of judicial appointments. So, for example, Conservative nominee Robert Bork, who aspired to participate in the “intellectual feast” associated with final decision-making, was turned away from the court by a vote of 52 to 48 in the Senate, in 1987. Judge Bork’s replacement, Anthony Kennedy, became an important swing voter on the court, sometimes supporting Liberal causes, notwithstanding that he had been nominated by the reliably Conservative Ronald Reagan.
the liberal judge
Since the time of the Bork nomination, advocates of both the left and right have set out expectations for judicial appointments, with various acid tests being placed on the public agenda. To consider the matter from the Liberal end of the spectrum, a Supreme Court judge today is expected to support abortion rights as adumbrated especially by Justice Harry Blackmun in Roe v Wade (1973) and reinforced in amended form by the trio of Justices Sandra Day O’connor, David Souter and Anthony Kennedy in Planned Parenthood v Casey (1992).
In addition, the Liberal judge
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will in all likelihood adopt an expansive view on non-discrimination issues, embrace affirmative action in favour of the traditionally dispossessed, place limits on states rights, and support constitutional rules limiting police excesses. The Liberal judge will also be inclined to restrict the application of the death penalty, to support gay rights, and to promote migrant rights. Generally, in interpreting the law, the Liberal judge will tend to view the Constitution as a “living instrument”, a set of evolving rules which reflect changing mores, values and expectations of modern society.
conservative orthodoxy
Conservative orthodoxy differs from the foregoing Liberal positions in significant ways. Affirmative action, for instance, is largely frowned upon, on the assumption that it promotes discrimination — this is evident in Chief Justice Roberts’ dictum in the case of Parents Involved in Community Schools v Seattle School District No 1 (2007), that the best way to prevent discrimination on grounds of race is to stop discriminating on grounds of race. Conservatives will be more willing than Liberals to support the application of the death penalty, have traditionally held that gay rights are not expressly supported in the Constitution and show deference to State rights.
On the acid test of abortion, Conservatives such as Antonin Scalia have opined that
Roe v Wade should be overturned, as a decision which has no legitimate foundation in the Constitution. Conservatives, too, led in recent years largely by Scalia, have argued that constitutional interpretation should follow the plain meaning of the text, as the words meant at the time they were used by those who framed the Constitution.
the roberts court
Today’s Supreme Court — the Roberts Court — is widely perceived to be tipped slightly in favour of Conservative perspectives, with five judges — Roberts, Thomas, Alito, Gorsuch and Kavanagh — having been nominated by Republican presidents. The other four judges — Breyer, Ginsburg, Sotomayor and Kagan — nominated by Democratic presidents, adopt Liberal positions on most matters. With this composition in mind, it is fair to anticipate Conservative decisions on
It should be underlined, however, that the left-right dichotomy does not invariably guarantee results on preordained lines. For example, in National Federation of Independent Business v Sebelius (2012), Chief Justice Roberts voted with Liberal colleagues, and against Conservatives, to preserve a key component of the Obamacare health scheme, by a margin of one vote.
More recently, over the last three weeks, the Chief Justice has again controversially broken ranks with Conservatives, giving decisive support to Liberal ends in three cases with major political implications.
gay rights case
These three cases pertain respectively to gay and transgender rights, immigration rights and abortion. In the first of these cases — Bostock v Clayton County —the central issue was whether an employer who dismisses an individual for being gay or transgender