JAMAICA Debt and Poverty Claremont Kirton with additional material by James Ferguson Oxfam © Oxfam 1992 A catalogue record is available for this book from the British Library. ISBN 0 85598 117 2 Pb ISBN 0 85598 116 4 Hb Published by Oxfam 274 Banbury Road Oxford OX2 7DZ Designed by Oxfam Design Department 739/MJ/92 Printed by Oxfam Print Unit This book converted to digital file in 2010 Contents 1 Introduction 2 An overview of the economy of Jamaica 2.1 Historical background 2.2 The structure of the Jamaican economy 2.3 Economic crisis in Jamaica: explanations and effects 2.4 Response to economic crisis: stabilisation and adjustment 2.5 Effects of structural adjustment 2.6 Fighting back: two responses to material deprivation 2.7 Alternative adjustment policies 3 Interviews The small farmer The health workers The church worker The Free Trade Zone workers The problems of single mothers The higgler The teacher 4 Oxf am in Jamaica Notes Further reading 1 9 9 12 15 19 20 37 38 43 43 47 51 55 59 62 67 73 75 76