64 Years Independent: But Who Really Owns Jamaica?

 

August 6 marks Jamaica’s Independence Day. For 64 years, Jamaicans have celebrated the moment in 1962 when the British flag was lowered and the Jamaican flag was raised. This year, that celebration reached New York, where Brooklyn hosted its first Jamaica Day Parade. There is much to celebrate. Jamaica has given the world reggae, dancehall, Olympic champions, artists, entrepreneurs, doctors, teachers and a culture recognized around the globe.

But independence should also be a time for reflection. What exactly are Jamaicans independent of—and how much control do Jamaicans actually have over their own country? Politically, Jamaica is unquestionably an independent nation. But political independence does not automatically mean economic independence.

Consider the beaches. Jamaica's coastline is one of its greatest natural treasures, yet public access to beaches has become increasingly controversial as private developments and tourism interests control portions of the coastline. Activists have taken legal action over access to several beaches, arguing that Jamaicans are being denied access to parts of their own coast. The precise claim that Jamaicans have access to “less than 5 percent” of the beaches is disputed and depends on how access is measured—but the larger issue is undeniable: Jamaicans should not become visitors in their own country.

Then there is the brain drain. Jamaica educates doctors, nurses, teachers, engineers and other professionals, only to see many leave for better opportunities in the United States, Canada and Britain. The receiving countries benefit from Jamaican talent while Jamaica struggles with shortages in hospitals, classrooms and other essential services. What does independence mean if the country cannot retain the people it needs to build its future?

The same question applies to infrastructure. Poor roads, inadequate maintenance and transportation challenges affect farmers, businesses, students and ordinary families every day. Independence should be visible not only in the flag flying over government buildings, but in the quality of life experienced by citizens. Then comes the question of land ownership.

Foreign investment is important to Jamaica's economy, and Jamaica needs capital. But there must be a national conversation about who owns the country's most valuable beachfront, agricultural and urban land. If ordinary Jamaicans cannot afford to compete for property in their own country while wealthy foreign investors can, we must ask whether economic independence is truly being achieved. The Jamaican dollar tells another part of the story. Its enormous decline against the U.S. dollar over the decades has reduced the purchasing power of ordinary Jamaicans and made imported goods, housing and other necessities increasingly expensive.

None of these issues means Jamaica is not an independent nation. It means independence is unfinished business. True independence should mean more than a flag, an anthem and a passport. It should mean the ability to educate our children, care for our sick, retain our professionals, maintain our roads, protect our natural resources and give ordinary Jamaicans a genuine opportunity to own property and build wealth.

The Jamaican diaspora is proof of both Jamaica's greatness and its challenges. Millions of Jamaicans and their descendants live abroad, sending money home, building houses, supporting families and promoting Jamaican culture. Imagine what Jamaica could accomplish if more of that talent, capital and ambition could be retained at home. So yes, celebrate August 6.

Celebrate Jamaica's history, culture and remarkable achievements. But let Independence Day also be a national audit. Who owns Jamaica? Who benefits from Jamaica? And can the average Jamaican afford to build a future there? Political independence was Jamaica's first liberation. Economic independence may be the unfinished one.