Life and Debt
Clearly Life and Debt portrays a Jamaica that most do not see. Now that I think about it, Trinidad itself can be compared to Jamaica in terms of what the documentary discusses.
I've always thought the International Monetary Fund (IMF) had little power and most countries neglected financing with them because of their undesirable terms. The documentary opened my eyes as to the influence the IMF had on Jamaica. This influence would be a bad one because it led to cuts in education and more for the people of Jamaica which would lead to damaging effects. It's one thing to use strategies of making foreign currency cost more to encourage Jamaica to have more exports. However, it's another thing when international companies seep through to manipulate and dominate the markets in Jamaica causing the Jamaicans to compete in a very unfair market. An example of this is used with agriculture and milk productions, and the loan agreements with the U.S which basically screwed the local milk Farmers.
Jamaica is like a human body being sucked dry by various international leeches. The United States is effectively sucking Jamaica's blood dry by simply seeing Jamaica as another market to gain profits from. American institutions like McDonalds, Baskin Robins, etc. are all over Jamaica. The money that is taken away from the locals creates a trickledown effect to kids; who would turn to other bad influences like violence because their parents cannot support them with good schooling.
My opinion is that the Jamaican government truly is corrupt and plays a big role in Jamaica's damnation. For a country that depends on agriculture, why would they make these deals with foreign countries, like the U.S, and banks like the IMF to basically take away jobs from Jamaicans? Funds were low yes and desperate measures had to be taken, but not at the cost of the citizens of the country. It can be compared to Trinidad where agriculture use to be a strong foundation in the country. Now it is lacking
I've always thought the International Monetary Fund (IMF) had little power and most countries neglected financing with them because of their undesirable terms. The documentary opened my eyes as to the influence the IMF had on Jamaica. This influence would be a bad one because it led to cuts in education and more for the people of Jamaica which would lead to damaging effects. It's one thing to use strategies of making foreign currency cost more to encourage Jamaica to have more exports. However, it's another thing when international companies seep through to manipulate and dominate the markets in Jamaica causing the Jamaicans to compete in a very unfair market. An example of this is used with agriculture and milk productions, and the loan agreements with the U.S which basically screwed the local milk Farmers.
Jamaica is like a human body being sucked dry by various international leeches. The United States is effectively sucking Jamaica's blood dry by simply seeing Jamaica as another market to gain profits from. American institutions like McDonalds, Baskin Robins, etc. are all over Jamaica. The money that is taken away from the locals creates a trickledown effect to kids; who would turn to other bad influences like violence because their parents cannot support them with good schooling.
My opinion is that the Jamaican government truly is corrupt and plays a big role in Jamaica's damnation. For a country that depends on agriculture, why would they make these deals with foreign countries, like the U.S, and banks like the IMF to basically take away jobs from Jamaicans? Funds were low yes and desperate measures had to be taken, but not at the cost of the citizens of the country. It can be compared to Trinidad where agriculture use to be a strong foundation in the country. Now it is lacking