Title

Drugs and drug control in jamaica

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-2015

Abstract

Jamaica is widely regarded as a beautiful destination given its mountainous terrains, beaches and tropical climate. It is the third largest island in the Caribbean Sea. In 1494, Christopher Columbus arrived in the island of Xamaica (from which “Jamaica” is derived). Initially occupied by the Arawaks and subsequently, in the early 1500s, by the Spaniards, the English gained control over the island in the mid-1700s. They remained in control until Jamaica's independence from England on August 6, 1962. African slaves were brought in and their descendants remain the nation's dominant ethnic group. Jamaica now has a population of 2.9 million people with more than 90% being Black, more than 6% mixed, and more than 2% of other ethnic groups or unknown (Central Intelligence Agency, 2013; July estimate). The official language is English, but the majority of the locals speak a dialect known as: Jamaican patois (which is a mix of English and African phonetic sounds). The island has a literacy rate of 87%, an unemployment rate of over 14%, a poverty rate of 16.5%, an inflation rate of 6.9% and a life expectancy of 73 years (Central Intelligence Agency, 2013). Christianity is the dominant religion. The Jamaican economy is heavily reliant on service industries, which represented over 60% of its gross domestic product (GDP) in 2011 (Central Intelligence Agency, 2013). The island's foreign exchange, which gives an indication of a nation's economic health and the overall welfare of its people, comes largely from bauxite, tourism, and remittances (ibid.). Proudly, however, many Jamaicans refer to their country as “likkle but tallawah” (meaning small but mighty) in reference to Jamaicans’ ability to not only compete with persons from more developed countries, but to outperform on the world stage as evidenced by the exportation of its culture, the popularity of reggae music, and athletic talents like legendary sprinter Usain Bolt.

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