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Standard of living inches up in Ja
published: Friday | June 17, 2005


Despite declining poverty levels, many Jamaicans continue to live in deplorable conditions.
POVERTY LEVELS across the island improved slightly in 2003, shifting from 19.7 per cent in 2002 to 19.1 per cent, according to the latest edition of the Jamaica Survey of Living Conditions (JSLC).
The JSLC is jointly published by the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) and the Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN).
Yesterday it was reported that the 2002 Survey of Living Conditions Parish Report pointed to a decrease in poverty from 35.2 per cent in 1992. However, the 2002 statistics also registered an increase in poverty from 16.1 per cent in 1998.
But despite the slight economic improvement recorded over the 2003 period, the latest report noted a decline in the real national per capita consumption, or the average value of a single consumer's purchases, over the same period.
"At constant (1990) prices, mean per capita consumption declined by 2.2 per cent compared with 2002, to reach $8,758," the report said. The 'real' value of income is calculated at the value of income in 1990.
At 2003 prices, average per capita consumption was measured at $88,062, an increase of 4.5 per cent over 2002.
According to the survey, the apparent paradox between the decline in average per capita consumption and the absence of poverty deterioration should be viewed in the context of a number of developments.
AMONG THESE DEVELOPMENTS ARE:
- A reduction in the degree of consumption inequality, with the poorest groups registering the largest relative gains.
- Real GDP (and associated factor income) growth heavily influenced by growth in the agriculture and tourism sectors, both of which are relatively labour intensive and, to a large extent, rural-based where poverty is most prevalent.
- Continued growth in private remittances from abroad, which is relatively more important to the poor as a coping mechanism than it is to wealthier groups.
- An increase in the tax burden, a significant share of which would be borne by the PAYE pool, which presumably does not have a high concentration of the poor.
- Existence of improved social safety net system.

@Ladyday: Don't take this the wrong way, but the way i see things, i think it is going to take a serious, serious riot of the highest orderin order to wake up the stinking sleepy heads in the west,who for obvious reasonsareobsessed withwanting to keep the carribean islands and much of Africa in the dumps!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This can't go on like this. Take my country of origin, Nigeria for example. After forty five years of independence, things are going from bad to worse and, it is the west who is thecause ofall the problems, and they know it. So why don't they justcut out all the crap!!!!!!

So saint Bob is going to be the saviour of the black world. I don't think so some how. All we want is forhim and all his kind to getoff our backs! It's as simple as that.

@Ladyday...hmmm I would be very sceptical of these claims as they are ofen simply procedural adjustments and very freakish or non substantial in nature. The only thing that matters is growth ongoing and constant and how that is refleced in GDP and distributed nationally. A minor change here or there can make stats look like they are improving but no real improvement in reality. I note it states a minor decrease in consumption. People have less money and use it more wisely which will affect the stats. But that is not growth and increased productivity. #

If people from abroad reduced their remittances by say 1.% percent then we would see what is what and I suggest whatever gain which is being inferred by this article would wipe out and be in defciit.

FB

i agree with both of what you say indeed

POVERTY LEVELS across the island improved slightly in 2003, shifting from 19.7 per cent in 2002 to 19.1 per cent

I have serious doubts that poverty can be measured to within 0.6 of a per cent.

How about the increase 30% increased murder rate. With that kind of statistic everything elseis insignificant. Let alone the resulting poverty of mind because whole communities cannot go school in some parts of Kingston.

Jokers.

they need to return to free education for all under 18 or 16 as they used to have it when ja had socialist government in place. charities are sending kids to schools. the uk has a jamaican overseas jamaican schools foundation to pay for schooling.

many social ills need addressing indeed