On this occasion of Jamaica’s 57th anniversary of Independence, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) is proud to salute the people and Government of Jamaica for your many achievements. As your premier multilateral partner for the past half-century, we are proud to have been a part of your inspiring journey.

In this context, Jamaica’s progress towards institutional development in recent years has been nothing short of remarkable. Over the past decade Jamaica went from being one of the most indebted and economically uncertain countries in the world, to the poster child for policy prudence and institutional innovation. With the help of international development partners like the IDB, Jamaica has come further, faster, than anyone thought possible.

But the heavy lifting is far from over. Completing the monumental task of transforming Jamaica’s public sector into a more modern, efficient, and responsive group of agencies will require many more years of effort and external support. The IDB looks forward to remaining the country’s closest partner in the years to come, and our country strategy is fully aligned with the Government’s own development agenda. It aims to tackle constraints on economic growth and contribute to poverty reduction, with a focus on three overarching objectives:

(i) improving public sector management;

(ii) increasing productivity and growth; and,

(iii) reinforcing human capital development.

This strategy also fully integrates crime, resilience to climate shocks, and gender equality as cross-cutting areas.

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/editorial/jamaica-has-come-further-faster-than-anyone-thought-possible_172119