4 Main Challenges Facing Jamaica

[Seveen]

Zimbali Retreats is solar and rain containment = off the grid

[Rob]

A lot of issues facing JA...

Just after Portia came into power, almost everything went up 30% a lot of food (rice, flour, sugar) Digicel credit, among other things. The cost of living went up 30% but the wages stayed the same and with no social programs to speak of and of course this will raise the crime rate.

Most Jamaicans don't have to file or pay taxes, which if everybody did, they could send their children to school and have social programs.

Though JPS does have solar panels available they are too expensive for most to buy. Yes, JPS is cracking down on the thieving of power, arresting and throwing abusers into jail, even having people call in with tips, but so many steal it, out of necessity to eat, it makes it crazy expensive for the average home. When JPS comes around to read the meters, if they catch you, they tell you to pay them $10,000 JA so they don't report you, then you're good for another year and the JPS guy lines his pocket.

When PM Simpson-Miller came into office, the previous government's payment to the IMF was coming due and urgent measures had to be taken immediately in order to comply with the previous IMF agreement. Since then, the government has done what it could to restructure the arrangement to make it a bit less stringent - but there is very little negotiations that can be made with the IMF. And the devaluation of the Jamaican dollar has not helped the matter at all.

All employed Jamaicans do pay taxes - they do not need to file unless there annual income is over j$500,000 - and there are few that are paid that much. Put the employer does have to deduct from their pay for the PAYE, NIS, NIH and Ed. Tax. For those interested here is a link explaining how the tax deductions are applied by all employers.

http://www.jamaicatax.gov.jm/index.p...mployersduties

And JPS meters in Negril are read monthly - no j$10,000 payoff will get you a free year of electricity. It might keep you from getting shut off that month - but that is about it...

There is no escaping JPS bills if you have a meter on it. The meter readers are required to have complete records for all the meters in their area. And they do change meter readers on a regular basis to prevent fraud. JPS figured that out a long time ago... (grin)

[Kahuna3]

Jamaica rates are 7 - 16 Jam$ per Kwh - with lots of fees added on. Very high for the reasons stated in this thread.

Ontario rates are approx 7 to 13 cents CAN$ per Kwh. With lots of other fees (2 x you usage) added on. ie, the same or more than Jamaican rates.

Ontario residents are being gouged on many fronts, not just electricity, by a corrupt socialist government that blew 14 BILLION on useless wind and solar projects.

[Jamadian]

Jamaica rates are 7 - 16 Jam$ per Kwh - with lots of fees added on. Very high for the reasons stated in this thread.

Ontario rates are approx 7 to 13 cents CAN$ per Kwh. With lots of other fees (2 x you usage) added on. ie, the same or more than Jamaican rates.

Ontario residents are being gouged on many fronts, not just electricity, by a corrupt socialist government that blew 14 BILLION on useless wind and solar projects.

Wind being the biggest rip off. And then of course there is the billion wasted when they cancelled the gas power plant. Our hydro is slated to increase 33% over the next 5 years.

[Bluez]

When PM Simpson-Miller came into office, the previous government's payment to the IMF was coming due and urgent measures had to be taken immediately in order to comply with the previous IMF agreement. Since then, the government has done what it could to restructure the arrangement to make it a bit less stringent - but there is very little negotiations that can be made with the IMF. And the devaluation of the Jamaican dollar has not helped the matter at all.

All employed Jamaicans do pay taxes - they do not need to file unless there annual income is over j$500,000 - and there are few that are paid that much. Put the employer does have to deduct from their pay for the PAYE, NIS, NIH and Ed. Tax. For those interested here is a link explaining how the tax deductions are applied by all employers.

http://www.jamaicatax.gov.jm/index.p...mployersduties

And JPS meters in Negril are read monthly - no j$10,000 payoff will get you a free year of electricity. It might keep you from getting shut off that month - but that is about it...

There is no escaping JPS bills if you have a meter on it. The meter readers are required to have complete records for all the meters in their area. And they do change meter readers on a regular basis to prevent fraud. JPS figured that out a long time ago... (grin)

I agree that there is little negotiating with the IMF and Jamaica had nobody else to turn to so basically had to agree to their terms. My comments are actually referring to the goings on in Kingston, not specifically Negril, which I should have specified. I saw first hand how the prices went up on everything and people were more desperate than before she came into power. I have no idea how Portia and her new policies affected Negril, but she was previously in power for 18 years and the Jamaica we love still is no further of getting out of being a 3rd world country in spite of the huge loan to help the country. While yes, taxes are taken off of legitimate workers, most citizens I met worked for themselves and didn't have to pay taxes, not only could they not afford to, but not many people make that kind of money there. As for the meter, yes they pay and get JPS bills, JPS put on new meters but the users bridge it out (re-wire in the home) so the meter doesn't charge the full amount to the meter. Without getting anybody into trouble, I saw this happen time and time again, people who knew how to do it, did it for their family and friends. With Negrl being such a small community this would be easier to monitor.

[n8urist]

Ontario residents are being gouged on many fronts, not just electricity, by a corrupt socialist government that blew 14 BILLION on useless wind and solar projects.

Almost sounds like Ontario is in USA