Ronald Brown, Contributor

An Air Jamaica plane at the Norman Manley International Airport. - Ian Allen/Staff Photographer

It was rather interesting to read the International Monetary Fund's (IMF ) recommendations on shutting down the national airline and targeting the sugar industry in the September 15, 2006, edition of the online Gleaner.

What is obvious is that their strategies have not changed since I did an in-depth analysis of their mode of operation back in university in 1990. Basically, it was sell all government-owned assets, devalue your currency and increase interest rates to control inflation.

This simply makes your country poorer; it becomes a supplier of cheap labour and is vulnerable to aggressive takeovers by acquisition tycoons.

Room for improvement

I will agree that there are several opportunities for improvement in the operation of Air Jamaica but the Government should not be too quick to let go of this national asset. A 50 per cent share ownership might be a good medium-term strategy in order to benefit from a more aggressive private sector-type marketing of the airline. Look at the other airlines that are coming to the Jamaican route and look at the airlines that have been on the route 'forever.' If it was not profitable, they would not stay. Look at current world events. Simply stated: "Jamaicans are much more comfortable flying with Air J than with any other airline." This has become even more significant since 9/11.

The sugar industry has some challenges as well as opportunities. The ethanol production should not be overlooked as the demand for energy continues to grow worldwide. Jamaica should look to its close neighbours to learn from their success stories. The control of oil continues to be one of the biggest international businesses and it is in the best interest of the suppliers to have the consumers totally dependent on them for as long as possible.

Wouldn't it be great if Jamaica should set a target to be totally self-reliant for its motor vehicle fuel by 2015? Ethanol-fuelled vehicles might be the answer to preserve or even improve the wonderful air the country now enjoys. Other countries have done this before!

One has to wonder if the recent change in leadership in Jamaica has been a stimulus to these recommendations by IMF.

Ronald D. Brown may be contacted at ron@yahoo.com