Julian 'Jingles' Reynolds, Contributor

There is a fundamental characteristic required for nation building, I believe, and that is national pride: The feeling by the overwhelming majority of a country's inhabitants and expatriates that theirs is the 'greatest country' for whatever the reasons, and they will all come together to achieve the common objectives to maintain that perception of being el numero uno.

This central drive or principal purpose cuts across race and class, even if inequities exist within these nations, as is the case in the United States, Great Britain, France, Germany, Italy, and even Singapore. China and India, both still with developing nation classification, are the newest participants in this drive for modern nation building, China having a 10.5 per cent economic growth rate last year, and India 9.4 per cent.

Nearer to home, Cuba with a nine per cent economic growth rate last year has embarked on this path, driven by the will to survive and triumph over the economic stranglehold placed on it by the U.S.-led embargo.

Attaining the best

But on close examination, the drive for nation building is spearheaded by these countries' leadership, the policies laid down, and the commitment and willingness of the managers to see that the visions of the leadership are executed to attain the best interest of 'the nation'.

In Jamaica, there are rare instances of this coming together to fulfil a common objective. Primary example is the accomplishment of the nation in track and field.

Beginning in the late 1940s, raw talent, self and national pride, national and international support, a system organised and managed by dedicated volunteers, and the passion by Jamaicans to be recognised as a force in world athletics, have propelled Jamaica into becoming a dominant player in world track and field.

It is possibly the only activity in Jamaica where the production capacity and the level of productivity of individual athletes are comparable, and may possibly surpass on a per capita basis the leading nations in the world.

Similar accomplishments can be realised for Jamaica's socio-economic standards. But the leadership needs to work much harder.

I have long maintained, from experience, that agro-industry and entertainment are two areas that Jamaica has enormous potential for growth. I submit that, if approached systematically and with the common objective of nation building, these two sectors can advance the country's economic growth rate from the two per cent it now is, to a seven per cent annual growth within three years. However, for this to be accomplished, there must be an appreciation by the decision makers for the people who comprise the vast majority of these sectors - black, working class Jamaicans.

Providing financing

First, finance capital must be made much easier to be accessed by those who operate these sectors there have been some recent evidences of government's and Scotiabank Jamaica's policies being announced and implemented to grow these sectors, the financial sector's execution is still much too onerous, counterproductive, frustrating and in some instances appear to be discriminatory and covetous.

No country serious about production and productivity can have its development bank, export-import bank taking several months (sometimes as much as a year) in processing loan applications, and oftentimes denying the loan applicant after the long wait. It's callous and disrespectful, and shows that the bankers, political leadership and decision makers are not serious about development for Jamaica.

Recently, I had discussions with a farmer in St. Ann, working rented bauxite land of 20 acres for about six years. Despite two attempts to access a small loan from the People's Co-operative Bank and the Nationalo Development Bank of Jamaica, he has never been successful.

He said he had developed a relationship with one of the PC bank managers in his area, who confessed to him that he has "never seen anyone successfully getting one of these loans." My friend, the farmer, admits feeling very frustrated at times, but his love for agriculture keeps him in it. And, despite the rejection of financing and its resultant hardships, he produces some of the biggest and most potent scotch bonnet peppers, green peppers and sweet potato.

I talked to entrepreneurs in the music and furniture manufacturing businesses in downtown Kingston, and they scoffed at me suggesting they seek low-interest loans announced (at the time of the conversation) by the former Prime Minister and members of her Cabinet.

They say it would be a waste of time, given the 'unreasonable' requirements, the time that would be involved, and then being told they don't qualify. The feeling among all whom I have spoken with is that "these loans are not for the average business person." This is unacceptable and extremely unhealthy for a nation that is serious about poverty alleviation, democratising wealth, and nation building.

A lending policy committed to national development, increased agricultural yields and improving the manufacturing sector cannot discount someone's work input, sweat equity, intellectual capital as a part of their 30 per cent equity invested in the project, a requirement mandated by the lending agencies for accessing these loans; cannot insist for collateral to be 25 per cent in excess of the cost of the project; must lend at single digit interest rates, and should not take more than two weeks to process, decide and disburse loans.

Checklist or requirements

Lending agencies should provide a checklist of requirements from the outset to potential borrowers, and not keep adding and adjusting requirements. Frustrated entrepreneurs dismiss the lending process in Jamaica as a 'friend thing'.

Jamaica's agricultural sector accounts for just over five per cent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP) and absorbs 20 per cent of the labour force. But the most annoying and embarrassing experience I had operating in the importation of Jamaican agricultural and agro-related products in the United States is failure to supply the quantities in the timely manner that my customers required. GraceKennedy and Company and Jamaica Producers Ltd. are the two most successful Jamaican companies in agro-related export, with annual revenues last year of $36.1 billion and $28.5 billion, respectively.

Jamaica could have 10 more companies operating in world markets, as big or bigger and successful as GraceKennedy and Jamaica Producers, if only the accommodating conditions and a level playing field exist.

Reggae music, its participants and attendant cultural practices have proven the international success of Jamaica's entertainment sector. Chris Blackwell, Bob Marley, Jimmy Cliff, Marcia Griffiths, Toots and the Maytals, Burning Spear, Studio One Records, VP Records, Third World, Beres Hammond, Shaggy, Bugu Banton, Sean Paul, Maxie Priest, Yellowman, Shabba Ranks and others have established this success and sustained growth of the Jamaican music industry.

Yet, Jamaican hotels are bereft of first-class reggae acts appearing in them. A recent (2007) study by the World Intellectual Property Organisation undertaken by Dr. Vanus James revealed that the copyright related industries (predominantly reggae music) accounts for 5.1 per cent of Jamaica's GDP, and this reflects only activities within the shores of Jamaica, and not what is earned outside of the country.

Everytime a reggae act appears anywhere in the world, Jamaican export-oriented companies should be co-sponsors of that tour, marketing their products to captive audiences.

The fault line is the continuous denial by Jamaican financial institutions of capital at low interest rates to the newer, non-traditional players, to apply towards research and development, production and productivity, packaging and marketing, that are absolutely essential for a country becoming a successful player in global markets.

A trade deficit in 2006 of US$3.2 billion, importing US$4.7 billion and exporting only US$1.5 billion, while having an exchange rate that has devalued in relation to the US dollar from 60-1 to 68.60-1 in less than four years, does not augur well for Jamaica. The situation portends an even more dismal future when you consider that 33 per cent of the country's 2.7 million population are in the 15 to 35 age group and have an unemployment rate of 25 per cent, and the official national unemployment rate is 10.5 per cent. Others, however, believe the unemployment rate among young people is closer to 40 per cent.

Increased production

Only a concerted effort by all - bankers, investors, politicians, corporate executives, educators, entrepreneurs, and the labour force to increase production through employment, training, and aggressive creative financing - will provide Jamaica with the socio-economic standards it deserves, and ward off the gloom and doom that is threatening.

Modern Jamaican requires inspired, passionate and highly energised leadership, with a mindset to lead by example, to put Jamaica first above cliques and self-interests, and to ride roughshod on senior and middle managers to ensure that policies announced are executed in the best interest of those who are to benefit, and for nation building.

The priority now for all Jamaica, from the Governor-General and the Prime Minister to the garbage collector and factory worker, must be to do everything necessary to increase production and productivity.

Anything less is capitulating to the status quo: business as usual, high unemployment, covetousness, frustration, increased crime and violence, anarchy, and eventually a failed state.