This week’s featured growth as Newsmaker of the Week is the vary of reactions to Jamaica’s poverty price plummeting to a file low of 8.2 per cent in 2023, down from 16.7 per cent in 2021, marking a major milestone within the nation’s financial journey, in line with some social media customers.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness and Finance and the Public Service Minister, Fayval Williams, have been amongst these championing the optimistic information, with the latter describing it because the “greatest information of the week, yr, (and) decade”.
Some political observers have even mentioned the low poverty price might give the Jamaica Labour Celebration (JLP) Administration a lift heading into the Basic Elections which might be due later this yr.
Whereas some social media customers have welcomed the statistics, pointing to enhancements of their private monetary standing, others have expressed scepticism on the statistics.
In accordance with Director Basic of the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ), Dr Wayne Henry, the decline within the poverty price is a testomony to the progress that has been made throughout all areas of the nation.
On Wednesday, he outlined that the Higher Kingston Metropolitan Space noticed a drop from 10.4 per cent in poverty, to a few per cent in 2023, whereas different city centres (OUCs) declined to 9 per cent from 15.5 per cent in 2021.
Rural areas, which traditionally expertise the best poverty charges, skilled a major drop from 22.1 per cent to 11.5 per cent in poverty.
Along with the nationwide decline in poverty, Henry additionally reported a decline in meals poverty, which can also be known as ‘excessive poverty’.
“Within the Jamaican context, meals poverty refers back to the incapability of a family to afford the minimal day by day caloric consumption required for good well being,” he remarked.
He highlighted that, “In 2023, the meals poverty price fell to 2.8 per cent, down from 5.8 per cent in 2021, and 4 per cent in 2029, marking the bottom stage on file.”
The elements contributing to the decrease poverty charges, in line with the PIOJ, embody the financial restoration from COVID-19; an 85.7 per cent enhance within the Nationwide Minimal Wage between 2022 and 2023; the strengthening of social safety programmes, together with the Programme of Development By means of Well being and Schooling (PATH); and remittances that proceed to complement the earnings of almost 50 per cent of Jamaican households.
In reacting to the developments, Finance Minister Fayval Williams was ecstatic, describing the decline as “large”, and calling for it to be celebrated.
She attributed the decline to the rise within the minimal wage and enchancment within the employed labour drive.
Williams additionally highlighted the online enhance of 85,600 individuals being employed between 2021 and 2023, and the traditionally low unemployment price of three.7 per cent.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness, talking at a post-Cupboard press briefing on Thursday, was additionally optimistic concerning the future, saying that “at eight per cent, we’re inside hanging distance” of ending absolute poverty.
He elaborated that, “We will finish absolute poverty… We need to be certain that we push this poverty prevalence quantity approach, approach down, after which at that time, we are able to revise what’s the new threshold for someone to be thought of residing at or under the poverty line.”
He emphasised the Authorities’s dedication to implementing insurance policies that immediately affect the lives of Jamaicans, together with revising PATH and rolling out the Solidarity Programme.
To those that could also be sceptical of the poverty price decline and different relative statistics, Holness pointed to, amongst different issues, the Authorities considerably growing public sector wages, the will increase within the nationwide minimal wage, and the low unemployment price, as examples of extra households receiving earnings to cut back absolute poverty.
For some social media customers, the info speaks for itself: Jamaica is making vital strides in decreasing poverty, and the Authorities is dedicated to constructing on this progress.
Nevertheless, others have countered these narratives, arguing that they haven’t seen the lives of others who could possibly be thought of poor enhancing.
In commenting on an article sharing the information concerning the poverty price decline, economist Dr Damien King wrote on X: “Information: Jamaica data lowest ever poverty
price.
“That is unsurprising, given the file excessive employment, and must be an ample evidentiary rebuttal to those that hold insisting that “ppl (individuals) not feeling” the financial enchancment,” he asserted.
In providing a sarcastic outlook, political commentator Kevin O’Brien Chang wrote on X: “Document low poverty price; file low unemployment price; 30-year low debt/GDP price; (and) 30-year low homicide price.
“Nuttin naw gwaan! Pure sufferation in Jamaica!” added Chang with a smiley emoji to focus on that his latter feedback had been geared toward poking enjoyable at those that declare that issues aren’t going properly within the nation.
Wrote one other X consumer: “For the PNP (Folks’s Nationwide Celebration) …, they (PIOJ) are speaking about relative vs absolute poverty in Jamaica, so let’s not faucet dance and get silly plz.”
On Fb, a person questioned the statistics which were introduced by the PIOJ.
“The poverty price is 2023, and we now in 2025, so how does this statistic depend, and 2023, COVID was nonetheless affecting individuals pockets. Hmmm, these statistics not including up for me, PIOJ,” the person acknowledged.
“A who them a ask these questions? Half of my technology nonetheless don’t personal a house and by no means will! FYI for who don’t know, residing in a hire home you’re homeless; lose your job or get sick lol,” one other man urged.
In response to that view, a girl acknowledged: “That is dunce reasoning. Loads of enterprise ppl with cash and excessive paying professionals stay in hire home and residences.
“Renting is a choice for many ppl (individuals). It doesn’t imply u (you) are poor or can’t afford to construct a home,” she claimed.
In accordance with a girl, “All people and dem mumma a purchase car, and have enterprise, (and) who naa mek home, a purchase bike.
“When dem completed dem seh Jamaica poor. Poor wha? Sure set of individuals name down poor on Jamaican individuals,” she added.
Commented a person: “Andrew (Holness), that is your election win mi boss; individuals in the past vote in you again on your third time period as a result of individuals a store on-line like wow, supermarkets ever full, individuals a journey, highway a repair, cho, third time period secured, nah load once more!”
Whereas not disputing the figures, a girl had issues about how the info was being pushed to the general public.
“Has anybody ever stopped to go to rural St Thomas, rural St Andrew, each rural space, to see how impoverished some persons are?” she requested.
“Not disputing what PIOJ is saying, however I simply don’t purchase it completely that absolute poverty is now in single digit as a result of there are some people who find themselves begging for assist desperately,” she contended.
Wrote a person: “Whereas I don’t deny that abject poverty has decreased, I consider it’s far more than eight per cent.
“I feel it’s at 12 per cent, and price of residing is extraordinarily excessive. Loads of us on the decrease finish of society simply can’t afford to outlive.”
However for one more feminine social media consumer, the information by the PIOJ relative to poverty is sweet for the nation.
Persevering with, she mentioned: “Ready for the same old unfavourable spin from the naysayers.
“In fact, we acknowledge there’s extra to be completed and those that can educate others a talent, present employment or give to the much less lucky, ought to proceed or begin doing so,” she acknowledged.
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