Today was an immersion in the industry of trying to make a better Jamaica. This morning, I joined YOU’s Executive Director at an event discussing the completion of a report from the European Union. To be specific, an economist from the U.K. (Scotland, to be exact) flew in to present his findings on how EU aid has improved Jamaica. The EU has worked here for decades and recently implemented a funding plan to improve several aspects of the country, working with native agencies on the ground. These include security and justice, transportation and the economy. It was a little dry. Let’s just say there wasn’t the usual undercurrent of excited commentary from the audience one usually hears at these events. Nonetheless, my reporter’s ears perked up several times. To boil it down, the economist used the word “disappointing” several times to describe the progress. For example, funding for the transportation network was dubiously diverted into future road projects in a contract with the Chinese government. The economist was terribly diplomatic and proper, but even with my limited knowledge, I would conclude that the country’s notorious corruption and slow pace contributed to a lack of progress. There are many, many well-meaning, capable civil society groups and NGOs working here, both local and international, including the big three- EU, USAID and the UN. But regardless of good intentions, by all accounts, it is extremely difficult to make substantial progress here, for many reasons. Stamina and patience are essential ingredients of success.

Later in the day, I again accompanied my Executive Director on a meeting to the Planning Institute of Jamaica, where we met with four people who are working on the country’s long term strategy called Vision 2030. In essence, they are tackling an ambitious project to engage the entire population and get everyone to buy in to this vision, which aims to make Jamaica the place to “live, work, raise families and do business.” They were very interested in YOU’s mentoring program and it seems a fruitful partnership could emerge. They spoke specifically of one community that has been in the headlines lately. It has no running water, people don’t pay for power (they rig up a system where they “kite” it for free), education is not up to standard, they don’t access the health care system they have and the population is 63 per cent under the age of 29. This agency is going to build new housing units and re-engage this community to improve it on many levels. The most fascinating aspect of the discussion came when the woman in charge of communicating with residents talked about her interactions with the “don.’ These dons control the community. They provide the social safety net. They pay for health care, they protect residents from crime and send children to school. They also do not let anything occur in the neighbourhood without their permission.. So this woman is in an intense negotiation with the don to persuade him to allow the government to build new housing. Sounds like a good deal for him right? But he is so skeptical and suspicious of government, he does not believe it will actually happen. It is such a foreign concept to me, and to most Canadians, I would suspect. I hope to visit this community in the near future, perhaps even meet the don?