Garrison Constituencies and Economics Performances: The Jamaican Experience
Presenters:Kirkland AndersonJohn McAllisterJonas Semugeshi
CONTENT
• INTRODUCTION
• METHODOLOGY • RESULTS AND FINDINGS • CONCLUSION & RECOMMENDATION
INTRODUCTION
Serious and violent crimes include:MurderRapeRobberyShootingsBreakingsLarcenyKnife related incidencesCarnal AbuseSource: Department of Statistics, Jamaica Constable Force
INTRODUCTION
Garrison in Jamaica are poor inner-city communities controlled by either of Jamaica’s two main political parties. They are characterized by homogeneous and in some cases over voting patterns for one of the islands two political parties {Wikipedia, 2010}.
JAMAICA’S GARRISON CONSTITUENCIES
1. West Kingston 7. Kingston Central2. South West St Andrew 8. South St Andrew3. St. Andrew Central 9. Clarendon Central4. St. Andrew Western5. St. Catherine Central 6. East Kingston and Port RoyalSt. Catherine South {includes Central Village)Source: The Politics of the Garrison in Jamaica: Electoral Manipulation Through Patronage and Violence Kevin O'Brien Chang, (January 27, 2008)
HOW ARE GARRISON CONSTITUENCIES CREATED?Garrison constituencies are created by:
• the development of large scale housing schemes by the state and the location of the houses therein to supporters of the party in power;
• homogenisation by the dominant party activist pushing out the minority from within and guarding against invasion from outsiders
• the expected setting up of squatter community • The hard core garrison communities exhibit an element of autonomy,
in that they are states within a state. The Jamaican State has no authority or power except in as far as its forces are able to invade in the form of police and military raids (Kerr, 1997 July).
IMPACT OF SERIOUS AND VIOLENT CRIMES
The World Bank in a recent report says crime in the Caribbean and it's mostly referring to Jamaica - is "undermining growth, threatening human welfare, and impeding social development"(Biswas, 2007, May 16). Serious and violent crimes are costly. They impose:
concrete economic costs on the victims who survive as well as the families of those who lose their lives.
large costs on communities. significant costs on taxpayers (Shapiro, 2010).
METHODOLOGY
This research focuses on the level of serious and violent crimes committed in Jamaica, in particular nine constituencies and one inner city community {Central Village, St. Catherine South}, all of which demonstrate garrison characteristics since 2007.
A quantitative approach has been adopted utilizing secondary data such as:
• level of serious and violent crimes in the garrison constituencies.
• cost per inmate {Spanish Town Correctional Centre}.
• cost to the health system {Spanish Town Hospital} for treating serious and violent crimes such as stabbing, gun-shot wound, rape and carnal abuse.
The data utilized were published by the following well established entities: • Statistical Institute of Jamaica • International Monetary Funds (IMF) • Economic Watch • Criminal Investigative Agency (CIA) Fact
Book • Jamaica Constabulary Force {JCF}
Statistical Department etc.
LIMITATION
• Unavailability of important data Total leakages from the Jamaican Economy are limited to:• cost incurred by the penal system• loss in GDP due to incarceration of
individuals
RESULTS AND FINDINGS
Serious and violent crimes committed in the garrison constituencies
% of serious and violent crimes committed in the garrison constituencies of Jamaica in 2002
5.194.3
5.17
10.52
8.26
9.42
9.317.88
39.9
Kingston CentralKingston EastKingston WestSt. Andrew CentralSt. Andrew NorthSt. Andrew SouthSt. Catherine Central {includes Spanish Town}St. Catherine South {includes Central Vil-lage}Other areas
% of serious and violent crimes committed in the garrison constituencies of Jamaica in 2011, 2012 & 2013
2011 2012 201350
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
52.81
56.85
53.8 % of serious & violent crime committed in the garrison con-stituencies
% of serious and violent crimes committed in the garrison constituencies of Jamaica between 2011 & 2013
2.411 4.2412.933
11.67
5.266
7.422
8.266
6.5435.777
45.46
Kingston CentralKingston EastKingston WestSt. Andrew CentralSt. Andrew NorthSt. Andrew SouthSt. Catherine Central {includes Spanish Town}St. Catherine South {includes Central Village}Clarendon CentralOther areas
AVERAGE ANNUAL COST TO THE PENAL SYSTEM
PER INMATE
2013 $845,000.00
2012 $787,592.00
( 845,000) 1 + 0.07289
2011 $732,473.00
(787,592) 1 + 0.07525
TOTAL ANNUAL COST TO THE JAMAICAN ECONOMY DUE TO COST INCURRED BY THE PENAL SYSTEM
COST YEAR
2013 2012 2011
Total cost {JA$} $2,074,475,000.00
$1,851,631,143.00
$70,823,613.00
Total cost allocated to garrison constituencies {JA$}
$1,116,067,550.00
$1,052,652,304.80 $ 38,117,268.52
Total cost allocated to garrison constituencies {US$}
US$11,075,394.96
US$11,842,190.00
US$442,812.13
TOTAL ANNUAL COST TO THE JAMAICA ECONOMY DUE TO LOSS IN GDP COST YEAR
2013 2012 2011Total cost {US$} 2,455* US$5,600.89 =
US$13,750,184.95
2,351 * US$5,140.00 =
US$12,084,140.00
2,181 * US$4,760.00 =
US$10,381,560.00
Total cost allocated to garrison constituencies {US$}
0.538*US$13,750,184.95
=US$7,397,599.50
0.5685*US$12,084,140.00 =US$6,869,833.59
0.538*US$13,750,184.95
=US$7,397,599.50
TOTAL ANNUAL COST TO THE JAMAICA ECONOMY AS A % OF GDP COST YEAR
2013 2012 2011
Total cost allocated to garrison constituencies {US$}
US$11,075,394.96 +
US$7,397,599.50 =
US$18,472,994.46
US$11,842,190.00 +
US$6,869,833.59 =
US$18,712,023.59
US$442,812.13 +
US$7,397,599.50 = USS$7,840,411.63
GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT
US$15.477billion US$15.249billion
US$14.778billion
TOTAL COST AS A % OF GDP
O.119% 0.123% 0.053%
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
CONCLUSION
This research is by no means suggesting that serious and violent crimes will be reduced by an average of fifty five per cent with the removal of the garrison constituencies. However, there is no doubt that its removal will:
lower significantly the monster of serious and violent crimes
increase budgetary savings result in additional revenues result in increased real estate values in
the areas. Increase investments
RECOMMENDATIONThe ultimate goal emanating from the removal of garrison constituencies should be the reduction of poverty, an increase in skills levels so that people have an opportunity to earn a liveable wage. This can be achieved with the implementation of the Partnership Upliftment Program for Inner City Young Men {expansion on the CSJP Program}
• THANK YOU