Jamaican development strategies : are the free trade zones contributing to decent work?

Abstract

Many developing countries have used export processing zones as central development strategies to attract foreign direct investment and to create employment However, a serious problem associated with export processing zones is the fact that workers, mainly women, have been subjected to low wages, deplorable working conditions, limited or no social security protection and freedom of association is strictly prohibited. Jamaica serves as a unique case study because it is a small island developing state in the Caribbean that faces serious development challenges due its fragile economy, growing population and dependence on foreign powers for international aid. The primary objective of the current Andrew Holness-led Administration of Jamaica is to promote economic growth through job creation in the business product outsourcing sector. The 2016 Special Economic Zones Act was introduced with a revised special incentive package to investment and create high value-added jobs in a new regime of zones.

By using content analysis of online newspaper articles, I will argue that because, Jamaica’s current EPZ development strategy is heavily focused on using special incentives to attract foreign direct investment, it does not contribute to decent work. I will first examine Jamaica’s main development strategies geared towards employment creation and the labour strategy of each government administration. I will then critically assess working conditions in the business product outsourcing sector by using the ILO’s pillars for evaluating decent work, in order to determine whether the current EPZ development strategy contributes to decent work.