IV.  POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT

Bilateral relations between Jamaica and the United States are
good.  The two countries occasionally disagree over issues such
as Cuba, but on most other important issues such as the return
of democracy to Haiti, Jamaica has agreed with US objectives
and supported them.

Violent crime is a concern to the whole society, and the
government has not been able to curb it.  Crime is fed by
poverty, hard economic times, and the drug trade.  Other major
political issues primarily relate to the economy.  These issues
include how to bring down the high rate of infalation and how
to ensure stability in the exchange rate.  While the government
has been successful with the latter (the rate has remained at
JDOLS 33: 1 USD since December 1993), inflation is projected to
be between 30 to 40 percent for calendar year 1994.  In
addition, the Government is struggling with a high debt burden
which is pulling scarce resources away from badly needed social
services.

Jamaica is a member of the British Commonwealth and follows the
Westminster Parliamentary model.  The head of state is the
Governor General, representative of the Queen.  The Prime
Minister, leader of the majority in the elected House of
Representatives, is the head of government.  The Prime Minister
may call general elections at any time, but in no case later
than five years after the previous election.  There are two
major political parties, the People's National Party (PNP) and
the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), which have alternated in power
since independence in 1962.  Differences in orientation between
the two parties have declined steadily since the 1970's, and
ideologically they are now virtually indistinguishable.