Jamaica Compared

With

South Pacific

THE following interesting compari son between conditions in the West Indies (Jamaica) and the South Pacific, occurs in a recent letter from Mr. J. S. Phillips:— For the last few weeks I have been travelling around Jamaica to see what are the prospects for agriculture.

In theory, they should be more favour able than in the Pacific, as the West Indies are much closer to world markets, shipping is more plentiful, and services are more frequent. Moreover, there is a much greater diversity of crops—sugar, bananas, citrus, coconuts, coffee, pigments’ etc.

The farmers are almost spoon-fed in certain particulars and are fairly well supplied with technical help. Many ser vices are co-operative and produce is col lected at a number of convenient foci while the prices of the main crops are bought at guaranteed prices.

On the other hand, erosion is very bad, due to rotten farming. Many areas suffer from drought, owing to the rainfall be ing absorbed as soon as it falls on this limestone terrain. In most of the island water is stored in catchment tanks.

Labour seems more inefficient than in the Pacific, and far more troublesome The cost of living is very high here, and political conditions somewhat chaotic.

As regards natural beauty, Jamaica cannot compare with the Pacific Islands nor is the climate as pleasant.

It seems a fairly healthy island, though

there are malarious areas around the coast. Diseases such as leprosy and filari asis seem less widespread than in Poly nesia.

Kingston itself is a hot and rather ram shackle town, with a big slum area. There is serious unemployment there, which is bound to lead to trouble in the not-too distant future. No energetic action seems likely.