Increase productivity to stave off impact of decreased birth rate - Stokes

By Nakinskie Robinson 

   

Amid concerns about Jamaica's declining birth rate, Economist Dr. Chris Stokes believes the country will have to rethink the current economic model to stave off the pressures of a decreased birth rate.

 

In May, the Ministry of Health revealed that the country records 30,000 births annually, down from 50,000, some 20 years ago.

 

Dr. Stokes said the low levels of productivity in the country's workforce and current social practices have become inconsistent with Jamaica's economic structure.

 

He said, while new strategies are needed to boost the birth rate, efforts must be directed towards increasing productivity levels. 

 

"A growth strategy for many countries is to find new markets. It's why many US companies try to sell in China, before they tried to sell in Latin America. They went to Latin America for cheap labour. That model is now under threat," he argued. 

 

"From an economic point of view, we have plenty of people here now that we can be far more productive. We still have people going into high school that are reading at the grade two level.... The productivity level of the Jamaican worker is not where it used to be. So, even with this population or even a smaller population, we can increase the productivity of the country, increase income levels and increase wealth in the country. And when I say wealth in the country, just raise the standard of living of everybody, just through investing in the people that we have now. There's tremendous capacity there, and that will buy us some time, I believe," reasoned the economist. 

 

He said the declining birth rate will have a negative impact on productivity, the retirement age and innovation in the long run.

 

Meanwhile, Obstetrician and Gynecologist Dr. Clayton Kelly said intervention efforts must match the 1970s 'Two is Better that Too Many' campaign by the National Family Planning Board. 

 

"We still need to acknowledge that family planning is still very important.... That being said, our active population, so to speak, is on the declined. This requires a lot of intervention from all stakeholders: government, the different agencies and people in general. And so, it will require a similar energy that was put into the family planning campaign years ago," he proposed. 

 

Dr. Kelly and Dr. Stokes were both guests on the Morning Agenda, on Power 106FM.