Ja: Economy's in trouble

Despite announcements of unprecedented investments in tourism and the bauxite and alumina sector, businesses and consumers expect Jamaica's economy to grow at a slower pace in the new financial year, which started last week. The results were released by Jamaica Conference Board (JCB) consultant Professor Richard Curtin at the Terra Nova Hotel, New Kingston yesterday.
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A slower pace of economic growth was anticipated by 63 per cent of all firms in the first quarter of 2004, up from 56 per cent in the prior quarter, the business confidence index showed. The index is produced by the JCB.

Among all firms, 24 per cent expected their profitability to decline while 17 per cent of firms expected their overall financial standing to worsen in the first quarter. Large firms reported much more favourable assessments than small firms in both their expected profitability and in the expected change in the firm's balance sheets.

Is this why Patterson's firing de wuk?