Jamaica’s formal economy has long relied on face-to-face transactions, traditional office routines, and the standard 9-to-5 work model. For many institutions, physical presence has been treated as the primary evidence of productivity, even when the duties can be performed remotely. But with rising global economic shocks, higher fuel prices, worsening traffic congestion, and growing pressure on household income, that long-held assumption deserves renewed attention. Where digital tools, virtual meetings and remote collaboration can support the effective delivery of work, Jamaica should move toward a more structured hybrid model that allows suitable duties to be performed without requiring workers to be physically present every day.

The tensions in the Middle East, and related shipping disruptions, have deepened pressure on global energy markets, with the International Energy Agency warning that the world now faces “the largest supply disruption in the history of the global oil market”. For Jamaica, which imports nearly all its refined fuel, this carries real implications for households, businesses and workers. Petrojam prices show that, between February 26 and May 14, 2026, there was a sustained increase of more than 25 per cent in the price of both E10 87 and E10 90 gasoline, while automotive diesel increased by approximately 22 per cent over the same period. For users of private vehicles, public transportation, commercial fleets and goods-transport services, these increases are not abstract. While the movement may appear gradual week by week, it points to the potential for wider pressure if global conditions persist, affecting commuting costs, business activity, public transportation, goods movement and workers who travel daily to earn a living.

The issue, therefore, is not only the weekly movement in fuel prices. It is how Jamaica prepares for and responds to external shocks that adversely affect the country’s social and economic well-being. While we have no control over geopolitical wars or the decisions of major energy-producing countries, we can control how efficiently we organise our workplaces and use technology to support productivity. Several countries have already taken this approach, with Indonesia and Myanmar mandating remote-work days for public sector employees, while Pakistan and the Philippines have used four-day workweeks to reduce commuting, fuel demand, and energy use in public offices.