PNP urges gov’t to outline national industrial strategy

KINGSTON, Jamaica — The People’s National Party (PNP) is calling on the Government to urgently outline a clear industrial strategy, warning that the latest merchandise trade data from the Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN) confirm a deepening structural decline in Jamaica’s visible trade performance and a continuing fall-off in export earnings.

According to a release from the PNP on Monday, STATIN’s most recent International Trade Merchandise Bulletin, covering January to May 2026, shows total export earnings of US$674.7 million, a 12.5 per cent decline from the US$770.9 million earned over the same period in 2025.

Over the same period, Jamaica’s import bill rose 1.8 per cent to roughly US$3.2 billion, driven by higher spending on raw materials and intermediate goods, capital goods and transport equipment. This means the country is now spending close to five times what it earns from exports.