Jamaica and the Bahamas are two Caribbean countries whose economies depend heavily on tourism. It is argued that information and communication technology (ICT) is a major contributing factor in enhancing the tourism product, and more specifically its ability to satisfy hotel guests. However, there is relatively little research in this area in the Caribbean.

Introduction

In order to maintain privacy, social, economic and health data are published based on geographic boundaries. However, agencies collect and report these spatial data using the boundaries and/or areas that benefit their mandate (see Figure 1). This results in the misalignment of boundaries when data from different agencies are used to model relationships. Despite this, for effective policy and proper planning, this disparity must be accounted for in any such analysis.

Background

Have you ever taken a close look at your electricity bill and wondered how the priceper kilowatt hour is determined? Did you know that the efficiency performance of Jamaica’s electricity provider relative to those in other countries can influence the price you pay for electricity?

Introduction

Jamaica’s poor fiscal position linked in part to weaknesses in public financial management (PFM) practices and its borrowing relationships with international lenders, accelerated the depth and pace of reforms to improve fiscal responsibility in keeping with international best practices. According to the World Bank, effective institutions and systems of PFM have the potential to increase effectiveness and efficiency in the delivery of goods and services, growth, and poverty reduction, hence the imperative to get the reforms right.

Jamaica needs to achieve substantial economic growth for realizing its Vision 2030 to become the place of choice to live, work, raise families and do business. This requires stronger global competitiveness in respect of growth of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

This paper examines how Large Taxpayer Units (LTUs), a commonly-used tool for enforcing tax compliance, affect large firms’ reported profitability and effective tax rate. Increased scrutiny may either improve reporting and compliance efforts, or lead to adverse reactions from large taxpayers such as profit shifting to reduce tax liabilities. We explore the actions of Jamaica's LTU around its $500m large-taxpayer eligibility cut-off using a before-during regression discontinuity approach.

Problem

Many Jamaicans who migrate, becoming diasporas or immigrant,dream of starting their own businesses. However, some face challenges in the entrepreneurial process that frustrate start up and growth, forcing them to the periphery. That is, in terms of proximity to resources and networks for overcoming challenges, such as access to finance and liabilities of foreignness, size and newness. So, how do diaspora/immigrant entrepreneurs from the periphery and non-mainstream markets emerge, survive and grow in adopted countries?

Caribbean businesses face a number of challenges in growing and internationalising to foreign markets. This qualitative study adopts an ethnographic approach focused on the Jamaica National Bank Ltd,and its emergence and spread from Jamaica to global markets.

It has been argued that foreign direct investment (FDI) can exert upward or downward pressure on the domestic interest rate depending onforeign investors' relative weights on internal and external finance with respect to the domestic economy. It has also been argued that a country's level of institutional uncertainty influences firms' ability to obtain external finance. We empirically test the hypothesis that institutional uncertainty matters in the association between the domestic interest rate and FDI flows.