Full transcript
0:01This is a review of the documentary film
0:03life and debt written by Jamaica King
0:06and directed by Stephanie Black. It
0:09examines the economic and social
0:11situation in Jamaica and specifically
0:13the impact of the IMF and the World
0:15Bank's globalization policies.
0:18The film opens with the arrival of
0:20vacationers to the island and quickly
0:22moves to inform viewers of the island's
0:24colonial past into its present day
0:26economic challenges. As we look at the
0:29vacationers in the hotel, the narrator
0:31states, "When you sit down to eat your
0:33delicious meal, it's better that you
0:35don't know that most of what you're
0:37eating came off a ship from Miami. There
0:40is a world of something in this, but I
0:42can't go into it right now."
0:45As we begin to view the postcolonial
0:47scenery, the film cuts to footage of
0:49former Prime Minister Michael Manley in
0:51a postindependent speech condemning the
0:53IMF, stating that the Jamaican
0:56government will not accept anybody
0:58anywhere in the world telling us what to
1:00do in our own country. Above all, we are
1:03not for sale.
1:05According to Michael Manley, he was made
1:07to sign Jamaica's first loan agreement
1:08with the IMF due to lack of feasible
1:11alternatives. At present, Jamaica owes
1:14over $4.5 billion to the IMF. Yet, the
1:17meaningful development that these loans
1:19have promised is not evident with the
1:21island's current situation. To improve
1:24balance of payment, devaluation, high
1:26interest rates, and wage guidelines are
1:28recommended. The IMF assumes that
1:31keeping the price of leaveup down will
1:33be an incentive for increasing
1:35employment and production.
1:37increased unemployment, sweeping
1:39corruption, increased violence, high
1:41food costs, broken down hospitals,
1:44characterize only part of the present
1:46day economic crisis in Jamaica.
1:49In a segment addressing free trade
1:51zones, we saw workers who sold for
1:53American corporations earning only $30
1:56US per week, which is a mega $1,200
1:59Jamaican dollar. The workers did that
2:01they are paid in Jamaican dollars as
2:03opposed to US dollars, which a country
2:05needs.
2:07These factories bring shiploads of
2:08materials into the country taxfree and
2:11taxfree means that the country is not
2:13receiving much neededed funds. Jamaican
2:15government in order to ensure employment
2:17is offered has agreed to the condition
2:20that no unionization is permitted in
2:23free trade zones.
2:25Yet now due to NAFTA these dismal yet
2:28precious jobs are being lost to other
2:30developing countries at even lower labor
2:32costs. This cooperation seem to be
2:35bouncing from one country to the next.
2:37That is those willing to work at a
2:39slave's wage. Where is the protection
2:41when you are placed between a rock and a
2:43hard place?
2:44Another segment tells the story of a
2:46chicken plant which had been flourishing
2:49in Jamaica. The business had been
2:51weakened by US dumping of low-grade
2:53chicken parts to Jamaica where these
2:56foreign companies selling their products
2:57to their own markets.
3:00Agreements such as NAFTA function to
3:02enforce the inequality under the excuse
3:05of free trade. The chicken which was
3:08very old and intended for Haiti, another
3:11island going through financial crisis
3:14was said to be extremely old upon
3:15inspection.
3:17The Rastafarian men sitting around the
3:19fire given account about chicken about
3:22certain foods which were meant for slave
3:24consumption during colonial rule. The
3:26chickenpox was said to be food to
3:29slaves.
3:31There was also a segment on the banana
3:33industry where Jamaica had been granted
3:36preferential treatment from the British
3:37government through the Lomi convention
3:40providing tax-free imports per per year
3:44to England. Uh the US government
3:46demanded that the Lomi convention quota
3:48be removed forcing Jamaica to compete
3:51with exporters from Central and South
3:53America, specifically Chikita and Dole,
3:56which are US companies who produce
3:58bananas on a large scale.
4:01Central America is characterized as
4:02being cheaper labor regardless of
4:04quality and means of production. Life
4:07and Debt aims to clarify the impact that
4:09these economic policies have on
4:11day-to-day lives of the people they are
4:13said to benefit. The breakdown of the
4:16democratic process becomes clear as the
4:18Jamaican people are removed from
4:19participation in the decisions that
4:22truly affect their lives.
4:24The IMF promotes an agenda of monetary
4:27strictness, currency devaluation, and
4:29lowering wages. The goal to reduce
4:32inflation by balancing a nation's loan
4:34repayment and imports with its export
4:37earnings. The result is usually
4:39recession. The World Bank takes a longer
4:42run perspective. It aims to structure
4:45adjustments such as
4:48which means that they're trying to
4:50transform a borrower's nation economy
4:52into a free market economy. These
4:54policies are supposed to benefit the
4:56world economies by integrating them into
4:58the global market.
5:00What actually happens is that goodwill
5:02people suffer. The term mobilization is
5:05touched with rosy one optimism whose
5:08name vaguely implies unity, equality,
5:10and freedom. But as Stephanie Black's
5:13powerful documentary Life and Debt
5:15illustrates, with an impressive and
5:17depressing perception, globalization can
5:20have a devastating impact on third world
5:22countries. Soul touching songs by famous
5:25Jamaican artists are heard throughout
5:26the film such as one love by Bob Bali,
5:29Circumstances and Destiny by Bju Benton
5:32and Fools Die by Peter Tosh. Jamaicans
5:36Jamaica's Die Condition may have been
5:38the foreground for this artist creation.
5:41In ending, I leave you with one of my
5:44favorite songs, Destiny by Buju Banton.
5:48The rich man's wealth is in the city.
5:52[Music]
5:55Destruction of the poor is his poverty.
6:00Lord,
6:02destruction of your soul is vi.
6:07[Music]
6:11Do you hear?
6:14High and high. I I want to ruin my
6:18destiny.
6:21Yeah. High and high. I I want to ruin my
6:25destiny.
6:28Wo.
6:30Destiny. Mama from where you call me.
6:35Mama where you calling.
6:38I want to ru my destiny.
6:41Yeah. Yeah. Oh my please
6:46rule my destiny.
6:49Oh Lord, I've been blessed. I've been
6:52touched. I love so much. They keep
6:55fighting me. I'm not giving hope.
6:59I am feel my spiritual hope. Wisdom
7:02overand must never be too much. by
7:05protection day and night from even the
7:09best that walking at daylight. Destiny
7:14mama, look from where you calling.
7:16Destiny, mama, look from where you
7:19calling. Yeah. I want to rule my
7:22destiny. Yeah. Wo. If I please
7:28hold my destiny,
7:32[Music]
7:36Lord, you have them in the region in the
7:39valley of decision. Restraining the Eden
7:42with a rod of iron. You know not the
7:45destiny of a next man. Why hold him set
7:49him free for too long? I I want to rule
7:54my destiny.
7:56Oh yeah. I and I really want to rule my
8:01destiny.
8:03Here we call God.
8:06Destiny. Mama look when you calling
8:09destiny. Mama look when you calling
8:14I want to rule my destiny.
8:17Oh hey everybody please. I want to rule
8:22my destiny.
8:25Where could I b my destination is what
8:30bound? No forces try all I down.
8:34Breaking chain has become the norm. I
8:37know I must get true. No matter what I
8:40want.
8:43Mama look when you calling. Destiny.
8:46Mama. I look when you call
8:51my destiny. Lord, I tell you once more.
8:57The rich man's wealth is in the city.
9:02Oh,
9:03destruction of the poor is our poverty.
9:09Yeah.
9:11Destruction of her soul is man.
9:15[Music]
9:18Do you live? You will.
9:22Woah. Woah.
9:24Destiny.
9:28Destiny.