Rural disconnect - Russell calls for coordinated strategy to address persistent inequalities in Jamaica 

Charging that the Government has abandoned rural development as a national priority, Opposition spokesman on rural and community development Dr Kenneth Russell on Wednesday proposed sweeping reforms, including a National Rural Development Framework and updated legislation to strengthen community development across Jamaica.

Speaking during his maiden Sectoral Debate presentation in the House of Representatives, the South East St Ann Member of Parliament argued that rural and community development have not been treated as central pillars of national policy, despite almost half of Jamaica’s population living in rural areas where poverty remains significantly higher.

He also questioned whether rural development exists as a philosophy of government or is meaningfully reflected in the country’s national development vision.

Russell pointed to significant disparities between rural and urban Jamaica, noting that the poverty rate in rural areas stands at 11.5 per cent compared with three per cent in the Kingston Metropolitan Area.

“So if you live in rural areas, you are four times more likely to live in poverty,” he said, noting that rural poverty has declined at a far slower pace than in the rest of the island.

He also highlighted gaps in access to basic services, citing that only 54.7 per cent of rural households have safely managed drinking water compared with 78.3 per cent in urban Jamaica. Internet access stands at 59.4 per cent in rural communities compared with 71.4 per cent in urban areas, while computer ownership is 18.4 per cent in rural Jamaica compared with 31.5 per cent in urban areas.

“The pattern is unmistakable. Things are worse off if you live in rural Jamaica. This is a shame and is unacceptable,” Russell declared.

He called for a coordinated long-term strategy to address persistent inequalities in income, infrastructure, education and access to basic services between rural and urban Jamaica.

Among his proposals were the establishment of a Rural Development Coordination Council, the completion of Parish Development Orders across all parishes, and the introduction of an annual rural development report to Parliament to improve monitoring, accountability and implementation.

Russell also called for a review and modernisation of the Jamaica Social Welfare Commission Act (1958, revised 1965), which governs the Social Development Commission (SDC), arguing that the legislation is outdated and no longer suited to modern realities.

“We are asking a transformative institution to operate with tools that belong to another era,” he said.

The MP further proposed transforming community centres into multi-purpose development hubs offering skills training, entrepreneurship support, digital access, cultural programming and emergency shelter capacity.

“Too many centres sit underutilised and many cannot be used. Many damaged by the hurricane remain untouched eight months later,” he said, calling for urgent action to restore and modernise the facilities.

He also urged increased investment in broadband infrastructure, rural roads and farm-to-market corridors, as well as improved access to potable water, arguing that rural residents should not “pay a penalty because of where they live”.

“It is not too much to ask for universal access to reliable potable water; rehabilitation of strategic rural roads and farm-to-market corridors — to connect people to opportunity and markets; and expansion of broadband and telecommunications infrastructure — to connect rural Jamaica to the modern economy,” he said.

According to data presented by Russell, rural Jamaica continues to lag behind urban areas on several key indicators, particularly in relation to poverty and access to services affecting children and young people.

The Opposition spokesman argued that these inequalities are not being addressed through a coordinated national development framework, noting that multiple agencies operating in rural areas often work in isolation rather than under a unified strategy.

He also pointed to the need for a modernised legislative framework governing community development, noting that key laws date back several decades and no longer reflect current realities.

Russell raised concerns about governance at the SDC, including the appointment of former political candidates to senior positions and challenges relating to the availability of community development officers in some parishes.

He argued that public trust in development institutions must be protected, warning that confidence is undermined when the lines between politics and community development become blurred.

The MP also called for a broader rethink of Jamaica’s development model, arguing that many rural communities continue to bear the legacy of historical inequality and extraction-based development patterns.

“Many of the inequalities we see today are not accidents. They are inheritances,” he said.

Looking ahead, Russell outlined a vision for a “rural renaissance” in which agriculture, tourism, culture and innovation drive local economic growth and help retain more wealth within rural communities.

As part of his proposals, he suggested enterprise zones, value-added agriculture, agro-processing and local wealth-creation partnerships linking communities to key industries, alongside modernised legislation, a new development framework, and improved rural amenities, services and infrastructure.

He also signalled plans to pursue bipartisan support for a Parliamentary Rural Development Caucus and a National Pact for Community Empowerment aimed at strengthening citizen participation and community leadership.

“Community development is ultimately about ensuring that every person has a voice, every community has agency, and every citizen has the opportunity to participate in shaping their future,” he said.

tanesha.mundle@gleanerjm.com