ive-year terms)
elections: last held 18 December 1997 (next to be held by March 2002)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PNP
50, JLP 10

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges appointed by the governor
general on the advice of the prime minister; Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders: Jamaica Labor Party or JLP [Edward
SEAGA]; National Democratic Movement or NDM ; People's
National Party or PNP

Political pressure groups and leaders: New Beginnings Movement or NBM;
Rastafarians (black religious/racial cultists, pan-Africanists)

International organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CCC, CDB,
ECLAC, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat,
Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW,
UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Richard Leighton BERNAL
chancery: 1520 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: (202) 452-0660
FAX: (202) 452-0081
consulate(s) general: Miami and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Stanley Louis MCLELLAND
embassy: Jamaica Mutual Life Center, 2 Oxford Road, 3rd floor,
Kingston
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: (809) 929-4850 through 4859
FAX: (809) 926-6743

Flag description: diagonal yellow cross divides the flag into four
triangles - green (top and bottom) and black (hoist side and outer
side)

@Jamaica:Economy

Economy - overview: Key sectors in this island economy are bauxite
(alumina and bauxite account for more than half of exports) and
tourism. Since assuming office in 1992, Prime Minister PATTERSON has
eliminated most price controls, streamlined tax schedules, and
privatized government enterprises. Continued tight monetary and fiscal
policies have helped slow inflation - although inflationary pressures
are mounting - and stabilize the exchange rate, but have resulted in
the slowdown of economic growth (moving from 1.5% in 1992 to 0.5% in
1995). In 1996, GDP showed negative growth (-1.4%) and remained
negative through 1999. Serious problems include: high interest rates;
increased foreign competition; the weak financial condition of
business in general resulting in receiverships or closures and
downsizings of compani