Debt programme necessary, effective, but insufficient, says CaPRI

KINGSTON, Jamaica, Observer - THE Caribbean Policy Research Institute (CaPRI) has concluded that Jamaica cannot do without the proposed loan agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) at this time. However, the think tank, established to promote evidence-based policy dialogue within Caribbean societies, says that, while the Government's debt reduction programme is necessary and effective, it is "insufficient" to ensure that the country gets on a path of fiscal sustainability. According to Dr Damien King, co-executive director of CaPRI, based on current debt levels Jamaica would encounter difficulties sourcing funding from both the domestic and international loan markets.