As their public education rollout continues, the Economic Programme Oversight Committee (EPOC) recently visited the Maryland community in St. Andrew to kick off the “On The Corner” series.
The series is a collaborative effort with The Gleaner whereby the Committee will visit various communities across Jamaica as they seek to spread information about the agreement with the International Monetary Fund.
EPOC was established in 2013 to monitor the implementation of Jamaica’s economic reform measures under its agreement with the IMF. The current committee monitors the targets agreed to be met under the Precautionary Standby Arrangement (PSBA).
The kick off of the “On The Corner” series follows on the launch of EPOC’s digital media platforms. The series is a part of an effort to increase public awareness about Jamaica’s economic performance based on the targets under the PSBA, through various media.
According to co-chair Keith Duncan who represents EPOC during these community visits, the series is geared towards taking the information about the economy to Jamaicans.
“We have chosen to meet these residents in their space because we are monitoring Jamaica’s plan because it is our plan for our economy and not the IMF’s. We want them to be informed about the economy’s progress,” said Duncan.
Residents of the Maryland community reacted positively to the visit of EPOC.
“I like that they came in the community and we were able to ask questions. It is a long time we really haven’t had anything like this in the community, and this gave us hope that something can really happen for us,” said mason Everton Knight.
Another resident, Joel Ferguson, said he believed the members of the community could now understand what is happening with the country’s economy.
“We hear these terms on the TV but it’s good to have it broken down for us so we can have a better grasp of these economic terms,” he added.
There will be visits to communities across the island, with another “On The Corner” slated for May.
A Statement to respond to
EPOC is an oversight body created to monitor the implementation of Jamaica’s economic reform measures under its agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Our committee of 12 focuses on holding the Government of Jamaica accountable to track the progress of the targets under the three-year Precautionary Stand-By Arrangement (PSBA).
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