Book excerpt: Despite having a number of potential attributes (such as being English-speaking, having poverty levels below that of comparable countries and a reasonably well-educated labour force), Jamaicas economic history is marked by the paradoxes of low growth in GDP and high employment despite high investment and important achievements in poverty reduction. This publication seeks to examines these issues, and topics discussed include: poverty reduction and income inequality; whether Jamaicas GDP growth has been underestimated; policy options for reducing the fiscal and debt burden, revitalising the financial system; improving education outcomes, tackling the economic costs of crime, and improving international competitiveness.