Some not-so-good news today. According to a study by the American Counselling Association and the Association of Adventist Family Life Professional Dr Alanzo Smith, 1.1 million Jamaicans are living below the poverty line. The reasons given by Dr. Smith include the breakdown of the family unit, lack of education and “economics.”
The study, according to Dr. Smith, explains why the Human Development Index ranks Jamaica 86th out of 187 countries. It was 79th in 2011, so conditions are worsening. In order for this to change, Dr. Smith says, Jamaica needs
strengthened cooperation with family systems, a reduction in teenage pregnancy, reduction in single female-headed households, reduction of family size, avoidance of withdrawing children from school, reduction of tolerance to criminal activity, reduction of learned helplessness, building stronger families, and a reduction in family regression.
Jamaican Journal 
Kate, you might have missed this from a few weeks back, http://jamaicapoliticaleconomy.wordpress.com/2014/03/12/hunger-games-jamaica-style/
Thanks Dennis, appreciate this. I was dubious of this “study” when I posted the article but did not have time to research further. I had read this postand enjoyed it:)
All this to say…the situation may be dire, but this guy’s facts and approach are, well, only his own.
“The finding was one of several which came out of a study conducted by member of the American Counselling Association and the Association of Adventist Family Life Professional Dr Alanzo Smith.” So the study was done not by an association, but by one guy–a guy with very specific priorities re: “family life” and a very particular, religiously-defined sense of what that “family life” should be. The findings of this “study” and recommendations are therefore seriously dubious. There are other, much more reputable, sources. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_percentage_of_population_living_in_poverty