17 Sept 2013 (Jamaica) — Today I flew to Jamaica from New York. Descending over the blue of the Caribbean, I thought about my late father, George Arthur Henry. More than 35 years ago, he made the opposite journey, from Kingston to JFK, with our family of six in search of a more prosperous future than what Jamaica in the 1970s had to offer us. Returning now to the island where I was born, and doing so this time to present my research and ideas about economic policy, global prosperity, and how these impact people in places large and small, feels in many ways like coming full circle.

Dads matter. So do Moms. And brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, and neighbors. In the first chapter of Turnaround, I write about the influence my grandmother had on my life, on my understanding of poverty, and on my desire to examine its causes and possible solutions. [That’s my grandmother in the photo above, second from the left in the back row.] My grandmother—and my parents—gave me the gift of intellectual curiosity, but the greatest lesson I learned from my grandmother came not from any book but from her kindness toward a poor woman called Miss Mama. Over time,

I was drawn to [economics] because I wanted to help people in developing countries like my native Jamaica help themselves. Feeding the hungry [as my grandmother did] is an act of kindness. Providing the hungry with the means to feed themselves is an act of empowerment that confers dignity as well as nourishment. […] The economic policy decisions implemented in the months and years ahead will determine whether people eat or starve, live or die—and not just in emerging economies.

Turnaround (Ch 1, pp. 5, 6)

During the next couple days, I will have the pleasure of talking to Jamaicans about the country’s economic crossroads, the policies that lead to greater prosperity, and the important progress the country has made and must continue to make.

Consider Officer Cooper, whom I met on the way from the airport. As it happens, he read the Jamaica Gleaner article that mentions my event at the University of the West Indies (UWI), and he wanted to meet me. Thanks to him, his fellow officers, others in law enforcement and community activists, Jamaica has made great strides in breaking the grip of violence. This linked article in the New York Times on August 17, 2013, declares: “Jamaica is emerging as a rare bright spot in the hub of the fight against drugs and organized crime that extends across South America and the Caribbean.” This is one trend that must continue if Jamaica is to turn around its economy.

Another continuing investment must be in human capital through the university and other forms of education, which is critical to Jamaica’s future. The important role of education in creating opportunity is one reason why I am looking forward to speaking at the UWI Mona campus and to continuing meetings at UWI and the Mona School of Business and Management (MSBM) later this week.

As my time in Jamaica unfolds, I will send updates via Twitter.

For now, I will simply add that my heart is full—both with optimism when I consider this island’s future, and with gratitude when I reflect on my family and our shared history.