Jamaica not building modern economy, opposition warns on innovation and culture

Jamaica is heading in the wrong direction regarding the foundations of a modern economy, according to Opposition Spokesman on Science, Technology and Digital Transformation, Christopher Brown. He pointed to the World Intellectual Property Organisation’s (WIPO) Global Innovation Index, where Jamaica dropped from 72nd place in 2020 to 83rd in 2025, marking five consecutive years of decline. Brown highlighted Jamaica's low rankings in specific categories: 117th out of 139 countries for 'knowledge and output' and 94th for 'network readiness'. He noted that Jamaican inventors filed only two patents in 2023, a 75 percent decrease from 2022, and lamented the absence of any Jamaican universities in international rankings. "These are not opposition statistics. These are independent international scorecards," Brown emphasized during the Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives. Furthermore, Brown raised concerns about the exploitation of Jamaica's vibrant culture in the age of artificial intelligence. He stated that AI systems are being trained on Jamaican music, accents, slang, and creative expressions, often without proper compensation or protection for Jamaicans. "Our culture is being mined as data while others monetize what Jamaica created," he warned, cautioning that "innovation without sovereignty can become extraction." He urged the nation to develop a robust national strategy for cultural intellectual property, AI governance, and digital rights as it pursues digital transformation. Brown stressed the need for creativity to be backed by investment, research funding, and a supporting system to translate into patents, echoing advice reportedly given to the Prime Minister by the WIPO Secretary General. The Opposition spokesman also noted Jamaica's high ranking on the Human Flight and Brain Drain Index.

“

Five consecutive years of decline. Year after year, after year after year – decline. We’re going in the wrong direction.