WITH crime eroding about 5 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) annually, the PSOJ is fast-tracking the roll-out of its social transformation and renewal (STAR) project, which aims to reshape and transform a number of violence-producing communities across the island.

Expected to be officially launched soon, the four-year project seeks to build capacity, offering economic and social transformation outcomes to some of the country’s most troubled communities often plagued by crime.

“Project STAR is aimed at pulling all stakeholders together — including private sector, civil society government and all other bodies — to focus on social, economic and community transformation,” said PSOJ President Keith Duncan at a recent Jamaica Observer Business Forum.

“The expected outcome of the programme is aimed at transforming these communities by fostering increased economic activities, job creation, and driving community-building activities. In taking the violence level down, giving greater attention and focus to some of these communities, we believe the country can begin to attract more investments, reduce mounting security costs to businesses, welcome more tourists, and increase per capita income,” he stated.

Underscoring the deleterious effects that crime and violence have been having on society, Duncan said programmes such as STAR seek to not only offer assistance, but to also bring lasting solutions to the members of these communities and the country as a whole.

“There have been many programmes under social transformation over the years but a CaPRI study has shown that over the last 10 years, between 2008-2018, the country has spent about $380 billion dollars on social programmes —and we still have not been able to get the results we want. Through STAR we, however, believe that we will make a difference as we pull all stakeholders together whilst setting up a robust governance structure around the communities to manage all the interventions taking place,” the president reasoned, highlighting the absence of monitoring, evaluation, and proper management as some of the main impediments to the success of previous programmes, which he said were also sometimes disjointed.

Seeking to double down on approximately 10-20 violence-prone communities, the programme is to engage a mixed-financing strategy inclusive of corporate donations, a listing on the Jamaica Social Stock Exchange (JSSE), crowd funding within Diaspora communities, and other multilateral funding support. Through the funded transformative initiatives the PSOJ is hoping to bring about a change in mindsets while offering new opportunities to, particularly, those marginalised and at-risk youth.

Partnering with local entities including the Global Services Sector, Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA), and the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce among others, the programme will expose residents of these communities to training and employment opportunities, providing them with increased opportunities to become legitimate and contributing members of the country’s labour force.

Duncan said that with a number of companies already on board and compliant with the key objectives of the programme that was initially designed to target a portion of funding from their corporate social responsibility (CSR) budgets, millions to date have already been secured to help with getting the project off the ground.

“We’re now at $100 million with a target to get to maybe $200 million by the end of the year. The fund-raising is going well and we are quite encouraged,” he said.