Mining was the biggest contributer to GDP gains in 2019

Preliminary estimates by the Statistical Institute of Jamaica (Statin) puts growth in the Jamaican economy for the 2018 at 1.9 percent, the highest in 11 years bettering 1.7 percent achieved in 2011 and almost twice the one percent rise in 2017.
The increase is “due to a 5 percent growth in the Goods Producing Industries and a 0.8 percent increase in Services Industries,” Statin stated.
The fourth quarter last year, grew 2 percent compared to the fourth quarter of 2017. This growth is due to increases in both the Services Industries and the Goods Producing Industries of 1 percent and 4.9 percent respectively.
For the full year, growth occurred in all the Goods Producing Industries: Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing up 3.1 percent, Mining & Quarrying up a strong 25 percent mainly due to the reopening of Jiuquan Iron and Steel Company, Alpart refinery, manufacturing a moderate 2 percent and Construction up 3.7 percent.
For the first quarter of 2019, GDP is expected to accelerate at a faster pace than for 2018 and will be strongly, impacted by a surge in tourism stopover arrivals that is up in double digits for the first quarter.