Slavery was eventually abolished in 1838. From the 1860s indentured labour was imported from India and China, the Indians bringing with them their propensity for smoking ganja. In the 1880s a new period of prosperity began after a crop was found to replace sugar-cane - the banana. In 1907, however, this affluence was partially unhinged by a devastating earthquake that destroyed much of Kingston. But the economy recovered and the next wave of financial problems occurred in the late 1930s, as the worldwide depression hit the island.

Two Party Politics in the 20th Century
Nevertheless, a consequence of this was the founding of the two political parties - the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) under Alexander Bustamente and the People's National Party (PNP) under Norman Manley - which would spearhead the path towards independence in 1962.

On August 6, 1962 Jamaica became an independent nation. The Union Jack was lowered and the green, gold and black standard of Jamaica was raised. Three months previously the JLP had won a 26-seat majority and taken over the government under Prime Minister Bustamante. Paradox is one of the yardsticks of Jamaica; the Jamaica Labour Party has always been far to the right of its main opposition, the People's National Party.


The Birthplace of Bob Marley
A Short History of Jamaica