Meaning
A traditional rotating savings scheme in which a group of people each pay a fixed sum (a 'hand') into a common fund at regular intervals, and each member takes a turn receiving the whole pool (the 'draw'). Run on trust and organised by a 'banker', pardna is the Jamaican people's own bank — how many save for Christmas, school fees, a deposit, or a big purchase without a formal loan. The same word names both the scheme and a fellow member.
Examples
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Mi a throw pardna fi save fi Christmas.
I'm paying into a partner scheme to save for Christmas.
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How much hand yuh a throw inna di pardna?
How many hands are you paying into the partner?
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Mi get mi pardna draw dis week.
I get my partner payout this week.
Origin
From English 'partner'; a rotating savings-and-credit association (susu). See [[throw-partner]], [[partner-draw]].
How it’s used
A rotating savings scheme; members pay a 'hand', each takes a turn at the 'draw'. See [[throw-partner]], [[banker-partner]].