93 New JUTC Buses Represent Strategic Investment Without Debt
Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holness has reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to responsible, forward-looking governance as he officially handed over 93 new buses to the Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC).
The event, held at the JUTC Depot in Braeton, Portmore, on Wednesday (July 16) represents the most significant fleet expansion in more than a decade. Dr. Holness said it signals a new standard in public sector investment: one built not on debt, but on discipline, strategic planning, and long-term fiscal responsibility.
The Prime Minister stated: “This is your government working day and night for years to put these things in place. These buses that you’re seeing here today, these 100 buses, were not ordered yesterday. These buses took four years of planning.”
Prime Minister Holness emphasized that the delivery of the 93 buses is the culmination of a meticulous, multi-year process that included diagnosing longstanding issues in the public transport system, such as unreliable service, fuel theft, and bus breakdowns and designing a comprehensive solution that is efficient, modern, and economically sound.
“This is not just the bus, you are seeing the bus, but what’s behind the bus is a whole system that will keep those buses running for your convenience, your comfort, and your affordability. It’s an entirely new bus system that we have created,” said Prime Minister Holness.
The Prime Minister outlined the rigorous process behind the investment: from opportunity cost assessments and investment appraisals to international procurement and contract management. Dr. Holness highlighted that the rollout of new buses is not a reactive or politically motivated move, but a result of forward-thinking governance.
“So that it comes for the election, neither here nor there. What you should be looking at is that the government was working all this time, and these things are now being delivered. That’s what you should consider.”
Dr. Holness further explained that in a functioning democracy, performance should be recognized and rewarded:
“In a democracy, governments must work towards elections. And one would think that if governments do the correct things, make the right decisions, and deliver, then they should be rewarded in elections. I mean, is that the logic?”
The buses are custom-built to operate under Jamaican conditions and are part of a larger transformation of the national transportation system, which also includes maintenance plans, fuel efficiency transitions, and targeted investments in school bus systems. All of this has been achieved without incurring additional national debt.
As Jamaica looks to the future, Prime Minister Holness called on citizens to look beyond the politics and recognize the significance of long-term planning and sound public management:
“I just wanted the Jamaican people to have an appreciation of that and not be drawn into the politics of the buses… What you should be looking at is that the government was working all this time, and these things are now being delivered,” said Prime Minister Holness.
In addition to the 93 buses, additional new buses will be delivered, specially custom-made for the disabled community.