News from the OPM

Prime Minister Dr. the Most Honourable Andrew Holness will attend the 2026 Esri User Conference in San Diego, California, from July 11–14, 2026, where he will accept the 2026 Esri President’s Award on behalf of the Government of Jamaica. The award recognizes Jamaica’s leadership in the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to support data-driven decision-making and the development of an integrated national geospatial infrastructure. Esri is the global leader in GIS software and location intelligence technology. Its mapping and spatial analytics platforms are used by governments and organizations worldwide to inform planning, disaster response, infrastructure development, and evidence-based policymaking. The Honourable Olivia “Babsy” Grange, Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, is in charge of the Government during the Prime Minister’s absence. She takes over from Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Security and Peace, the Honourable Dr. Horace Chang, who is also currently overseas on official duties. Dr. Chang is scheduled to return to the island on Saturday, July 11, 2026, at which time he will resume acting in the Prime Minister’s stead for the remainder of the Prime Minister’s overseas engagements.

Prime Minister Dr the Most Honourable Andrew Holness says Jamaica must build stronger, more capable local contracting capacity to match the Government's unprecedented investment in infrastructure and ensure major projects are delivered efficiently on schedule and to the highest standard. Speaking today (Friday, July 3) at the Caenwood SPARK Road Opening hosted by the National Works Agency in Portland, the Prime Minister said the country's infrastructure ambitions demand contractors with the technical expertise, financial strength and corporate capacity to undertake increasingly complex projects. The Prime Minister said, “We need an emergence of new contracting capacity that fits the ambition of the infrastructure we are trying to build.” Prime Minister Holness continued: "We need good, strong, solid contractors. We need to dispel the view that a contractor is simply someone with limited equipment attempting to undertake massive and complex projects. Our contractors must move to a higher level of enterprise, invest in their businesses, strengthen their technical capacity and build the financial foundation required to properly execute the level of infrastructure work that this Government is delivering." In this regard, the Prime Minister noted that no previous administration has been positioned to invest as significantly in infrastructure as the current Government.…

Prime Minister Dr. the Most Honourable Andrew Holness has called on every Jamaican to become invested in reducing crime, emphasizing that safer communities are essential to delivering development, attracting investment and improving the lives of citizens across the island. Speaking today (Wednesday, July 1, 2026) at the National Housing Trust (NHT) Handing Over Ceremony for the Vineyard Town Housing Development in Vineyard Town, St. Andrew, Prime Minister Holness said the project's delayed completion illustrates the high cost of criminality and the transformative benefits that accompany peace and public safety. The Prime Minister noted that although construction began in 2017, persistent violence, gang activity and extortion significantly disrupted the work, delaying the project for years. By 2021, the original construction contract had to be terminated, with criminal activity identified as a major factor affecting progress. "The criminals are not Robin Hoods. They are not your friends. The criminals delay or prevent development. What we are looking at here is a development which started in 2017, and we can only hand it over now, almost nine years later. That is the impact of criminality on society," stated Prime Minister Holness. The Prime Minister also noted that the delays deprived deserving families of…

Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness has reaffirmed the Government's commitment to ensuring that national development improves the lives of Jamaicans without displacing families, while accelerating the delivery of affordable housing through expanded construction, innovative financing and targeted policy reforms. Speaking today (Wednesday, July 1, 2026) at the NHT Handing Over Ceremony for the Vineyard Town Housing Development in Vineyard Town, St. Andrew, Prime Minister Holness said the Government is addressing housing challenges by increasing the supply of homes while ensuring that development creates opportunities for existing residents rather than forcing them from their communities. "The challenge with housing in Jamaica is not demand; it is not necessarily affordability. The challenge with housing is the scale of output and the supply-side issues. We need to be building tens of thousands of houses each year, not two thousand or three thousand, because only by increasing supply at scale will we make home ownership more affordable for the average Jamaican," said Prime Minister Holness. The Prime Minister explained that the Government is actively scaling up housing output by tackling barriers to construction, including slow approval processes, limited availability of suitable lands and the need for larger developments that reduce the cost of each…

The Government and people of Jamaica have learned with profound sadness of the devastating earthquakes that struck Venezuela on the evening of 24 June. On behalf of the people of Jamaica, we extend our deepest condolences to the Government and the people of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. Our hearts are with the families who have lost loved ones, with the injured, and with the many still searching for those trapped beneath the rubble. As a Caribbean nation that knows well the suddenness with which natural disaster can visit our region, Jamaica stands in full solidarity with Venezuela in this hour of grief and recovery. The bonds of friendship and regional kinship that unite our peoples are never more keenly felt than in moments of shared adversity. Jamaica stands ready to support the relief and recovery effort in whatever way it can, and we join the wider Caribbean and international community in offering our assistance. We pray for the strength of the Venezuelan people and for a swift and full recovery.

Prime Minister Dr the Most Honourable Andrew Holness has expressed strong optimism about the future of energy security in the Caribbean. He highlighted an unprecedented opportunity for regional cooperation, energy independence, and sustainable economic growth through the development of indigenous energy resources. Addressing regional leaders, investors, and industry stakeholders at the Suriname Energy, Oil and Gas Summit and Exhibition (SEOGS 2026) yesterday (June 23, 2026) in Paramaribo, Suriname, Prime Minister Holness underscored the importance of a balanced and practical energy strategy. He emphasised the need to combine traditional and renewable energy sources to secure the region’s future. “Because we are realists about the climate, we must also be realists about energy. The responsible path is oil OR renewables. It is a pragmatic mix. Oil, gas, solar, hydro, and eventually nuclear. That keeps the lights on while we build a cleaner future our children deserve,” Prime Minister Holness stated. The Prime Minister noted that the Caribbean is now positioned to achieve a level of energy security previously beyond reach, driven by significant discoveries and developments in Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and potentially other nations across the region. “Something historic is now possible. Among Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and perhaps…

Prime Minister Dr. the Most Honourable Andrew Holness says Jamaica is strengthening the conditions necessary to become a destination of choice for talent, investment, and tourism by positioning the country to compete and succeed in a world where nations are increasingly competing for people, businesses and investors. Speaking yesterday at the RIU Hotels & Resorts 25th Anniversary Gala in Montego Bay, Prime Minister Holness said that the countries that succeed in today's global economy are those that create the environments that attract visitors, inspire investor confidence, retain talent, and offer opportunities for future growth. Dr. Holness said Jamaica must reject any notion that small nations cannot compete globally and instead embrace a mindset that sees the country as an active participant on the world stage. "Countries are competing for visitors. They are competing for investments. They are competing for businesses. But you know what else they are competing for? They are competing for talent. That, in fact, is the biggest competition. Because no matter what investment, capital, business, rare earth elements, or lithium you have, you need talent," the Prime Minister said. He underscored that Jamaica must evolve beyond being primarily an exporter of talent and position itself to attract…

Prime Minister Dr. the Most Honourable Andrew Holness says Jamaica has significantly strengthened its international security partnerships to combat increasingly transnational criminal networks, stating that criminals will have "no place to hide." Addressing the Opening Ceremony of the 11th Biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference today in Montego Bay, Prime Minister Holness said criminal organizations now operate across borders, requiring an equally coordinated response from law enforcement agencies. “The criminals have representatives in the diaspora as well. As they become more transnational, the Government of Jamaica has increased its transnational cooperation with other countries and security forces to make sure that criminals have no place to hide," Dr. Holness said. The Prime Minister highlighted expanded cooperation with the United States and other international partners, which has contributed to major law enforcement operations, including recent actions targeting lottery scamming networks and the illegal trafficking of firearms into Jamaica. Dr. Holness said the strengthened security strategy is delivering measurable results. Homicides have declined by 67 per cent over the past four years, including a further 22.5 per cent reduction as of May this year compared to the same period in 2025. "These are not just numbers. These are lives saved. Communities where people are…

Prime Minister Dr. the Most Honourable Andrew Holness has called for a national cultural revolution focused on efficiency, productivity, and accountability, highlighting that Jamaica must become "the fastest economy and society in the world to do business." Speaking today at the Opening Ceremony of the 11th Biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference in Montego Bay, Prime Minister Holness said Jamaica's next phase of development will require a fundamental shift in attitudes, values, and systems to support faster decision-making, faster execution, and greater productivity across society. "We are the fastest people in the world. So, we need the cultural revolution in the way in which we do business so that we can match the speed on the track with the speed of doing business," the Prime Minister said. "We must become the fastest economy and society in the world to do business. We definitely need to develop the kind of social movement towards that," he added. Dr. Holness said efficiency should be viewed as a national asset and a source of competitive advantage. "Efficiency is a resource like oil, bauxite, and tourism… People are moving to countries that are efficient. And so, we need to add that to our value proposition: Jamaica, the…