Prime Minister Holness Urges Cabinet: More Work Needed to Deliver Better Lives for Jamaicans
Prime Minister Dr. the Most Honourable Andrew Holness has set clear expectations of the new Cabinet Ministers, citing that even though Jamaica has made important strides, there is still much more to do to deliver a significantly better quality of life for the people of Jamaica.
Having secured a third consecutive term, Prime Minister Holness observed that the mandate rests on results and concrete performance.
“The Jamaican people have spoken loudly and clearly. They have looked beyond rhetoric. They have looked beyond tradition. They have focused on and rewarded performance. It is because of measurable results, including lower debt, stronger growth, record jobs, reduced crime, better wages, and improved services, that they have given us this historic third term.”
However, Prime Minister Holness noted that success is no excuse for complacency. Ministers must redouble their efforts to effectively improve the lives of our people.
“This is not a time to grow comfortable. It is a time to recommit to humility, to service, and to performance,” he said.
At the same time, Dr. Holness also reminded his newly appointed ministers that their roles are not rewards, nor a result of loyalty or status. Instead, they carry national importance, which demands discipline, sacrifice, and a commitment to serve every Jamaican.
“To my ministers, let me be direct: this appointment is not a personal prize. It is not a reward for loyalty, nor a platform for status. It is an assignment of national importance, heavy with responsibility and demanding of sacrifice.”
The Prime Minister also made clear that the true measure of their performance will not be how well they work in their own ministries, but how well they work together.
“Success will not come from working in silos, but from collaboration and synergy. Our people will not measure us by how well we protect our portfolios, but by how well we work as one Cabinet, one Government, one Jamaica.”
Priorities for Improving Lives
To citizens, the impact matters most. Therefore, Dr. Holness identified priority areas that are essential to improving day-to-day life:
- Driving inclusive economic growth that touches every household across the length and breadth of Jamaica.
- Converting our unmatched cultural power into economic power through the creative industries.
- Establishing Jamaica as the logistics hub of the region, leveraging the Caymanas Special Economic Zone, expanded ports, and modern airports.
- Leading the energy transition with solar, wind, hydro, and nuclear, thereby building a clean and resilient economy.
- Investing in education, skills, and digital innovation to prepare Jamaicans to lead in the global economy.
- Making government work faster and better through the SPEED Programme by cutting red tape, streamlining approvals, digitizing services, and matching the pace of our people’s ambition.
- And building a peaceful society not just by reducing murders, but by tackling social violence, strengthening families, restoring respect, and raising a generation that chooses peace over violence and disorder.
Prime Minister Holness reiterated that there is more work ahead and that every minister’s contribution must be earnest, focused, and aligned with the purpose of delivering a better quality of life for all Jamaicans.
The Prime Minister was speaking yesterday (September 17) at the Swearing-in Ceremony for Cabinet Ministers at King’s House.