Prime Minister Holness Calls for Cultural Revolution to Make Jamaica the Fastest Place in the World to Do Business
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 efficient, productive country.”
Importantly, the Prime Minister said Jamaica’s recovery from Hurricane Melissa highlights the importance of speed and execution. While the country successfully leveraged its strong economic credibility to mobilize more than US$6 billion in reconstruction financing, he emphasized that financing alone is not enough.
“We have the financing to pursue our recovery and resilience building, but now we must push forward quickly. We must focus on getting the families who are still in distress after Hurricane Melissa back on their feet. The question is how we can do it faster, better, and stronger,” he said.
Dr. Holness called on members of the Jamaican diaspora to support the national conversation around the cultural changes needed to improve efficiency and productivity at every level of society.
“We are fighting a battle here of culture, and we are going to need your help in guiding the conversations about the changes that are needed at every level of society to become a more efficient player on the global stage,” he said.
As part of that effort, the Prime Minister highlighted the Government’s establishment of the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA) and its FAST initiative, which is designed to accelerate strategic investments and streamline project implementation to drive faster results for the Jamaican people.
Dr. Holness said Jamaica possesses the ambition, talent, and potential to compete with the world’s most successful economies, but achieving that vision will require a cultural shift toward greater efficiency, productivity, and innovation.
“We must never forget our history of colonization and exploitation. But we must move from victimhood to agency. We must move from the consumer mentality to the producer-innovator mentality. We must believe that we have it within ourselves to take charge of our destiny and chart our own course.”