Minister Wheatley Says Responsible AI Can Cut Red Tape and Speed Up Public Services
Dr. the Honourable Andrew Wheatley, Minister without Portfolio with responsibility for Science, Technology and Special Projects in the Office of the Prime Minister, says Jamaica is moving to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to reduce unnecessary bureaucracy, accelerate public service delivery, and strengthen resilience in the digital age.
Speaking at a forum at the University of the West Indies, Minister Wheatley emphasized that reform is about improving systems, not weakening safeguards. the Minister stated: “Some bureaucracy is necessary, it protects fairness, safety, standards, and accountability. But bad bureaucracy is duplication, opacity, delay, and inconsistency. AI gives us a real opportunity to keep what protects the public and remove what wastes time.”
The Minister noted that AI can help cut delays by reducing routine workload and shrinking backlogs, while improving the citizen experience through clearer guidance and better service tracking. He also highlighted AI’s role in reducing duplication across agencies, so citizens and businesses are not forced to repeatedly submit the same information.
Minister Wheatley stressed that efficiency must be matched with safeguards and public trust. “AI must never become automated unfairness. “If AI touches public decisions, it must be secure, accountable, and paired with human oversight,” said Minister Wheatley.
He also referenced the establishment of the National Artificial Intelligence Task Force, mandated to guide Jamaica’s national AI direction and develop the required policies and legislative frameworks for responsible adoption. “Jamaica does not need AI hype; we need AI governance. The Task Force is focused on building the policy and legislative guardrails that allow us to scale AI responsibly, improve service delivery, and strengthen national competitiveness,” Minister Wheatley said.
Addressing the youth audience, the Minister encouraged young Jamaicans to see themselves as builders of the digital future. “Make the Jamaican state easier to use, without making it easier to abuse,” he said.