News from the OPM

Prime Minister Andrew Holness says the Government is eager to move ahead with plans to construct six (6) STEM Schools and one (1) STEAM School as part of the overall plan to transform Jamaica’s education system. The Prime Minister said the environment in which children learn, is critical to the achievement of high educational outcomes. He said, “Our teachers are the most important variable in education, but we cannot underestimate the value of the infrastructure that is necessary to support a transformed education system. “ The Prime Minister said significant improvement in educational outcome can be achieved by changing the child’s learning environment, noting that the very way in which a classroom is built and organized can yield improvements in educational outcomes. In this regard, the Prime Minister said building the new schools is an important undertaking. He said the schools will not be administered under the old scheme of education, but rather an entirely new scheme, to be developed. These schools the Prime Minister emphasized will be innovative in their outlook and will be instrumental components of the Government’s larger education transformation plan. The Prime Minister noted that the last transformation in Jamaica’s education system started in 2004, and…

Prime Minister Andrew Holness said the Government is moving with speed and intent to change the penalty for murder. The proposed sentencing scheme is as follows: For capital murder, the penalty would be Death or life imprisonment without the possibility of parole and for non-capital murder, the penalty would be 45 years to life, meaning a minimum of 45 years must be served before parole is considered. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Holness said division on the use of constitutional tools to Fight Crime Allows Criminals to Persist. He said, “As society moves back and forth on academic arguments, people are losing their lives, and the more we remain divided on the subject and on taking instrumental and decisive action, criminals feel as if they have crevices to hide.” The Prime Minister said the use of constitutional tools in a judicious way that respects people’s rights and preserves Jamaica’s liberal democracy is effective in fighting crime. He indicated that, when the Government uses these tools, it does so with the highest respect and regard for human rights. The Prime Minister said he is hopeful of a consensus on the use of constitutional tools, but in the meantime, the Government is engaged in…

Prime Minister Andrew Holness says the Government is committed to Jamaica transforming from a Constitutional Monarchy to a Republic. Noting that the process was never expected to be straightforward, the Prime Minister questioned the motivation of those who called for Jamaica to embrace a new status as a Republic, but who are now appearing to play political games. Notwithstanding, the Prime Minister said the Government will remain focused and move deliberately towards the objective of becoming a Republic. He said, “The process is not simple, and we have known it would not be, but we are making sure to check every box and moving ahead with speed and alacrity; Jamaica must become a republic.” Prime Minister Holness was speaking on Saturday (January 14, 2023) at the 25th Anniversary Fundraising Dinner of the East Central St James Education Fund in Montego Bay.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness says a Total Waste Management system, an integrated system, will be developed in Jamaica and will see a long-term concession to construct a waste to energy plant in Jamaica. He was speaking on Saturday (January 14, 2023) at the 25th Anniversary Fundraising Dinner of the East Central St James Education Fund in Montego Bay. The Prime Minister said, “Effectively we will be creating a market, a circular economy in waste which will become material for energy generation; waste therefore will soon have value.” The Prime Minister said the Retirement and Riverton City Dumps will be closed and replaced by a sanitary landfill to be constructed via a public-private partnership in the center of the island where land has already been identified. The Prime Minister said there will also be a long-term concession for the collection of waste and the building of transfer stations. Cabinet is expected to obtain by the end of January 2023, the business cases for these projects for approval, following which proposals will be invited from investors. Once a new Municipal Waste Management System has been engaged, Prime Minister Holness underscored that the mode of work of the National Solid Waste Management Authority…

We give God thanks for sparing our lives to see 2023, and we give thanks for the lives of loved ones and other great Jamaicans who transitioned last year. We embrace the New Year with optimism and positive energy, knowing that our earnest efforts will determine the success we make of the time given to us. We have been earnest in our efforts in the past year in controlling crime, particularly murders, and improving public order. It cannot be disputed that Jamaica has an epidemic of violence, which results in intentional killings. Guns are the main enabling weapons used by violence producers, and ease of access to guns of itself extensifies fatal violence.  Last year, we took a major step in deterring the procurement, possession, trafficking, and use of guns by passing a new Firearms Act which has totally transformed the legislative framework around legal and illegal guns in Jamaica.  It is now a minimum of 15 years to life for a person convicted of an illegal gun offense. Since the coming into force of the new Firearms Act on the 1st of November 2022 last year, over 70 persons, that is a rate of one person per day, mostly…

Gazette - The Emergency Powers (Parishes of St. James, Westmoreland and Hanover) (No. 3) Regulations December 28, 2022

Gazette - Emergency Powers (Parishes of St Ann, Clarendon, St Catherine, Kingston and St Andrew) Regulations, 2022 December 28, 2022

Gazette - Proclamation St. James Hanover and Westmoreland December 28, 2022

Gazette - Proclamation St Ann, Clarendon, St Catherine, KSA Dec 28, 2022