News from the OPM

On the occasion of National Partnership Day 2025, the Government of Jamaica proudly joins with our social partners from the private sector, trade unions, civil society, the church, and the Opposition to reaffirm our enduring commitment to national unity, dialogue, and cooperation in pursuit of a stronger, more prosperous Jamaica for all.   As a newly elected administration, we approach this day with renewed energy, deep humility, and an unwavering belief in the power of partnership as a cornerstone of our democracy and development. We stand on the firm foundation laid by collaborative efforts through the National Partnership Council (NPC) and successive Social Partnership Agreements, each of which has shown that progress is best achieved when Jamaicans work together with shared purpose and mutual respect.   Reaffirming the Spirit of Partnership   Today, the Government recommits itself to this tradition of collaboration, which has been fulsomely embraced by the past 4 administrations. We recognize that the challenges ahead, which include economic transformation, climate resilience, digital inclusion, crime reduction, and equitable growth, cannot be solved by any one sector acting alone.   This administration will therefore continue to engage the National Partnership Council as a vital instrument for consultation, consensus-building, and accountability. We will strengthen its structure,…

The DRMA and any amendment posted here took effect on October 24, 2025. The Disaster Risk Management (Declaration Of Threatened Area) (Tropical Storm Melissa) Order, 2025

The Government of Jamaica advises that, acting on the advice of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) and the Minister of Local Government and Community Development, the Prime Minister has today (October 24, 2025) issued an Order pursuant to section 26(2) of the Disaster Risk Management Act. Under this Order, the whole of Jamaica is declared to be a threatened area due to the potential impact of Tropical Storm Melissa, which poses a significant threat to the island. This declaration empowers the Government to implement precautionary and protective measures to safeguard lives, property, and critical infrastructure. In conjunction with this declaration, and in accordance with section 8(1) of the Trade Act, the Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce has issued The Trade (Sale of Goods During Period of Declaration of Threatened Area) (Tropical Storm Melissa) Order, 2025. This Order, which also takes effect today, prohibits retailers from increasing the prices of essential goods—including food, water, medical supplies, personal care items, building materials, and emergency equipment—for the duration of the declared period. Violations of this Order may attract penalties of up to one million dollars ($1,000,000) upon conviction before a Parish Court. Prime Minister Holness reaffirmed the Government’s…

All non-essential government offices will close at 2 PM Friday, October 24, 2025. Essential services will remain operational and available to the public. Based on the 5 AM bulletin from the Meteorological Service of Jamaica, Tropical Storm Melissa was stationary overnight. Nonetheless, a tropical storm warning has been maintained. Further updates will be provided throughout the course of the day. The Government of Jamaica encourages all Jamaicans to stay informed using official sources.

The Honourable Daryl Vaz, Minister of Transport, Telecommunications and Energy, detailed the coordinated actions being undertaken across energy, telecommunications, transport, and aviation sectors to safeguard critical infrastructure and ensure rapid response and recovery. The Minister yesterday (October 23, 2025) updated the nation during a Special Press Briefing at Jamaica House on the country’s preparedness for Tropical Storm Melissa. Minister Vaz noted that the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS), has taken decisive steps to enhance its readiness. “JPS has reported to me that they have fully activated the command centres under the new incident command system and placed overseas line workers on standby with 31 of them already in Jamaica for pre-storm preparations to boost resilience,” said Minister Vaz. The Minister continued: “Critical control and telecom sites now have 48-hour backup power and new Starlink systems for communication continuity. The company has expanded its fleet with over 115 specialized vehicles to enhance post-storm response. Vegetation management and grid reinforcement have been intensified, especially in key transmission areas across western and eastern parishes.” Minister Vaz commended the utility company for its proactive measures, noting that its actions reflect lessons learned from Hurricane Beryl. “This is welcome news to me and it is…

The Government of Jamaica, through the Meteorological Service, continues to monitor the development of Tropical Storm Melissa, which has shown a slight increase in forward speed as it moves slowly across the central Caribbean waters. At a special press briefing yesterday (October 23, 2025) on national preparedness, Rohan Brown, Manager of Weather Services at the Meteorological Service of Jamaica, provided an update on the system’s trajectory, potential impacts, and the national response underway. Mr. Brown said, “At this time, the Meteorological Service continues to closely monitor Tropical Storm Melissa which has shown a slight increase in forward speed but remains a slow-moving system across the central Caribbean waters. As of 10:00 a.m., the centre of Tropical Storm Melissa was located near latitude 15.5° north, 74.9° west, or about 215 miles southeast of Kingston, Jamaica. The system is moving slowly towards the northeast near 70 kilometres per hour and maximum sustained winds are up to 75 kilometres per hour with higher gusts.” Mr. Brown confirmed that a Tropical Storm Warning and a Hurricane Watch are now in effect for Jamaica. This means that tropical storm conditions are likely within 36 hours and hurricane conditions, winds exceeding 119 kilometres per hour are…

In preparation for the arrival of Tropical Storm Melissa, all non-essential government offices will be closed effective 4 PM, today, October 23, 2025. This closure is intended to ensure the safety of our public sector employees as we expect to start feeling the effect of the system. Public sector employees who are able to work remotely are encouraged to continue their duties online, utilising the digital tools and platforms provided by their respective Ministries, Departments, or Agencies. Furthermore, essential services, including emergency response and healthcare facilities, will remain operational and available to the public. Further updates on the status of non-essential offices will be provided by 5 AM tomorrow. The Government of Jamaica encourages all Jamaicans to stay informed using official sources.

A TROPICAL STORM WATCH is now in effect for Jamaica as there is the potential for a tropical cyclone to form in the central Caribbean later today. This means that Tropical Storm conditions could pose a possible threat to Jamaica within 48 hours. Satellite, radar, and surface observations suggests that the area of Low Pressure over the central Caribbean Sea is developing a well-defined centre and is already producing winds up to 72 km/h (45 m/h). Environmental conditions are forecast to become more conducive for development, and a Tropical Storm is expected to form later today while it slows down over the central Caribbean Sea. When the system is in the vicinity of Jamaica, it is expected to produce locally heavy rainfall, strong gusty winds, possibly reaching tropical storm force, primarily over northeastern and southern parishes late Wednesday and Thursday. The rainfall could continue into the weekend. For the marine areas, the forecast is for widespread showers and thunderstorms, which may be heavy at times, with strong gusty winds, possibly reaching Tropical Storm force, to affect all marine zones on Wednesday and Thursday, especially inshore and offshore the south coast. Fishers on the cays and banks are advised to evacuate…

Prime Minister Dr. the Most Honourable Andrew Holness says that raising national productivity is the next major step in Jamaica’s economic journey, emphasizing that the country’s focus must now move beyond achieving full employment to creating higher-value jobs and sustained economic transformation. Speaking at the Amber Group’s 10th Anniversary Gala and AI Robotics Showcase, the Prime Minister highlighted that Jamaica’s unemployment rate stands at 3.3 per cent, the lowest in the nation’s history, a milestone that demonstrates strong economic recovery and resilience. However, Prime Minister Holness noted that the challenge now lies in improving how Jamaicans work, not just how many are employed. “We are very proud to say we have 3.3 percent unemployment, but that is just the base, that solves step one of the problems. Step two is to increase the productivity and the level of task and undertaking that our people perform. That’s how we move from employment to empowerment, upskilling to higher-level jobs and higher pay,” said Prime Minister Holness. The Prime Minister underscored that Jamaica’s growth depends on the profile and performance of its workforce, as the services sector accounts for 70 per cent of the economy. To grow the economy, he explained, the services Jamaicans provide…