News from the OPM

Prime Minister Andrew Holness has been specially invited to attend the G7 Summit set for June 8 and 9 in La Malbaie, in the Charlevoix region of Quebec, Canada. Prime Minister Holness was invited by the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau. Prime Minister Holness has also been asked to make a special presentation to the global leaders at the G7 Outreach Session. He will also participate in an exchange with the leaders at the Summit. The historic invitation to Prime Minister Holness will make him the first Jamaican Prime Minister to speak at the Summit with the leaders of the seven most developed countries in the world. The Summit will focus on issues such as building resilient coasts and communities, ocean knowledge and science, and sustainable oceans and fisheries. The leaders will also explore how to best address pressing challenges, including plastics in our oceans and illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. The (G7) is an informal grouping of seven of the world’s advanced economies consisting of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States. The forum offers an opportunity for G7 leaders, Ministers and policy makers to come together each year to build consensus and…

Prime Minister Andrew Holness says the major infrastructure development projects being undertaken by the Government are designed to not only to improve traffic flow but also to improve productivity and address issues of safety and security. The Prime Minister was speaking earlier today (June 1) on a tour of the major infrastructure improvement projects in the Corporate Area. Mr. Holness toured sections of the Constant Spring Road, Mandela Highway, Hagley Park and Barbican Road Improvement Projects. The projects fall under the Government’s Major Infrastructure Development Programme (MIDP). “The design of this road and all the other roads that we have toured, we have built them with the latest technology. We are not building roads to make it easier for criminals to do what they do. We will be able to identify you easily with the use of technology,” said Prime Minister Holness. He noted that moving forward the Government will be using technology on improved roadways. “It will be throughout Jamaica because we must get on top of the criminals who are making it harder for you the decent law abiding, industrious and enterprising people of Jamaica to succeed. So we have designed the road with law enforcement in mind.…

Prime Minister Andrew Holness this afternoon expressed his congratulations to Mia Mottley on an impressive landslide victory in the Barbados general elections held on Thursday (May 24). Ms. Mottley is the first female to be elected Prime Minister in Barbados’ history and Prime Minister Holness said this is proof that more women can ascend to the pinnacle of political leadership. In the meantime, Prime Minister Holness described Mottley’s victory as a profound historical moment in the region and affirmed the view that she is a powerful force in the Caribbean, who will no doubt lead Barbados in an inclusive and transparent manner. Mr. Holness wished the people of Barbados great success and pledged Jamaica’s partnership as they too seek shared prosperity.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness says volunteerism is an important part of national development. Speaking at the Kiwanis Eastern Canada and Caribbean District Convention in Montego Bay recently, the Prime Minister stressed that a stronger partnership between the Government and the private sector including service groups, is needed across the region to improve the quality of life of citizens. “Government must work in partnership with the voluntary sector. Volunteerism is an important part of national development and not because it is a philanthropic endeavour, not because it is voluntary, it doesn’t mean that it is free. What it means is that someone chooses to absorb the cost so that those who are needy can benefit. It is the ultimate expression of selflessness,” said Prime Minister Holness. Prime Minister Holness further stated that volunteerism can make Jamaica and by extension the region a better place. He made clear the Government’s position in wanting to partner with private sector such as Kiwanis. “It is a win-win exercise, it is a fair trade. Government therefore should encourage the partnerships and Government wants to partner with all third sector players specifically with the Kiwanis,” said Mr. Holness. In the meantime, Mr. Holness lauded the Kiwanis…

Prime Minister Andrew Holness has used the occasion of Labour Day to encourage all Jamaicans to commit to doing work and seeking employment over crime. “I want every single able bodied Jamaican to commit to doing work and to commit to seeking employment over idleness or crime. We are providing you with the jobs, we are growing the economy and that is the way in which we are going to provide prosperity for all and remove poverty from our land,” stated Prime Minister Holness. The Prime Minister was was speaking at the Cumberland Health Centre in Spanish Town, on Wednesday, (May 23), one of two National Labour Day projects. Prime Minister Holness said labour is important to the creation of wealth and prosperity for the nation. “Labour is the innate God given gift to you. Everybody has the capacity of labour. You use labour to convert the other God given factors of production the land, the air, the minerals everything. Your labour is absolutely important to the creation of wealth and prosperity for the nation,” intimated Prime Minister Holness. Mr. Holness contends that the policy of the Government is to ensure that every Jamaican is involved in some form of…

The National Identification System is one of the most important advancements in the effort to modernise Jamaica. It will ensure that all Jamaicans have access to a universally accepted, secure and efficient system of identity verification. It will also make transactions and access to services easier for all citizens allowing the government to adequately plan for the needs of all Jamaicans. The National Identification System will see the upgrade of Jamaica’s Information Technology infrastructure to better withstand emerging cyber threats while taking advantage of the significant opportunities offered by a digital economy. The Government is confident that all efforts were made in the drafting of the NIDs Bill to ensure that it is in-keeping with the spirit of the Jamaican Constitution. The government is presently carefully studying the challenge brought by the opposition to the current form of the legislation. Ironically, however, many of the provisions to which they now object originated from previous drafts of the law crafted by them. We will show that the provisions of the law are demonstrably justified in our free and democratic society. We have been cognizant of efforts by the Opposition to undermine the bill from its first tabling and despite extraordinary efforts to include…

Prime Minister Andrew Holness has underscored the Government’s commitment to ensuring wide participation from all sectors of the Jamaican society in the design of the new Parliament building. A section of the National Heroes Park lands was earmarked as the site of the new Parliament building. The Prime Minister was speaking this morning (May 17) at the Official launch of Houses of Parliament Design Competition lead by the Urban Development Corporation. Noting that a wide cross section of Jamaicans, including the Jamaica Institute of Architects, have indicated that they will endorse the design competition, the Prime Minister said the Government will respectfully listen to the concerns of all persons. “We are going to build this parliament and we are going to do it the right way. We are going to take all concerns on board, all suggestions, it is going to be bi-partisan, multi-sectoral and it will be done in the best interest of all the people of Jamaica,” stated Mr. Holness. Prime Minister Holness asserted that Jamaica has dithered for far too long on the matter of building a new Parliament as the idea dates back to the 1950's. He noted that Jamaica has never had a purpose built…

Prime Minister Andrew Holness says greater investment in the National Water Commission (NWC) will set the stage for its listing on the stock market. The Prime Minister was speaking this morning (May 15) at a press conference to announce the NWC’s successful J$15 Billion Bond Issue. Prime Minister Holness commended the team on the historic bond issue and said there are many assets that the government owns but is unaware of the value. “$15 billion dollars is significant, it would be the largest that the NWC has ever done. It would be the second largest Jamaican dollar denominated transaction of this nature. It is done without a Government guarantee, a portion of it is done for 40 years,” said Prime Minister Holness. He said with the bond issue the Government is now creating the NWC as an asset in which pension funds and other such funds like insurance funds can invest. “There is a confusion out there when we talk about privatization of the NWC people believe we going to privatize water. I want you to take that out of the conversation and focus now on the NWC as a valuable asset that people can choose to invest their savings…

Earlier today (May 4) in the Ramble/Bogue Hill area of St. James, the joint security forces recovered four (4) M16 assault rifles, magazines, ammunition and marked ballistics vests. This cache of military-grade weaponry gives a clear indication of the destructive capabilities of gangs and dons to wage war on our civilian population and our security forces. The proliferation of illegal small arms and light weaponry, compounded by criminal enterprises organized around the use of violence for economic gain and social control is a National Emergency. The killings of seven Jamaicans, including young children and women in Grange Hill, Westmoreland, is a tragic example of the clear and present danger armed criminal gangs and dons pose to the safety of our people and the National Security of Jamaica. This threat is beyond the powers and resources assigned to regular law enforcement. Additionally, this is beyond a public order issue, or street level crime. The procurement and financing of such warlike weapons; the recruiting of personnel, the use of violence for economic gain and social control, amounts to a threat to the very foundation of the Jamaican State and the peace and security of its citizens. An entirely new legislative framework to give…