News from the OPM

Prime Minister Andrew Holness will deliver the keynote address at the Jamaica 55 Grand Independence Gala in New York in the United States. The event is being staged by the Jamaican diaspora community in New York. The prime minister will also receive the 2017 award for distinguished leadership from the Jamaican diaspora during the event. Former Prime Minister Edward Seaga will also be awarded for his service to nation building and former NBA all-star Patrick Ewing will receive the ‘Son of the Soil Legacy Award. The event is scheduled for Saturday, August 26. Prime Minister Holness left the island last night for the event. He is also scheduled to meet with the Jamaican diaspora in New York. Minister without portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Dr Horace Chang will be in charge of Government while the prime minister is away.     ----30---- Contact:    Communications Unit-OPM Tel:   926-0244, 927-4101        Email:  [email protected]/[email protected] Website:      www.opm.gov.jm  Facebook:  www.facebook.com/jamaicahouse  Twitter:  www.twitter.com/opmjamaica

Prime Minister Andrew Holness has declared that no child should be discriminated against by virtue of their inability to afford education. Speaking at a function to honour students who sat the Grade Six Achievement Test, GSAT, this year at Jamaica House on Wednesday (August 23) the prime minister stressed that every child has a right to education. He said the Government would explore ways to make it an offence to deny a child the right to education on the basis of affordability. “Do not in any way shape or form deprive or discriminate against students who are not able to afford the fees that you are charging. The fees are not obligatory, and no child should be discriminated against by virtue of their economic circumstances. They did well and got the space in the schools and are entitled to it and no principal, no teacher should do anything at all that could be considered discriminatory to a student,” declared the prime minister. Prime Minister Holness said the Government is spending significant resources on education. “We have increased significantly the resources we give to schools. There are some schools which set higher standards than what is available for the average public…

Prime Minister Andrew Holness is reassuring Jamaicans that the Zones of Special Operations law is to reduce murders; not to take away rights. Prime Minister Holness says when implemented the Zones of Special Operations will help to bring law and order to communities. Addressing members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force yesterday (Wednesday, August 23) at the Police Officers’ Club in Kingston,  Prime Minister Holness explained that the objective is to bring down homicides by cutting off the capability and opportunity of criminals. “This is a long term commitment by the government of Jamaica to restore the rule of law in a geographical defined area that was previously gripped by high crime,” he asserted. “The success of the operation is that within the zones there are no murders. If you can bring the murder rate down, that will be a success,” he added. According to Mr Holness an important part of the joint police military command in the zones is to restore the trust and confidence of the citizens through community building. “Your job is to convert the citizens into your crime fighting allies. You do community building, particularly as it relates to security, using community leaders that are well established…

Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Hon. Dr Horace Chang says the Kingston Freeport Terminal Limited, KFTL, is making strategic changes to its operations to make Jamaica a central logistics hub in the Caribbean. “The port is going through significant changes in order to bring it to the required standards to make it effective and efficient. These changes are required to ensure that we can become a central hub in the Caribbean,” said Minister Chang. The Minister explained that a breakdown in communication between all parties was the principal factor that led to the disruption in operations at the Kingston Freeport Terminal, KFT, over the weekend. Minister Chang gave an update on the operations of the KFT this morning (August 15) at a Press Conference at Jamaica House. As the port “transitions into a major logistics centre, there will be some hitches. There will be of course some teething problems and to overcome those not only requires training and organisation management but communication between the various parties,” stated Minister Chang. He says transhipment is the area that the Government expects to have the most dramatic increase once the Port operations are up and running.…

Prime Minister Andrew Holness has extended condolences to the family of the Member of Parliament for South East St. Mary Dr Winston Green. Dr Green died suddenly this morning. He was 58 years-old. Prime Minister Holness says that the news of Dr Green’s death came as a surprise. He remembers Dr Green as a competent Member of Parliament who sat on Parliamentary Committees. “Dr Green had a quiet disposition. He has given national service which must be commended. Dr Green was one of those Parliamentarians who served his constituency well. I applaud Dr Green’s contribution to governance through politics,” said Prime Minister Holness. Dr Green was a second term Member of Parliament, having been elected in 2011 to represent the constituency of South East St. Mary. He served on the Public Administration and Appropriations Committee and up to the time of his death was a member of Parliament’s Internal and External Committee. “On behalf of the Government and people of Jamaica I extend deep and sincere condolences to the family and colleagues of Dr Green,” said Mr Holness. Dr Green was a dental surgeon and former Vice President of the Dental Association of Jamaica. He was educated at Excelsior High. Dr Green who was a member of the Opposition Peoples National…

Prime Minister Andrew Holness is reassuring the country that the Government will act in the best interest of the Jamaican people while remaining open to foreign investment in the country. The Prime Minister made the comments as the Government signed a partnership agreement with China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) yesterday (August 9) for the Barbican Road Improvement Works project. “The Government is very sensitive to what has been happening. I want to reassure the people of Jamaica that the Government of Jamaica will always act in the best interest of the people of Jamaica,” said Prime Minister Holness. He also noted the country’s relationship with the People’s Republic of China which dates back to 1972; and that Jamaica continues to support the One China policy. Prime Minister Holness outlined that as the largest provider of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), China represents a window of opportunity for Jamaica to gain true economic independence. He explained that economic independence can only be accomplished when we [Jamaica] have good infrastructure, good institutions and a Gross Domestic Product, GDP, that can stand with the world’s progressive countries. “We have to be receptive to investments not just from China. Jamaica wants to see a diversified portfolio…

The Government of Jamaica has launched a single online gateway to all Government information and services. The e-portal was launched yesterday (August 9) at the Office of the Prime Minister in Kingston. Speaking at the launch Prime Minister Andrew Holness said the portal represents a critical element of transformation in the public sector. According to Prime Minister Holness, information technology can revolutionize bureaucracy by increasing the decision-making process and making departments and agencies of government more transparent and efficient. “The various departments and agencies of government will have to look at the processes, see where there are redundancies and integrate them. All of that is a benefit to the citizen consumer. But the people who operate the bureaucracy must never see this as detrimental to them. It doesn’t mean that you won’t exist, that your job will go. What it means is that your job may change,” stated the prime minister. He noted that there is a global revolution being led by information and Jamaica must embrace a digital culture. “The information revolution is here. We must see it as a tool for development,” Prime Minister Holness asserted. Meanwhile, Mr Holness noted that the implementation of a national identification system…

Prime Minister Andrew Holness has strongly condemned the killing of 17 -year-old Micholle Moltan. Micholle was killed on Sunday (August 6) in her community in Arnett Gardens. Her 12- year-old sister was also shot and injured in the incident. The prime minister says the incident represents one of the vilest attacks on our young women. “There can be no divide on crime in the country. We all have to come together and draw a line in the sand and those with the criminals should recognize the criminals are no respecter of lives. They will turn on you one day,” said Prime Minister Holness. The Prime Minister this afternoon (August 8) visited Micholle’s mother to personally offer condolences and assistance. The Ministry of Labour and Social Security and professional counselling services have been tasked to provide assistance. “I thought I would come here and say your daughter’s death cannot be in vain. We have to put a stop to it to prevent other innocent girls and boys from being killed. This could be anybody’s child. This is a great distress but we are resolved to deal with it and to support you in this time,” said Prime Minister Holness. He has called on…

Prime Minister Andrew Holness says Jamaica has come a far way in its 55 years of political Independence. In his message to mark, Independence Day 2017, prime minister Holness said Jamaica has overcome several challenges despite the odds. “We are a tough, courageous, purposeful and determined people. We have proven over and over again in our 55 years that we are equal to any task, once we put our collective minds to it. There are some challenges but I have absolutely no doubt that we can successfully defeat them,“ said prime minister Holness. Mr. Holness pointed to the country’s macroeconomic reforms. He noted the hard decisions made and the sacrifices of Jamaicans to strengthen economic independence. The prime minister noted that the country achieved a primary surplus balance of $135.9 Billion in the 2016/2017 fiscal year which was $12.9 billion above the  minimum 7% target. In addition, Mr. Holness pointed to the $1.46 Billion dollars earned from the tourism sector for the first six months of the year which translates to a 7.5% growth in the sector. The prime minister was also upbeat about the country’s prospects in the manufacturing, small business and Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) sectors. “We are…