News from the OPM

Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holness has declared a decisive shift in government policy aimed at dismantling Jamaica’s long-standing culture of excessive bureaucracy. Speaking at the Official Opening of the Parnassus Argo Park on Wednesday (April 23, 2024), Prime Minister Holness emphasized that public sector inefficiency is no longer tolerable and must be treated as a national barrier to development. “Jamaica must address its public bureaucracy. We have gotten caught into this culture of analysis paralysis. There are those who will seek to say that you are corrupt, that you are trying to circumvent procedures. But what they are really wanting to do is to hide behind a wall of circuitous regulation that leads to nowhere. And in my mind, that is the corruption,” said Dr. Holness. The Prime Minister identified a recurring trend in which government entities absorb public funds annually but cannot clearly account for their contribution to national development. Dr. Holness warned that these structures create a false sense of order while hindering critical projects and delaying progress. This, the Prime Minister argued, is a form of corruption that often goes unchecked. “We have to rethink the dense layer of bureaucracy that we have placed on our public…

“Clarendon was always a parish that contributed significantly to the murder rate. We're happy to see that that is being reversed. The objective now is to make these reductions permanent and sustained." - Prime Minister Holness ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   The parish of Clarendon has seen a precipitous decline in murders, recording fewer than 70 since the start of the year, the first time in over 15 years. This milestone marks a turning point for the parish, once regarded as a significant contributor to the island's national murder rate. Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holness credited the leadership of the division and the work of the policemen and women on the ground. Dr. Holness congratulated Senior Superintendent Shane McCalla, Commanding Officer for the Clarendon Division, and his team for the strategy leading to the reduction. “I'm so pleased with the work that you have done. Clarendon was always a parish that contributed significantly to the murder rate. We're happy to see that that is being reversed. The objective now is to make these reductions permanent and sustained. I want to commend you and your officers for the work that you have done. And please know that you have the full support of the…

“We are very pleased to see the [20%] reduction [in road fatalities]. We take this opportunity to encourage every road user, motorist, cyclist and pedestrian, to be aware of their circumstances, responsibilities and duties in using the road." - Prime Minister Holness --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Government of Jamaica has received forty (40) new breathalyzer machines from the United Nations Road Safety Fund. The units are to be used across the island in strategies to help further reduce road traffic collisions and fatalities. Prime Minister Dr. the Most Honourable Andrew Holness, who chairs the National Road Safety Council, NRSC, welcomed the provision of the new machines in the operations of the police traffic branch. The Council met last Thursday (April 17) to get an update on policies, programmes and efforts to improve road safety and reduce fatalities. The Prime Minister announced a twenty percent reduction in road fatalities this year when compared to the similar period last year. However, Dr, Holness noted that the data also shows four parishes, St. Catherine, Westmoreland, St. Andrew and St. Ann, where a concentration of traffic collisions take place. “We note that some of the multiple fatality accidents are occurring at a particular time of day…

“To further increase productivity, we are reducing bureaucracy and improving the ease of doing business. This will enable businesses to thrive, attract greater investment, and keep this virtuous cycle of peace, productivity, and prosperity going.” - Prime Minister Holness ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holness declared the Government’s unwavering commitment to reforming the public bureaucracy. Prime Minister Holness said the reform is crucial to driving productivity, supporting economic growth, and sustaining a "virtuous cycle of peace, productivity, and prosperity". Speaking on Wednesday (April 16) at the groundbreaking of the Raintree Commercial Complex led by the Urban Development Corporation (UDC), Prime Minister Holness acknowledged the challenges that have long plagued public sector entities. Dr. Holness highlighted stagnation and what he described as mission drift as challenges. Despite this, the Prime Minister made it clear that transformation in the public sector is underway, led by a renewed focus on results and national development. “The public bureaucracy can last forever. Sometimes it loses its mission, and people get caught up in bureaucratic routine, where success is gauged by paperwork and signatures rather than actual impact,” the Prime Minister said. In that regard, Prime Minister Holness highlighted the revival of the UDC as a…

I am truly saddened, this morning, at news of the death of Pope Francis. Pope Francis, the first poniff from Latin America dedicated his life to uplifting the poor and vulnerable. As head of the Catholic church, Pope Francis was a champion and advocate for change and used his papacy to highlight issues of fairness, equity, climate change and more. His quiet humility endeared millions to his style and to a deeper belief in God. His death came at the end of the holiest period in the Christian calendar, with him making an appearance on resurrection Sunday reflects the Pope's dedication to duty and to the people. Pope Francis has influenced and touched the lives of millions in every corner of the world. On this deeply sad day I send condolences to the Catholic community, Christians, and all who mourn the death of Pope Francis. May his soul rest in peace.

Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holness has issued a stern warning to criminals and their facilitators as the government embarks on another large-scale project. During the groundbreaking and contract signing ceremony for the highly anticipated Raintree Commercial Complex on Wednesday (April 16) in Ferry Pen, St. Catherine, Prime Minister Holness declared that no form of criminal interference, extortion, or gang control will be tolerated at the development site or anywhere else in Jamaica. “If it takes the deployment of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) to secure the site and to run the site as if it were a military barracks, then that is what I will do to ensure that no criminal, no don, and no one who feels that they have control over any area can come here and say they are securing the site or extorting,” Prime Minister Holness declared. Dr. Holness emphasized that the government’s approach to national development cannot coexist with criminal intimidation. “If we allow that to take root at the beginning of the construction, then we would have given up the sovereign control of the state over the development. So for those criminals listening: Try it and see. Play the fool and find out!" the…

Prime Minister Holness Highlights Accelerated Water Infrastructure Development   Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holness says the Government of Jamaica has significantly accelerated the pace of water infrastructure development across the island through public and private investments. The Prime Minister was speaking on Thursday (April 10, 2025) at the commissioning of a new water tank and pipeline in Rhyne Park, St. James. “Water is a human necessity and delivering that necessity is the responsibility of the government, and [this] government takes it very seriously. Over the last five years, we have invested unprecedented sums in water infrastructure. As of this fiscal year, more than 150,000 Jamaicans now have improved water supply because of our deliberate and sustained interventions. This level of investment has not been seen since the 1980s,” said Prime Minister Holness. With $22 billion in public investment and $14.2 billion in private partnership funding, the government has prioritized building a modern, resilient water network. The Rhyne Park project, part of this broader push, is valued at $54.58 million and has directly improved supply to over 10,400 residents across 2,600 households in communities such as Barrett Town, Palmyra, Rosevale, and Mount Zion. Infrastructure upgrades include five new pumps, enhanced power…

“Jamaica is ready. There has never been a better time to invest in Jamaica. We are ready to deliver excellence in global services. We are ready to host your investments.” - Prime Minister Holness --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holness says the Government of Jamaica is ready for more investment and greater expansion of the global services industry as the nation accelerates its transition to a digital society. Over 52,000 Jamaicans are now employed in the Global Services Sector, with key industries including finance, healthcare, telecommunications, logistics, and retail. Speaking at the Outsource2Jamaica Conference 2025, Prime Minister Holness emphasized that Jamaica has moved beyond its traditional Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) roots, making significant strides into Knowledge Process Outsourcing (KPO), IT-enabled services (ITeS), fintech, cybersecurity, software engineering, and data analytics. Dr. Holness reiterated the Government’s commitment to taking deliberate steps to ensure the enabling environment continues to support growth in the global services sector. This includes support for infrastructure development and workspace buildout, strengthening the education-to-employment pipeline to align skills with industry needs and a commitment to cybersecurity, data protection, and ethical AI deployment. Prime Minister Holness declared that Jamaica is moving to the next level. “Jamaica is ready. There has…

(More than 300 young people targeted for paid training) The Government is strengthening its commitment to youth empowerment and workforce development with major expansions to the HEART/NSTA Trust. Making his contribution to the 2025/26 budget debate on March 20, Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holness highlighted that these initiatives will provide thousands of young Jamaicans with hands-on training, paid apprenticeships, and industry-recognized certifications to enhance their career prospects and drive economic growth. “HEART touches lives every day. Akon Pitt, a standout CSEC performer, leveraged the LIFT (Learning and Investment for Transformation) programme to gain employment at CARIMED and is now working at the Jamaica Cooperative Insurance Agency (JCIA). Meanwhile, Gary Smith, a 20-year-old Business Administration trainee under the CARE (Community Action for Rewarding Engagement) Programme, is on track to becoming a Certified Engineering Contractor and starting his own air conditioning repair business,” the Prime Minister declared, highlighting the real-life impact of the programme. “These are both young men that the Government has empowered through the HEART/NSTA Trust. There are hundreds of thousands of Akons and Garys that we have empowered through skills training since 2020 — 552,534 to be exact,” Dr. Prime Minister stated. Since the removal of training fees, Prime…