News from the OPM

“This administration is doing what is necessary. For three years you have seen a reduction. We got seven per cent, then 19 per cent, and currently, we are at about 37 per cent year to date. So, let's continue on this path.” - Prime Minister Holness Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holness says he will never allow the security forces to abuse the human rights of Jamaican citizens. Prime Minister Holness was delivering the keynote address yesterday (April 29) at the 70th anniversary of Jamaica Packaging Industries. Making the connection between crime and the economy, Dr. Holness said crime was not only a threat to public safety, life and property, but it also added significantly to the cost of living and the cost of doing business. The Prime Minister stated: “The issue of security is not just one of safety, the issue of security or rather insecurity adds a cost to the cost of living. In other words, the cost of living that you experience as a citizen, a part of that is the cost of security. So, every plant, every business operator has to add in their budget a line item which is quite significant for security.” Dr. Holness said…

Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holness has outlined the distinct and complementary roles of the Housing Agency of Jamaica (HAJ) and the National Housing Trust (NHT) as his administration aggressively tackles the country's long-standing housing shortage to transform the sector. Speaking on Friday (April 25, 2025) ahead of a tour of the HAJ’s Edmund Ridge Project in St. James, the Prime Minister emphasized that strategic planning, investment, and delivery have set this administration apart. "We have to display what we are doing for the people of Jamaica who don't know, and some who choose not to know; we have to put it in their face, to let them know that this administration is [making] the difference in housing. This administration has the plan for housing, but more than that, this administration can consistently deliver housing for you," said Prime Minister Holness. The Prime Minister outlined that the NHT is tasked with delivering 43,000 housing solutions, while the HAJ focuses on 14,000. Dr. Holness disclosed that 19,575 NHT housing solutions are set to begin construction within two years, with 11,322 already in the contract stage, including major developments like Mount Nelson in Manchester, Longsville Park Penn in Clarendon, and Barrett Hall in…

Prime Minister Dr. The Most Honourable Andrew Holness has extended hearty congratulations to the incumbent Prime Minister of Canada, The Right Honourable Mark Carney, and the Liberal Party of Canada (LPC) on victory in the general election yesterday April 28, 2025. In a congratulatory letter to Prime Minister Carney, Dr. Holness said: "Your victory is a testament to the confidence reposed in you by the people of Canada to lead the country as the international community grapples with multifaceted challenges arising from geopolitical tensions, disruption in supply chains, market shocks, food and human insecurity, and climate change. I am confident that under your leadership, we will be able to forge a path towards unity and consensus on the issues that unite us as a family of nations." Prime Minister Holness noted that Jamaica anticipates a continued close bilateral relationship with Canada. Dr. Holness indicated to Prime Minister Carney: "Please be assured of Jamaica’s steadfast commitment to deepening its relations with Canada, with whom we have had a very solid partnership for more than six (6) decades. We are keen to ensure that the collaborative path that we have forged over the years will not only be sustained but enhanced as together…

Prime Minister of Jamaica, Dr. the Most Honourable Andrew Holness, has extended heartfelt congratulations to the Honourable Kamla Persad-Bissessar, SC, MP, Prime Minister-designate of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, following victory in the general elections held yesterday, April 28, 2025. In a congratulatory letter to the Prime Minister-designate, Dr. Holness said: “On behalf of the Government and people of Jamaica, I am pleased to extend heartfelt congratulations to the Prime Minister-designate on her victory in the general elections in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. Her success at the polls is an indication of the confidence of the people of Trinidad and Tobago in her leadership.” Prime Minister Holness highlighted the strong and enduring friendship between Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, emphasizing the shared history, culture, and collaboration across regional and international organizations such as CARICOM, the Association of Caribbean States (ACS), and the Organization of American States (OAS). Dr. Holness noted that the mandate of the new administration of Trinidad and Tobago presents an important opportunity for strengthened cooperation: “Prime Minister-designate Persad-Bissasser‘s electoral triumph heralds a renewed opportunity to deepen and broaden our collaboration in areas of mutual interest, including, but not limited to, trade and investment, regional security, energy and climate…

"We are much better off today in the provision of housing than we were ten years ago." - Prime Minister Holness Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holness has dismissed promises from the Opposition on housing as unrealistic. Prime Minister Holness is cautioning Jamaicans against being misled by Opposition promises made purely for political gain. Speaking on Friday (April 25) at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Brookside Estate Housing Development in St. James, Dr. Holness warned citizens to be vigilant, especially during the "promising season", when politicians exploit public frustrations for votes. “There are some politicians who are going to come to you, knowing your frustration, knowing your disgruntlement, knowing your anger, and try to feed upon that frustration, feed upon that anger, and make promises that may sound good to you now, but cannot be fulfilled,” Prime Minister Holness said. Dr. Holness emphasized that while homeownership remains a top priority for his administration, it must be approached responsibly through programmes that are sustainable and achievable, rather than through empty pledges designed to win votes. In that regard, Prime Minister Holness underscored that the real solution to housing affordability lies not in offering temporary subsidies to a few but in expanding the…

"We are very pleased today to bring this housing development as a microcosm of all the other housing developments that we are doing across Jamaica and to show you the difference between what we do for housing and what the previous administration did under their flagship programme called Operation Pride." - Prime Minister Holness   Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holness has highlighted the significant strides made by his administration in delivering high-quality, complete, and sustainable housing solutions across Jamaica. Speaking last Friday (April 25, 2025), during a ceremony and tour of the Edmund Ridge development done by the Housing Agency of Jamaica (HAJ) in Rhyne Park, St. James, Prime Minister Holness firmly asserted that the work being done today far exceeds the failed Operation Pride programme of the previous administration. Prime Minister Holness stated: "We are very pleased today to bring this housing development as a microcosm of all the other housing developments that we are doing across Jamaica and to show you the difference between what we do for housing and what the previous administration did under their flagship programme called Operation Pride, which was really nothing but bring headache and quite a bit of shame to persons who occupied…

“Housing is about the dignity of people, the pride of people, the convenience of the people, and the comfort of the people. At the end of the day, it must be an asset for the people.” - Prime Minister Holness   Prime Minister Dr. The Most Honourable Andrew Holness has asserted that the Government will further boost support to the housing sector to increase the supply of houses and meet the demands of Jamaicans. Prime Minister Holness said the supply of houses must be increased to deal with the demand. Speaking on Friday (April 25) at the groundbreaking ceremony for the National Housing Trust (NHT) Brookside Estate Housing Development in St. James, Prime Minister Holness stated that the government is intensifying efforts to deliver more housing solutions across all income levels. “Shelter is a human right. Every human being is entitled to shelter. The government must provide not [just] shelter, but the government must provide the support mechanisms that make shelter accessible and affordable,” the Prime Minister declared. The Brookside Estate project, which will deliver 418 housing units under the NHT’s Guaranteed Purchase Programme, forms part of a broader strategy to accelerate the pace of housing developments across the island.…

The Honourable Matthew Samuda, Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation (MEGJC), led a high-level multiagency delegation to the Greater Portmore Ponds in St. Catherine on Saturday, April 26, 2025. The visit follows the recent and concerning discovery of ten (10) deceased crocodiles at the site, an incident that has sparked public outcry and highlighted the need for strengthened environmental monitoring. The affected facility comprises 09 ponds, of which 03 were taken out of service by the NWC due to an embankment defect. Based on the ongoing investigation, the NWC is currently working on effecting the necessary repairs to bring the ponds back into operation. The primary objective of the visit was to identify the root causes of the death of the crocodiles and identify measures for implementation to prevent recurrence. These include increased monitoring by the NEPA and installation of additional structures to allow crocodiles to move between ponds when there is a significant reduction in the water levels. During the tour, Minister Samuda announced plans to reconstruct critical infrastructure to enable the animals to move freely between the ponds. He also emphasized the introduction of new monitoring systems, in collaboration with the NEPA…

Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holness has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to increasing national productivity and maintaining strong fiscal discipline as key strategies for ensuring Jamaica’s long-term competitiveness in the global economy. Speaking on Wednesday (April 23, 2025) at the Parnassus Irrigation Project opening ceremony, Prime Minister Holness said economic independence remains a fundamental principle of his administration. Dr. Holness noted that Jamaica, while no longer categorized as highly a indebted country, still faces vulnerabilities from global economic shocks. However, the Prime Minister highlighted that unlike in previous decades, Jamaica is now better positioned to withstand these disruptions due to sound fiscal management. “We have remained committed to driving down the debt so that when the global shocks occur, which they will, Jamaica will be able to withstand those global shocks. And the impacts on you and your life will be minimized. So, Jamaica is totally different today than it was 40, 50, 30, even 20 years ago,” he stated. This commitment making the economy resilient and reducing debt has not wavered. The administration has focused on long-term stability by implementing policies that foster resilience without compromising financial sustainability. Alongside debt management, the Prime Minister emphasized the importance of building infrastructure…