News from the OPM

(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…

The Office of the Prime Minister is pleased to announce the establishment of the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Authority, effective April 2, 2025. This new entity is a consolidation of the operations of eGov Jamaica Limited and the Office of the Chief Information Officer, to provide a single authoritative voice and framework to improve ICT service delivery across the public sector. Established by the ICT Authority Act (2019), the ICT Authority is a statutory body with a broadened mandate to include: developing and implementing a national ICT strategy that aligns with Jamaica's overall development goals. establishing and enforcing ICT policies, standards, and guidelines to ensure effective and efficient use of ICT resources across government. providing shared ICT services to government Ministries, Departments and Agencies, aimed at improving efficiency, reducing costs, and enhancing service delivery. driving digital transformation across the government and by extension the wider society, through initiatives such as e-government services, ICT consultancy and coordination. The establishment of the ICT Authority demonstrates the Government of Jamaica’s commitment to change the culture of ICT service delivery in the public sector as among other things it will streamline ICT spend, drive efficiency and innovation, reduce unnecessary bureaucracy and duplication and…

The government is making human capital development a key priority by investing in Jamaica’s greatest asset – its people. In his 2025/26 Budget Presentation on Thursday (March 20), Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holness outlined a series of initiatives designed to equip Jamaicans with the skills needed for a rapidly evolving job market, particularly in high-demand fields like technology, construction, and hospitality. “Jamaica’s greatest asset is our people. That is why this Government continues to invest in education, training, and job opportunities, ensuring that every Jamaican, regardless of background, has the chance to learn, earn, and thrive,” declared Prime Minister Holness. Among the key initiatives is the continued expansion of the LIFT (Learning and Investment for Transformation) and CARE (Community Action for Rewarding Engagement) programmes, which provide education, mentorship, and employment support for young people. Dr. Holness noted that the second cohort of LIFT is now underway, while over 1,250 unattached youth across all 63 constituencies are currently receiving training under CARE, with stipends and transportation support to remove financial barriers. Prime Minister Holness emphasized the impact of these programmes, noting that since the elimination of fees, over 150,000 individuals have enrolled in HEART/NSTA Trust training programmes. "These programmes transform lives.…

"This extension provides employers in the micro, small, and medium enterprise business sector and charitable organizations with a valuable window to regularize their accounts and benefit from the waiver of penalties, interests, and interests on arrears." - Prime Minister Holness   Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holness has announced that more time will be given to employers who owe National Housing Trust (NHT). The employer arrears amnesty programme will now run from April 1 to May 31, 2025. This extension provides valuable relief to employers in the micro, small, and medium enterprise (MSME) sector, as well as charitable organizations, by offering a window to regularize their NHT accounts and benefit from a waiver of penalties, interests, and arrears. Under the extension, qualifying employers will receive a 100% waiver on interest for arrears up to March 31, 2025. "This extension provides employers in the micro, small, and medium enterprise business sector and charitable organizations with a valuable window to regularize their accounts and benefit from the waiver of penalties, interests, and interests on arrears. Under the extension, qualifying employers are offered a 100% waiver on interest," Prime Minister Holness stated. This initiative is part of the government’s broader efforts to strengthen Jamaica’s…

"We are actively engaging with the United States Trade Representative and other relevant authorities to seek urgent clarification." - Prime Minister Holness --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holness, says government of Jamaica is actively engaging with the United States to seek clarification on the recently announced 10% baseline tariff on imports, set to take effect on April 5, 2025. The move by the United States could potentially significantly impact Jamaica’s trade with its largest trading partner as nearly 90% of Jamaica’s exports enter the U.S. market under preferential terms through the Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI). Speaking last night (April 4, 2025) at the opening ceremony of Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association (JMEA) Expo 2025, Prime Minister Holness emphasized that the government is actively working to safeguard Jamaica’s interests and mitigate any potential negative effects on the economy. “While the government of Jamaica has not yet received formal notification on the precise implementation procedures, including whether these new tariffs will override existing CBI provisions, we are actively engaging with the United States Trade Representative and other relevant authorities to seek urgent clarification. We are also conducting a detailed technical assessment, in collaboration with relevant ministries and agencies, to fully understand the…

The Government of Jamaica welcomes the Supreme Court’s decision to lift the injunction previously blocking the enforcement of the Counties and Parishes (Amendment) Act, 2025, commonly referred to as the Portmore Parish Law. The Attorney General of Jamaica, Dr Derrick Mckoy expressed satisfaction with the Supreme Court’s decision. The Attorney General stated that “we are very happy with the consent order. It sets out clearly what Minister McKenzie said the Government of Jamaica would be doing with the passage of the Parishes (Amendment) Act, 2025. Now that everyone is declared to be on the same page, we can look forward to achieving the objectives of the legislation.” Further updates will be provided as the Government continues to work diligently to fulfill all constitutional obligations related to establishing Portmore as Jamaica’s 15th parish.

“We are committed to working collaboratively to ensure that travel advisories reflect the current realities and promote safe travel.” – Prime Minister Holness ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holness says Jamaica has made significant progress in reviewing a travel advisory imposed on the island during bilateral talks with US Secretary of State, the Honourable Marco Rubio. During a joint media briefing today (March 26, 2025) at the Office of the Prime Minister, Prime Minister Holness noted that both he and Secretary Rubio discussed the significant progress made to reduce all major crimes. “Jamaica today is safer than at any time in the last two decades. In fact, crime against visitors represents less than 0.01% of the more than 3 million visitors to Jamaica annually. We are committed to working collaboratively to ensure that travel advisories reflect the current realities and promote safe travel,” said Prime Minister Holness. Dr. Holness said discussions were had on several critical areas of cooperation, including reaffirming commitment to enhancing cooperation in combating transnational crime, ensuring the collective safety of citizens and mutually secured borders. “The United States has been instrumental in supporting Jamaica’s efforts to bolster its marine domain awareness and intelligence surveillance capacities, which…

Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holness has announced a series of new and expanded benefits from the National Housing Trust (NHT) to benefit Jamaicans. The series of improved benefits will take effect in the coming months are aimed at making homeownership more affordable and accessible for Jamaicans. These enhancements, which include increased loan limits, reduced deposit requirements, and expanded grants, represent a significant investment in improving the lives of NHT contributors. Starting July 1, 2025, several key changes will take effect: - Increased Loan Limits: Individual loan limits will rise from $7.5 million to $9 million, while two co-applicants can now access $17 million and three co-applicants up to $23 million. - The loan ceiling for construction loans will also be increased to $11 million for individuals, $17 million for two co-applicants, and $23 million for three co-applicants. - Lower Deposit Requirements: For contributors earning less than $30,000 weekly, the deposit requirement for open market loans will be reduced from 5% to 2% for properties valued at $14 million or less, making it easier for more Jamaicans to own a home. - Reduced Service Charges: Those earning $30,000 or less per week will see their 2% service charge eliminated, while those earning between $30,000 and $42,000 per week will have their charge reduced from 5% to 2%. - Expanded…

“If we focus on eliminating gangs, we can reduce our murder rate to below the regional average of 15 per hundred thousand… Many have been dismantled or have gone dormant. They are laying low because they know they are being hunted relentlessly by the security forces.” -Prime Minister Holness ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holness says his administration remains committed to dismantling criminal enterprises, citing the government’s strategic investments in security as a driving force behind the decline in gangs and violent crime across Jamaica. Prime Minister Holness noted that the investments made by his administration in national security are yielding unprecedented results, with police intelligence now confirming that fewer than 100 gangs remain active in Jamaica, down from a peak of 350 in 2016. Prime Minister Holness said the sharp decline underscores the effectiveness of the Government’s deliberate crime-fighting strategies, which have disrupted and dismantled organized criminal networks across the island. In his contribution to the 2025/26 budget debate on Thursday (March 20), Prime Minister Holness credited the reduction in gang activity to the Government’s aggressive approach in equipping the security forces, enhancing intelligence capabilities, and enforcing targeted operations. “We recognized the emergency threat organized criminal enterprises and violence…