News from the OPM

Prime Minister Dr. the Most Honourable Andrew Holness says accelerating the pace of housing delivery is critical to addressing rising housing costs, as Jamaica continues to address a significant housing deficit. Prime Minister Holness was speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Galina Housing Development in St. Mary, where he highlighted the scale of the country’s housing need and the implications for affordability. Dr. Holness noted that Jamaica’s housing requirement is estimated at approximately 150,000 units, representing thousands of households in need of structured, planned housing solutions. While housing units are being added to the market on an ongoing basis, he indicated that the current rate of delivery remains insufficient to meet demand. Prime Minister Holness explained that this imbalance between supply and demand continues to drive increases in housing prices, pointing out that in a deficit environment, costs will rise and often outpace inflation. The Prime Minister warned that if the housing gap is not addressed in a sustained and meaningful way, prices will continue to move beyond the reach of many Jamaicans. Against this background, the Prime Minister continues to urge a significant expansion in housing output, with a focus on building more units at a faster pace…

Prime Minister Dr. the Most Honourable Andrew Holness says addressing Jamaica’s housing challenges is critical to reducing the growth of informal settlements and safeguarding the country’s long-term development. The Prime Minister was speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Galina Housing Development in St. Mary, where he highlighted the risks associated with the expansion of unplanned communities. He notes that the culture of informality in housing poses significant challenges for national development. He warns that this approach limits the future of the country, as many individuals are constructing homes in areas that are unsafe or unsuitable for residential use. Prime Minister Holness explains that these settlements are often established in locations that are not properly serviced, making it costly and complex for the Government to later provide essential infrastructure such as roads, water supply, and waste management systems. He further indicates that in some instances, these developments encroach on lands designated for critical public use, including school zones. The Prime Minister emphasizes that expanding access to structured, planned housing solutions is therefore essential to guiding orderly development and reducing the risks associated with informal settlement. He notes that delivering housing at the scale required remains a significant undertaking, pointing out…

Prime Minister Dr. the Most Honourable Andrew Holness on Friday broke ground for a $1.99 billion National Housing Trust (NHT) housing development in Dirlton, St. Mary, which will deliver 360 housing solutions across 72 acres, advancing the Government’s national housing agenda and expanding access to affordable home ownership. The development, located near Galina, Port Maria, and Oracabessa, is designed to bring formal housing within reach of Jamaican families while strengthening economic activity and community stability across the parish. Prime Minister Holness emphasized that the project forms part of a deliberate and coordinated national strategy to address Jamaica’s housing deficit, expand access to land ownership, and ensure that economic growth is inclusive. Central to achieving this objective is the NHT’s Developers Programme, under which a minimum of 60 percent of affordable housing solutions are reserved for the lowest-income contributors to the NHT. “This ensures the benefits of development are not captured by a few but distributed broadly across the society,” Dr. Holness said. The Prime Minister highlighted that the Galina housing solutions are designed with both quality and affordability at the forefront. The units will feature modern fixtures, durable construction, and essential infrastructure, including paved roads, drainage systems, potable water, sewage…

  “I want to be clear that when it comes to development, development has no colour. Every Jamaican has an equal claim to the country's tax revenues.” - Prime Minister Andrew Holness Prime Minister Dr. the Most Honourable Andrew Holness has reinforced the Government’s commitment to fair, inclusive, and people-centred development, ensuring that every Jamaican benefits equally from national progress as transformation continues in communities across the island. The Prime Minister has made it clear that development under his Administration is guided by equity and national unity, not political affiliation. Speaking today (April 24, 2026) at the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony in the Hills of Spicy Grove, St. Mary, the Prime Minister emphasized that taxpayer resources belong to all Jamaicans and must be used to improve lives across every community. “I want to be clear that when it comes to development, development has no colour. Every Jamaican has an equal claim to the country's tax revenues. We are making improvements, we are making steps, community by community, we are improving. And every Jamaican can feel confident that it does not matter what their political persuasion is. Taxpayer money equal to Labourite and PNP,” said Dr. Holness. The Prime Minister highlighted Spicy Grove…

Prime Minister Dr. the Most Honourable Andrew Holness is encouraging the newly elected executive of Generation 2000 (G2K) to contribute meaningfully to national discourse by bringing fresh, forward-looking perspectives to the issues shaping Jamaica’s future. The call was made by Dr. Holness during a meeting with the new executive on April 22, 2026, where he reflected on the origins and evolution of the organisation as a platform for engaging young professionals in national development. The Prime Minister underscored the importance of preserving the organisation’s founding purpose, even as it continues to evolve over time. “G2K was conceived as a movement of young people who wanted to contribute to Jamaica’s development through new ideas and perspectives,” Dr. Holness said. “It is important to pay attention to organization, but not at the expense of the mandate to contribute meaningfully to national development.” Dr. Holness noted that G2K has, over the years, played an important role in leadership development and in broadening participation in national discussions. He encouraged the new executive to build on that foundation by remaining responsive to emerging issues and continuing to engage young professionals across the country. “Each generation must bring its own perspective to the challenges of its…

Prime Minister Dr. the Most Honourable Andrew Holness has indicated that Jamaica’s next generation is being positioned to inherit a more resilient economy and a more peaceful society, citing sustained progress in economic management and national security since 2016 as among the country’s most significant gains. Prime Minister Holness made the remarks during a meeting with the new executive of Generation 2000 on April 22, 2026. Dr. Holness noted that the focus on fiscal discipline, economic reform, and prudent management, central to the mission set at the start of his administration in 2016, has contributed to a more stable and resilient economic environment, reducing vulnerabilities and enhancing Jamaica’s ability to withstand external shocks. “We are creating a Jamaica where the next generation will not have to contend with many of the challenges that defined previous periods, including high levels of debt and economic instability, as a result of this administration’s policies, which have ensured stronger fiscal discipline, a more predictable tax environment, increased investor confidence, and the establishment of buffers to withstand external shocks,” the Prime Minister said. Prime Minister Holness added that sustained investments in national security, alongside institutional strengthening and strategic interventions, have contributed to improved public safety and…

Prime Minister Dr. the Most Honourable Andrew Holness has issued a strong national call for a behavioural shift in how Jamaicans dispose of waste, warning that current practices pose a serious threat to the country’s environment, public health, and overall quality of life. Prime Minister Holness made the call while addressing residents in his West Central St. Andrew constituency on Sunday, April 19, 2026. Dr. Holness pointed to the widespread presence of litter across the island, noting that improper waste disposal has become a visible and growing concern. "There's scarcely a road that you can drive on in Jamaica that you don’t see littered along the way, and that speaks to a deeper issue in how we treat our environment,” he said. Emphasising that the challenge extends beyond infrastructure, the Prime Minister underscored the role of individual responsibility and national values. He questioned whether the country has become desensitised to suboptimal sanitation and environmental conditions, asking, "Have we become desensitized? Are we comfortable living in it as it is? Or have we simply accepted this as the norm in how we treat our surroundings?” The Prime Minister made it clear that such conditions are inconsistent with Jamaica’s identity and standards.…

“NaRRA is not a political entity. NaRRA is not there to be a long-term institution. NaRRA is an implementation machine. Its job is to take policy and convert it into outcomes. It's not there to win friends. It's not there to distribute political spoils.” -Prime Minister Holness Prime Minister Dr. the Most Honourable Andrew Holness has underscored that the proposed National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA) will serve as a decisive, time-bound mechanism to accelerate Jamaica’s post-disaster rebuilding, converting policy into tangible outcomes for citizens in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa. Addressing members of the Jamaican Diaspora at a Conference in New York last week, Prime Minister Holness provided an update on the country’s recovery, noting that Jamaica has successfully transitioned from relief and recovery into the critical reconstruction phase following what he described as “the most powerful to have hit Jamaica in recorded history.” Despite the scale of destruction, the Prime Minister reported that essential services have been largely restored, with electricity, water, schools and hospitals now operational. He emphasized that this progress reflects both the resilience of the Jamaican people and the strength of the country’s disaster preparedness and fiscal management frameworks. “The country is functioning. We’re back…

Prime Minister Positions NaRRA as Central Mechanism for Recovery, Delivery and Economic Resurgence   Prime Minister Dr. the Most Honourable Andrew Holness today tabled an updated version of the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA) Bill in Parliament, describing the legislation as one of the most consequential pieces of legislation Parliament has been asked to consider in the modern era of Jamaica’s development. He positioned the post-Melissa moment as a rare, time-limited opportunity to convert national vision into national delivery. “We are not restoring a pre-Melissa Jamaica. We are building a post-Melissa Jamaica that the generations before us dreamed of and the generations after us will inherit.” The Prime Minister noted that the IMF, World Bank Group, Inter-American Development Bank, CAF, and the Caribbean Development Bank have jointly committed a coordinated financing package of up to US$6.7 billion, the single largest development financing package ever assembled for Jamaica, and that the institutions have commended the Government’s decision to establish NaRRA, noting that few countries act so quickly to set up a modern, best-practice central coordinating body. However, Prime Minister Holness was direct about the financing gap. With assessed damage from Hurricane Melissa at US$12.2 billion, the US$6.7 billion multilateral package…