News from the OPM

Prime Minister Dr. the Most Honourable Andrew Holness officially opened the new Parent Overnight Suite at the Bustamante Hospital for Children, expanding family-centered care by providing modern accommodation for parents whose children require extended hospitalization. In his address, the Prime Minister underscored Bustamante’s role as the only specialist pediatric hospital in the English-speaking Caribbean, delivering services from general medicine to cardiology, neurology, nephrology, oncology, surgery, and intensive care. He noted that the Accident and Emergency Department treats approximately 70,000 patients each year, describing the institution as “a national cornerstone, a lifeline for families in their most vulnerable moment.” Importantly, Dr. Holness emphasized that parental presence is essential to recovery, stating: “Parents are not visitors in a child’s recovery. They are partners in it.” He explained that “the previous overnight facility was limited, aging, and deteriorating, offering shelter but not sanctuary,” and it no longer met demand as the hospital expanded in scale and medical capability. On the intended impact of the new suite, the Prime Minister said: “When parents are rested, they are better able to care for their child. When parents are nearby, the child feels safer. And when families are supported, healing is accelerated.” The new Parent Overnight…

Prime Minister Dr the Most Honourable Andrew Holness says Latin America and the Caribbean have an important opportunity to pursue purposeful transformation as the region navigates an evolving global system. The Prime Minister shared these perspectives while engaging with regional leaders, investors, and policymakers examining the economic future of the hemisphere. Addressing the International Economic Forum Latin America and Caribbean 2026 in Panama on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, Prime Minister Holness reflected on the importance of collective intention and shared direction, noting, “The next decade will not belong to those who wait for opportunity to arrive. It will belong to those who create it. And the nations of Latin America and the Caribbean, standing together, can shape a future worthy of our people and equal to our potential.” Prime Minister Holness encouraged thoughtful collaboration among regional governments, institutions, and partners, highlighting the benefits of moving beyond fragmented national approaches toward a more coherent regional vision anchored in resilience, competitiveness, and shared opportunity. The Prime Minister emphasized that aligned policy positions can help reflect the region’s growing relevance within the global economy. The Prime Minister stated: “We must articulate clearer regional positions on climate resilience, supply chain diversification, digital inclusion, and…

Prime Minister Dr. the Most Honourable Andrew Holness says Jamaica’s ability to withstand and rebound from Hurricane Melissa is the result of deliberate policy choices, disciplined fiscal management and years of intentional planning, not chance. Speaking on January 20, 2026 at the 21st Regional Investments and Capital Markets Conference at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, Prime Minister Holness outlined how Jamaica’s carefully constructed resilience architecture allowed the country to respond swiftly to the hurricane while maintaining economic stability and market confidence. “Jamaica's economic resilience is well reinforced by design, not by accident, by design. Deliberate, intentional, instrumental. When you compare what has happened in the past to what has happened now, the management of Jamaica's fiscal affairs today is far superior to anything that we have experienced before,” said Prime Minister Holness. The Prime Minister explained that long before Hurricane Melissa made landfall, the Government had already established a multi layered disaster risk financing framework, built through years of strategic planning, fiscal discipline and proactive investment in national resilience. That framework enabled immediate access to liquidity without destabilizing the economy or delaying response efforts. “Long before October 28, 2025, we had already put in place a multi-layered disaster risk financing framework.…

Prime Minister Dr. the Most Honourable Andrew Holness has charged the newly graduated police men and women to wear the uniform of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) with pride, integrity, and deep respect, while firmly rejecting corruption and conduct that undermines public trust. Speaking yesterday at the Passing-Out Parade and Awards Ceremony for Trainee Constables of Batches 161 and 162, Prime Minister Holness underscored that while the uniform carries legal authority, true authority is earned through values, discipline, and honourable conduct. “The uniform you wear represents authority. But it is not the uniform, the gun, or the technology that gives you authority. It is the values that you embody and represent,” the Prime Minister said. The Prime Minister cautioned officers against seeking respect through fear or popularity, emphasizing that Jamaicans will judge the police not by symbols of power, but by how officers treat people in their daily interactions. He pointed out that every officer, regardless of rank or assignment, carries a responsibility to family, community, and country to serve as an example. Importantly, Dr. Holness also urged the graduates to reject corruption and improper conduct within the Force and said that they should aspire to the highest standards even…

“The JCF embraces wholeheartedly the use of body-worn cameras. The leadership of the JCF has been very proactive in securing the best technological platform and ecosystem to support the full deployment of body-worn cameras.” - Prime Minister Holness Prime Minister Dr. the Most Honourable Andrew Holness has reaffirmed the Government of Jamaica’s unequivocal support for the full deployment of body-worn cameras (BWCs) across the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), as the government continues to strengthen transparency, accountability, and public trust in policing. Speaking on Wednesday (January 21, 2026) at the Passing-Out Parade and Awards Ceremony for Trainee Constables of Batches 161 and 162 at the National Police College of Jamaica, Prime Minister Holness made it clear that the JCF “embraces wholeheartedly the use of body-worn cameras” and that the Government is committed to equipping the Force with the resources required to support modern, rights-respecting policing. Dr. Holness highlighted that approximately one thousand body-worn cameras have already been secured, with additional units currently in procurement. He confirmed that the Government will provide the necessary budgetary support to ensure that all formations requiring BWCs are adequately equipped. “This announcement is intended to put to rest public concerns that have been expressed in various…

Prime Minister Dr. the Most Honourable Andrew Holness says the Government is moving decisively into the execution phase of its national recovery and resilience strategy, with the operationalisation of the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA). The Prime Minister provided the update last on January 20, 2026, while addressing the 21st Regional Investments and Capital Markets Conference at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel. He outlined the concrete steps now underway to activate NaRRA as the central coordinating mechanism for post disaster reconstruction and resilience building. The Prime Minister said, “We are establishing the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority, an institution mandated to coordinate post-disaster reconstruction and long-term resilience building. This will be a centre of excellence, a single point of coordination, a platform for public-private partnerships, and we will be reaching out to the private sector in a deliberate way to see how we can partner to get projects, financed and executed.” Prime Minister Holness explained that NaRRA has been temporarily housed within the Cabinet Office, with Cabinet scheduled to finalize its governance framework, organizational structure, initial project portfolio and legislative agenda. He said an executive officer is currently being recruited to lead the authority, signalling the transition from concept to…

Prime Minister, Dr. the Most Honourable Andrew Holness says Jamaica has reached a historic turning point in public safety, recording a 50 percent reduction in murders compared to the same period last year, a transformation that is strengthening economic confidence, lowering business costs and improving Jamaica’s global brand as a peaceful and attractive investment destination. The Prime Minister made this observation while addressing the 21st Regional Investments and Capital Markets Conference at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, emphasizing that no serious discussion on growth, investment or productivity can occur without confronting violence as a national economic risk. Dr. Holness stated, “No discussion on economic confidence and investment would be complete without addressing public safety. In 2025, Jamaica recorded a 42 percent reduction in homicides compared to 2024. This is not a fluke. In 2023, we had an eight percent reduction. In 2024, we had a 19 percent reduction. As of today, we are 50 percent below last year this time.” Prime Minister Holness explained that the results are the outcome of deliberate, measured and sustained action under Plan Secure Jamaica, which has been supported by a ninety-billion-dollar investment in national security and institutional capacity. The Prime Minister stressed that violence carries a…

Prime Minister Dr. the Most Honourable Andrew Holness says the Government of Jamaica will pursue deliberate and far-reaching financial sector and capital market reforms to support economic resurgence, resilience and long-term national development as the country recovers from the impacts of Hurricane Melissa. Speaking on January 20, 2026, at the Jamaica Stock Exchange’s 21st Regional Investments and Capital Markets Conference at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, the Prime Minister says this approach will be marked by lower public debt, strong external reserves and increasingly sophisticated domestic capital markets. Prime Minister Holness emphasized that Jamaica’s improved macroeconomic fundamentals require a modern regulatory approach that protects stability while enabling growth. “Today, Jamaica operates in a vastly different macroeconomic environment with significantly lower public debt, robust external reserves, credible and durable fiscal anchors, and deeper, more sophisticated domestic capital markets. The risks we face today are different. The instruments available to us are more complex, and the opportunities before us are far greater,” said Prime Minister Holness. The Prime Minister underscored that regulatory reform will be purposeful and responsible, aimed at aligning oversight with evolving risk profiles and innovation, while positioning capital markets to play a more dynamic role in national development. Dr. Holness…

Prime Minister Dr. the Most Honourable Andrew Holness has assured Jamaicans that all relief supplies received in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa are being managed under the highest standards of accountability, transparency, and probity. Prime Minister Holness was speaking at the handover ceremony of housing supplies by New Era Housing Development, held at the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) base in Luana, St. Elizabeth, on January 16, 2026. Addressing misinformation circulating in the public domain about the handling of relief donations, the Prime Minister emphasized that the management of relief supplies adheres to the highest governance standards. “These supplies are managed to the highest level of probity, accountability, and standards. Claims to the contrary are simply not consistent with how the system operates," he said. The Prime Minister explained that the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) is the sole government entity responsible for receiving all relief donations on behalf of the Government of Jamaica. “ODPEM is the entity of government that receives all material and cash donations. There are established accountability mechanisms in place to ensure that everything donated is properly managed,” the Prime Minister said. Dr. Holness further explained that while ODPEM oversees the donation process, the…