News from the OPM

Prime Minister Dr. the Most Honourable Andrew Holness has welcomed Jamaica’s latest crime statistics, confirming that the country recorded its lowest monthly murder figure for January 2026 since national crime data collection began in 2001, according to figures reported by the Jamaica Constabulary Force, continuing a sustained downward trend in violent crime. The Prime Minister noted that 33 murders were recorded in January 2026, representing a 55 per cent reduction when compared to January 2025, which recorded 74 murders. He said the sustained fall in homicides, particularly over the last three years, reflects years of planning and execution across his administrations since 2016, underpinned by the structured implementation of Plan Secure Jamaica, the Government’s whole-of-government national security framework. Introduced early in the Administration and tabled in Parliament in 2016, with further details outlined in the 2017/2018 Budget Presentation, the plan aligns enforcement, prevention, institutional reform, and social intervention to deliver a coordinated national response to crime. Prime Minister Dr. Holness noted that national security was prioritized as a national imperative, tackled head-on by his administration through sustained investments in Jamaica’s security architecture. These include investments in intelligence-led policing, strengthened inter-agency coordination, enhanced mobility and technological capability within the security forces,…

Prime Minister Dr. the Most Honourable Andrew Holness says the Government’s New Social Housing Programme (NSHP) is setting a new benchmark for how housing can be delivered in Jamaica, demonstrating that homes for vulnerable Jamaicans can be structurally sound, thoughtfully designed, and aesthetically pleasing, while contributing positively to the wider community. Speaking at the handover of newly constructed multi-family units along Brooks Level Road in Stony Hill on January 30, 2026, the Prime Minister explained that the programme is designed not only to provide housing for persons who cannot access mortgages or formal housing, but also to serve as a practical example of how residential development should take place. ​“Every one of these houses that we have built acts as a symbol, an example, of how we should seek to construct housing in communities across the island,” Dr. Holness ​said, noting ​that the Stony Hill development shows how quality design can ​improve both the physical environment and how residents feel about their ​surroundings. ​ “We don’t have to accept poor-quality housing; we can build homes that are ​pleasing,” the ​Prime Minister stated. “When you put up structures that are ​aesthetically pleasing, it lifts ​the area. It lifts how you feel. It…

Prime Minister Dr. the Most Honourable Andrew Holness says the Government’s New Social Housing Programme (NSHP) is transforming housing support for the most vulnerable families into long-term security, providing beneficiaries with solid, formal homes that can be passed from one generation to the next, helping to break cycles of intergenerational poverty. The Prime Minister was speaking on Friday, January 30, 2026, at the handing over of a newly constructed multi-family housing unit for three families along Brooks Level Road in Stony Hill, within the St. Andrew West Rural Constituency. The development now provides safe, resilient accommodation for 12 individuals, including households displaced by a fire in 2023. Speaking at the ceremony, Dr. Holness emphasized that the programme goes beyond meeting immediate shelter needs, positioning home ownership as a pathway to stability, dignity, and upward social mobility. “There will come a time in Jamaica where we improve the housing stock to have every house built solidly and properly, in a formal structure, so that you can have a title to your house, that it becomes an asset for your family, and that you can pass it down from generation to generation,” the Prime Minister said. He explained that this approach represents…

Prime Minister Dr. the Most Honourable Andrew Holness has outlined the Government’s ongoing investments in pediatric and adolescent healthcare, underscoring the Government’s deliberate national strategy to position Jamaica as a centre of excellence for children and adolescent health in the Western Hemisphere. Speaking during the opening of the Parent Overnight Suite at the Bustamante Hospital for Children on January 30, 2026, the Prime Minister highlighted the institution’s central role in Jamaica’s health system and its wider regional importance. He noted that the hospital is the only specialist pediatric hospital in the English-speaking Caribbean, providing care to children from birth to age 12 across a wide range of services, including cardiology, neurology, nephrology, oncology, surgery, and intensive care. Dr. Holness also pointed to the hospital’s capacity, including 279 beds, ICU and Cardiac ICU services, and an Accident and Emergency Department that treats approximately 70,000 patients annually, describing the facility as a national cornerstone for pediatric care. The Prime Minister explained that Jamaica’s pediatric health ecosystem will be strengthened with the future completion of the Western Child and Adolescent Hospital, which will be delivered as a modern, state-of-the-art facility to expand access to specialized services for children and adolescents, particularly in western…

The Government of Jamaica has begun the disbursement of financial assistance to Jamaicans whose homes were damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Melissa, marking a significant step in the country’s shelter recovery and national reconstruction efforts. Under the Restoration of Owner or Occupant Family Shelters (ROOFS) programme, payments for severe damage, valued at up to $500,000, have officially commenced. Fifty beneficiaries have already received assistance through the Ministry of Labour and Social Security’s digital voucher modality. In addition, 1,234 households, primarily senior citizens, have received their disbursements through direct deposit, ensuring timely and secure access to recovery funds. A further 20 Jamaicans are scheduled to receive prepaid cards with their disbursements today. With all payment modalities now activated, the Government is fully prepared to roll out assistance across all damage categories. These include support for minor damage of $75,000, major damage of $200,000, and severe damage of up to $500,000, allowing affected families to begin repairs and rebuilding without delay. Earlier this month, at the national launch of the Shelter Recovery Programme, the Prime Minister reaffirmed the Government’s commitment that every Jamaican who lost a home due to Hurricane Melissa would receive support to rebuild. He emphasized that every family in…

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…