News from the OPM

Prime Minister Dr. the Most Honourable Andrew Holness has reiterated the Government of Jamaica’s support for safe entertainment and recreational activities in communities affected by Hurricane Melissa, noting that such activities play an important role in helping citizens cope during the recovery period, particularly throughout the Christmas season. Prime Minister Holness made the comments during an engagement in Black River, St. Elizabeth, where he received an update on security and recovery efforts from Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Minto of the St. Elizabeth Police Division. SSP Minto reported that residents and promoters have been enquiring about permits for entertainment activities and underscored the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s (JCF) commitment to facilitating these events once all safety and security requirements are met. “A number of the citizens have been locked away in the darkness, and queries are coming to me regarding permits. I want to make it clear to Jamaica, to St. Elizabeth and to the promoters that we are supporting entertainment activities. We want you to apply. We will help you go through the necessary process,” SSP Minto said. The SSP noted that several promoters have indicated the availability of alternate energy solutions, allowing events to proceed safely despite ongoing challenges. Furthermore, SSP Minto…

The Government of Jamaica welcomes the election of the Minister of Water, Environment and Climate Change, the Honourable Matthew Samuda, as the new President of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA). The announcement of his election was made on Friday (December 12) in Nairobi, Kenya, during the Seventh Session of the Assembly (UNEA-7). Minister Samuda, who is currently leading Jamaica’s delegation to UNEA-7, was endorsed by the Latin America and Caribbean region and will preside over the Eighth Session (UNEA-8). The Minister’s assumption of this leadership role positions Jamaica and the wider region at the forefront of global environmental governance at a time when coordinated action is urgently required. The UNEA, comprising all 193 Member States of the United Nations, is the world’s premier forum for setting the global environmental agenda. The presidency carries a strategic mandate to guide policy deliberations, build consensus among diverse Member States, and influence the direction of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) as it responds to escalating environmental challenges. In his acceptance remarks, Minister Samuda underscored the magnitude of the work ahead and the need for collaborative, practical solutions. “Environmental stewardship is no longer an isolated agenda item; it is the defining challenge of our century. The…

The Government of Jamaica, through the Energy Ministry, in partnership with the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF), will implement a national energy recertification programme to regularize and restore safe electrical access to homes impacted by Hurricane Melissa. The recertification programme will also provide renewable energy solutions for vulnerable groups. Minister of Energy, Transport and Telecommunications, Hon. Daryl Vaz made the announcement at Wednesday’s Post Cabinet Press Briefing. $1 billion under the National Energy Poverty Reduction Project will be reprioritized for this relief and recovery initiative. This programme will be implemented from December 2025 and March 31, 2026. “When families return to homes that have been repaired, they must be confident not only that the roof is back on and their walls are up, but that their electricity is safe, efficient and resilient. The Government’s recertification effort will ensure that every connection and every wire meet the standards required for a modern, climate-resilient Jamaica. We are using this moment of recovery to tackle energy poverty head-on. I want everyone to rest assured that we will maximize on every dollar to give you the most value.” — Hon. Daryl Vaz, Minister of Energy, Transport and Telecommunications The Government of Jamaica is committed to…

At the Post Cabinet Press Briefing, Wednesday, December 10, 2025, it was clarified that only structures that have been formally assessed by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security (MLSS) will be eligible to receive a Government of Jamaica grant for roof repairs or other reconstruction support. This measure is intended to ensure fairness, accountability, and the proper targeting of limited public resources to households most in need. Assessments are ongoing across affected parishes, and the Government is urging citizens to cooperate fully with assessment teams. Approximately 40,144 homes have been assessed up to December 9, 2025. This is nearly doubled the number of assessments conducted in the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl. Citizens are encouraged to self-report damage to their homes to the MLSS via the report mechanism on the Ministry of Labour’s website (https://mlss.gov.jm/hurricane-melissa-reporting-form/)  if they have not had an assessment. This information will help the Ministry to prioritise and plan especially in heavily impacted communities. The Ministry of Labour and Social Security is seeking additional volunteers to complete assessments within the next few weeks. Ministries, Departments and Agencies have been asked to identify assessors to speed up the assessment process. If any citizen is able to volunteer as an assessor, they…

Dr. the Honourable Andrew Wheatley, Minister without Portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for Science, Technology and Special Projects, has put forward a ten-year strategic proposal aimed at overhauling Jamaica’s Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) sector. Dr. Wheatley’s proposal, which formed part of his keynote message at the recently held Scientific Research Council (SRC) Conversations in Science Conference, seeks to ensure that science is central to the nation's ability to cope with ongoing shocks, which have resulted in billions of dollars in losses due to hydro-meteorological events. The Minister said the strategy is built around achieving the national target of increasing Gross Expenditure on Research and Development (GERD) to 1.5% of GDP by 2030. ​A Paradigm Shift ​Minister Wheatley underscored the necessity of moving beyond fragmented academic research to a model of cohesive, immediate and practical impact. ​“Our foundational belief is that science holds the cure to many of Jamaica’s problems,” said Minister Wheatley. ​The core of the strategy is the commitment to Research for Development (R4D-JA), which is a deliberate shift towards mission-driven, problem-solving science. ​“We are committing to Research for Development (R4D). This ensures every major project is directly deployed for the benefit of Jamaica’s resilience…

The Government of Jamaica has reiterated its commitment to mainstreaming climate resilience across all areas of national development, emphasizing that the country’s economic future depends on strengthening critical infrastructure, institutionalizing business continuity and fortifying the national balance sheet against increasingly severe climate shocks. Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Sygnus Lakes Pen Industrial and Logistics Park, Prime Minister Dr. the Most Honourable Andrew Holness underscored that Jamaica is confronting “a new reality”, one in which climate events are more intense, more frequent, and more economically disruptive. “We are living in a time when climate must be central to business and economic decisions and as a government of a climate-susceptible nation, we must factor this reality into our planning.” As a result, Dr. Holness said resilience-building is now a core pillar of the country’s political economy. “Every Jamaican must now become aware about the impact of climate change, and it must become part of our political economy, meaning the things that we vote for because it is important. Like all the other things we consider politically important, including wages, security, health, and education, it is just as important if not more.” Building Back Stronger and Smarter The Prime Minister highlighted…

The Government of Jamaica on Thursday (December 4) received a high-level delegation from the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, which was dispatched to the island to explore areas where Ethiopia may assist Jamaica's recovery and relief efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa. The Ethiopian delegation was led by State Minister His Excellency Ambassador Berhanu Tsegaye. The delegation was received at Jamaica House by State Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister Senator Abka Fitz-Henley. Minister Fitz-Henley commended Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed for seeking to assist Jamaica's recovery efforts following Hurricane Melissa. "It was good to receive and host Ethiopia's State Minister, His Excellency Ambassador Berhanu Tsegaye, in a meeting today where we discussed Hurricane Melissa relief and recovery efforts in Jamaica. Jamaica welcomes the decision by the Prime Minister of Ethiopia to send a delegation to Jamaica with a view to assisting our recovery from the impact of Melissa," Fitz-Henley said. Minister Fitz-Henley noted that both Jamaica and Ethiopia share a rich history, "which includes ancestry and cultural heritage and a strong partnership". The State Minister commented that he has no doubt the partnership between Jamaica and Ethiopia "will become even stronger in the weeks, months and…

The Government of Jamaica’s proven credibility and disciplined economic management have unlocked an unprecedented US$6.7 billion in international financing to drive national recovery and resilience following Hurricane Melissa. This support, coordinated by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank Group (WBG), Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF), and the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), reflects global confidence in Jamaica’s governance and strong institutional frameworks. Speaking in Parliament on Tuesday, Prime Minister Dr. the Most Honourable Andrew Holness outlined that Jamaica’s multi-layered disaster risk financing framework, built through strategic planning and prudent financial stewardship, ensured that the country had approximately US$662 million in liquidity that was available almost immediately following the hurricane. “This is the very definition of planning, preparedness, and responsible governance. Our multi-layered approach ensured that Jamaica did not wait helplessly for external support; we were prepared and ready to act, ready to deliver, and ready to protect our people,” he said. Despite the strength of Jamaica’s early-response capacity, the Prime Minister said that given the unprecedented scale of the disaster, additional international financing was essential for full reconstruction and resilience-building. The Prime Minister underscored that this level of global support was unlocked…

The Government of Jamaica has strengthened national recovery efforts following the passage of Hurricane Melissa with the deployment of twelve new Shacman water trucks to the National Water Commission (NWC). Prime Minister Dr. the Most Honourable Andrew Holness said the acquisition is valued at J$199 million and forms part of the Government’s accelerated response to restore essential services to communities that continue to face severe water disruptions. Speaking at the Official Handover Ceremony, Prime Minister Holness emphasized that the Government will continue to play its part in supporting Jamaicans as they recover and rebuild. “While the nation continues to rebuild homes, restore infrastructure, and re-establish livelihoods, we must also address the essentials of daily living. Few essentials are more fundamental than access to safe, clean water,” the Prime Minister said. Dr. Holness explained that Hurricane Melissa caused extensive damage to water infrastructure across the island, including downed power lines to major pumping stations, damaged pipelines, blocked intakes and widespread flooding. The Prime Minister said many communities, particularly in western Jamaica, endured extended periods without piped water and were relying entirely on trucked supply. “As the Government assessed the situation in the days immediately following the hurricane, it became clear that…