Prime Minister Holness: Ending Absolute Poverty Is the Government’s Mission
Prime Minister Dr the Most Honourable Andrew Holness says the Government remains resolute in its mission to eradicate absolute poverty in Jamaica, describing it as a deliberate and strategic commitment to ensure no Jamaican is left behind.
Addressing the East Central St James Scholarship Awards Function, the Prime Minister emphasized that the Government’s economic philosophy is not built on maintaining poverty but on empowering Jamaicans to rise above it.
“Before 2016, all that was preached to the Jamaican people was about poverty, we love the poor, but essentially, the policies were just to keep people poor,” said Prime Minister Holness, “We changed that, not to neglect the poor, but to make a commitment that we can end absolute poverty in Jamaica.”
Dr Holness noted that the Government has made a decisive shift toward building a nation that uplifts people and fosters long term economic and social transformation.
“We see Jamaica as a country of great potential, a country that can and will,” he said, “That is why we cast our eyes up and remain positive, whatever the challenges we face.”
The Prime Minister emphasized that prosperity is not a final destination, but a continuous journey built on steady gains and hard work.
“Prosperity is not a destination, prosperity is a journey,” he stated, “It is the persistent and consistent accumulation of wins and gains by hard work and effort over and over again.”
He added that these efforts may not always yield immediate or visible results, but over time they lead to real, measurable improvements in the lives of citizens.
“Lifting people out of poverty one by one, ten by ten, thousands by thousands, this is how we create transformation,” the Prime Minister asserted.
Dr Holness reiterated that the Government’s mission is to build a Jamaica where every citizen has access to the necessities of life, the opportunity to improve their circumstances, and the ability to dream beyond their limitations.