Post Cabinet Press Briefing Report- January 28, 2026
At the Post Cabinet Press Briefing on January 28, 2026, Minister Morris-Dixon discusses the postponement of tertiary graduations typically held in November due to Hurricane Melissa, mentioning graduations at UWI, UTECH, and CMU. She congratulated the graduates and highlight the ministry’s significant financial support for tertiary students. The graduation season is portrayed as a nationwide celebration recognizing the sacrifices families make to support education, and it emphasizes the graduates’ future roles in national development.
St. Elizabeth Infirmary Repair Funding
The discussion focuses on the repair efforts for infrastructure damaged by Hurricane Melissa, specifically the St. Elizabeth Infirmary. A significant allocation of $270 million has been made for its repair, addressing substantial damage. Minister McKenzie is coordinating with multiple agencies, including the municipal corporation, NSWMA, SDC, and the Poor Relief Department, to manage these efforts. Overall, the total repair cost for all damaged infirmaries is estimated at $1.2 billion, highlighting the scale and importance of the recovery work.
Cabinet Discussions on Shelter Recovery Program
Minister Morris-Dixon discusses recent Cabinet meetings originally scheduled for January 19th and 26th, focusing on the shelter recovery program launched by the Prime Minister. Payments to those affected are expected by the last week of January, with confirmation that the first payments are on track for this week. The Ministry of Labour is commended for delivering on promises. The Cabinet also reviewed ongoing repair efforts for damaged homes, involving external support teams from Ghana, Guyana, and other foreign governments. Additionally, a youth-focused bridge program under HEART is training unemployed young people from the most affected areas in construction skills, who will then collaborate with JDF soldiers and visiting engineering teams to assist with recovery work.
Youth Training and Modular Homes Update
The program focuses on providing young people with valuable skills training and international exposure through practical involvement in rebuilding homes. This initiative not only restores housing but also offers youth the opportunity to learn trades that can positively impact their futures. Additionally, modular homes have been ordered and are expected to arrive by the end of February, including units from the National Housing Trust and the housing ministry. Cabinet has also approved several boards related to these efforts.
Cabinet Approvals of Boards and Appointment Process
Several boards have been approved recently, including the AI Task Force chaired by Christopher Reckord and various others such as the procurement review board, Petrojam, Jamaica Railway Corporation, and multiple regulatory authorities. The process for board approval at Cabinet is thorough and based on competency profiles tailored to each organization’s needs, such as engineering, marketing, or finance. Additionally, ministers must select individuals listed in the Ministry of Finance database, and the Cabinet Office reviews these selections to ensure compliance with relevant legislation.
One Road Authority Purpose and Discussions
The speaker explains the rigorous process involved in appointing board members, highlighting that the Cabinet Office often requires additional appointments under specific acts. The Cabinet actively discusses public concerns such as the poor condition of roads in Jamaica, focusing on establishing a One Road Authority to manage road maintenance and accountability. Minister Morgan is mentioned as leading efforts to address these issues. Additionally, recent Cabinet meetings, including a special session on January 21, addressed the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NAR), which is currently a department within the Cabinet Office but will be established as a statutory body through upcoming legislation.
National STEAM Education Week and British Council Role
The segment highlights the government’s focus on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) education, emphasizing its integration across all subjects from an early age. It mentions recent Cabinet approval of amendments related to STEAM policy and celebrates National STEAM Education Week. Minister Wheatley is recognized for his efforts in promoting STEAM, particularly through initiatives like providing STEAM toys to children, which support productive play and future readiness, especially in rural and affected areas. The segment concludes with Minister Wheatley praising the Ministry of Education’s forward-thinking approach in preparing youth for a changing world.
Cyber Crimes Amendment Act 2026 Overview
Minister Wheatley introduces the Cyber Crimes Amendment Act 2026, aimed at updating Jamaica’s cybercrime laws to address the realities of a digitally dependent society. The bill responds to the evolving threat landscape, including online banking fraud, identity theft, impersonation, harassment, and the nonconsensual sharing of intimate images, often propagated through social media and messaging apps. It also tackles emerging risks from artificial intelligence, such as deepfakes and synthetic media used to deceive, extort, and damage reputations. The goal is to protect citizens from these modern cyber threats.
Key provisions in the Cyber Crimes Amendment Act
The crimes bill aims to strengthen protections for citizens, particularly children, by increasing penalties for offenses against minors and modernizing laws around the nonconsensual publication of intimate images. It broadens the definition of ‘published’ to reflect the spread of harmful content online and enhances Jamaica’s ability to combat organized cybercrime by targeting tools and infrastructure used in such offenses. The bill also improves procedural safeguards for search, seizure, and evidence handling to support investigations and prosecutions.
Key provisions include stronger protections for children with penalties of up to 20 years imprisonment for offenses against those under 18. The bill modernizes intimate image protections to include AI-generated content, recognizing the rise of synthetic media that can cause reputational harm by falsely depicting individuals in explicit scenarios. It addresses risks such as extortion and reputational damage caused by synthetic media and broadens the definition of publication to cover activities like sending and posting on social media and messaging apps.
The law explicitly states that no person under 18 can legally consent to the publication of intimate images, reinforcing protections for minors. Additionally, the bill targets the cybercrime sector by strengthening offenses related to the availability, distribution, and possession of tools, data, and services used to commit cyber offenses, aiming to disrupt criminal operations effectively.
Strengthening Cybercrime Enforcement and Standards
The discussion focuses on strengthening laws against cyber offenses by targeting tools and locations used for cybercrime, including premises knowingly used for such activities, which can lead to severe penalties like imprisonment up to 15 years. It also highlights efforts to improve investigative standards with a code of procedures for search and seizure to ensure lawful and consistent evidence handling. Updates to the interception of communication act align terminology with current cybercrime amendments, reflecting modern digital and electronic realities.
The bill aims to protect Jamaicans in the digital age by fostering trust in online environments and deterring cyber threats. It emphasizes the importance of updating laws to keep pace with technological advancements and cyber risks, signaling Jamaica’s commitment to preventing exploitation by scammers, cybercriminals, and online predators within its digital infrastructure.
Goals of the Cyber Crimes Amendment Act
The discussion focuses on enhancing cybersecurity by raising the costs of cybercrime, disrupting enablers, and strengthening protections, especially for children, while supporting lawful investigations and prosecutions. The bill aims to secure Jamaica’s digital future by fostering safer online spaces, boosting public confidence, and supporting a resilient economy. Minister Wheatley emphasizes the importance of ongoing amendments to the Cyber Crimes Act to keep it effective and relevant.
The Cyber Crimes Act has undergone a joint select committee review leading to important amendments. These changes address critical issues such as the sharing of images on social media and specifically target phenomena like revenge porn, making such actions illegal and increasing penalties. Minister Wheatley acknowledges the efforts of Minister Wheatley and CTD Murray in advancing this legislation, highlighting the positive reception from parents and women concerned about online safety.
Minister Robert Nesta Morgan on Roads and One Road Authority
The government has approved the establishment of a One Road Authority (ORA) to address fragmented road management and inconsistent repair standards in Jamaica. This new executive agency, under the Ministry of Works and the Ministry of Economic Growth and Infrastructure Development, will regulate standards and oversee road works on national main roads. The initiative aims to improve accountability, ensure consistent quality, and provide transparent information to the public through the Jamaica Road Register website. This platform will list all roads, their condition, responsible parties, repair history, costs, and provide a channel for public complaints. Additionally, the Jamaica Road Designation Framework will classify roads into categories such as main roads, farm roads, and parish council roads. The ministry is tasked with implementing these reforms immediately, conducting wide stakeholder consultations, and returning within 90 days with recommendations for legislative and regulatory changes.
ORA implementation and road classification
The ORA will implement four key actions: establishing and enforcing a single standard for road works nationwide to ensure quality and durability, strengthening quality assurance and compliance monitoring to hold contractors accountable, introducing stronger performance reporting for public transparency, and bringing discipline to planning, procurement, contract management, and maintenance programming for national main roads. This aims to replace emergency patching with a structured national maintenance program. For the public, this means clearer responsibility and fewer delays when addressing road issues.
The ORA will provide clearer accountability, so citizens can better direct their concerns about road repairs to the appropriate authorities rather than confusing jurisdictional issues. Consistent standards will be applied island-wide, making road repair and maintenance more predictable and accountable rather than ad hoc. The introduction of a public Jamaica road register will clarify road classification, responsibility, and designation, increasing transparency about which roads are national roads based on published criteria.
Road designation will be based on technical assessment and consultation with municipal corporations and residents, not unilateral ministerial decisions. Liguanea Avenue serves as an example: though currently classified as a parish council road on paper, it functions as a main road due to heavy traffic and connectivity. The cost to repair Liguanea Avenue was over $70 million, an amount beyond parish council budgets, highlighting the need for the One Road Authority to manage such major roads.
Regarding local government, the One Road Authority does not intend to remove road responsibilities from local authorities. Consultations with the Minister of Local Government have been part of the process to ensure cooperation and clarify roles, emphasizing that local government will maintain road responsibilities where appropriate.
Relationship With Local Government and Enforcement
Minister Morgan explains that it would be impractical for a single agency to control all roads in Jamaica, as many roads are rightly managed by local authorities, including community roads, farm roads, and private roads in housing schemes. The One Road Authority will focus on enforcing quality standards and accountability for road repairs, ensuring that roads fixed by any entity meet specific standards. Additionally, ORA will impose responsibilities on the public to prevent damage to roads, such as penalties for those who allow materials to harm roadways, including cement trucks, car washes, and unsecured loads. The update to the main roads act and related legislation will introduce significant penalties for damaging road infrastructure. For implementation, the Cabinet has approved a two-phase approach, with the first phase involving a 90-day deadline to establish an enabling framework within the Ministry of Economic Growth and Infrastructure Development, focusing on operational design and necessary legislative and regulatory changes.
One Road Authority Phased Implementation Plan
The discussion begins with an overview of the phased approach to improving Jamaica’s road infrastructure, starting with establishing designation criteria and the National Road Register, followed by declaring initial national roads and updating legislation. The Minister emphasizes the importance of having clear road designation criteria by recounting challenges faced during Hurricane Melissa, where damaged roads like Bamboo Avenue hindered emergency response and relief efforts due to lack of designated emergency corridors.
He explains the problems caused by the absence of officially designated emergency corridors, such as bottlenecks during disaster response. They highlight issues with road jurisdiction, noting that some crucial roads, like those leading to ports, were neglected because they were not officially gazetted as national roads. The government is addressing this by taking responsibility for such roads, recognizing their importance to the national economy, and aiming to fix long-standing structural inefficiencies.
The introduction of objective criteria for road designation aims to clarify road management and empower citizens with greater control and knowledge of their road infrastructure through the proposed One Road Authority. Despite some opposition fearing loss of power, the initiative focuses on transparency and public consultation to create robust legislation. The goal is for Jamaicans to gain influence over road management, enhancing accountability and effectiveness in the sector.
GO Road Repair Program Details and Funding
The GO program was announced in December 2025 following the devastation of Hurricane Melissa, focusing primarily on road repairs in the western parishes but also addressing damage island-wide. Significant investments are planned in Clarendon with $26 million allocated to repair major corridors such as Guinness 3, Hazard Drive, and Bustamante Highway, among others. In Kingston and St. Andrew, the budget for road improvements was updated from $300 million to $500 million, covering numerous key roads and parish council roads.
An additional $130 million will be spent on main road repairs in St. James, separate from the $100 million allocated for Montpelier, totaling $230 million for the parish. The repairs include key streets in Montego Bay township and other routes such as Barney Street and Howard Cook Boulevard. In Trelawny, $107 million will be used to repair roads in various communities including Salt Marsh, Falmouth, and Jackson Town. The speaker emphasizes that while some roads currently have issues like plateaus, solutions and repairs are actively underway.
Westmoreland will receive about $100 million for road repairs, separate from work addressing Hurricane Melissa damages. This funding targets main road patching across many communities including Goodens, Negril, and Dunbar River. Approximately 200 roads are expected to be repaired by the end of March, though the list provided is not exhaustive. The GO program began in December but was temporarily paused due to asphalt plant closures and weather conditions. Contractors are in the process of submitting insurance required for procurement, with work anticipated to resume fully within the month.
Contractors are expected to submit insurance by the end of the month, ensuring the GO program proceeds in earnest. Sensitive and important corridors such as Long Hill and Porus in Clarendon, as well as the Negril to Hanover corridor, are being prioritized. Public protests have occurred in some areas, highlighting the urgency of addressing these critical routes. The speaker reassures the public that efforts to repair these vital roads are ongoing and prioritized.
Work on the SPARK program has resumed following a pause during Hurricane Melissa recovery efforts, as the main contractor was previously mobilized for clearing and recovery. Instructions have been given to the contractor to begin repairs on 258 roads, signaling a significant phase of activity under this program as it moves forward.
SPARK Road Repair Program Progress and Standards
The Minister explains the progress on road works, noting that since September 3, instructions have been given for 258 roads, with construction started on 84 and 56 already paved. Work is scheduled to start on three more roads before the end of the month, with plans for 69 roads in February and 49 in March. The process of starting road work includes design phases, which involve soil testing and environmental analysis before actual construction begins.
Designing roads under the SPARK program involves thorough assessments including soil quality and hydrology. Many existing roads were originally community lanes without formal design. SPARK aims to implement efficient designs with proper drainage and suitable materials, such as using concrete instead of asphalt to prevent skidding. Starting a SPARK road means beginning the design stage, not immediate construction. After design, contractors must mobilize equipment and labor, which can be challenging due to shortages. Excavation follows, and road construction typically takes 2 to 3 months, though some projects like Harbor Heights and Port Royal took nearly a year due to unforeseen issues like asbestos pipe replacements and unstable hillside houses requiring retaining walls. SPARK roads adhere to higher standards and cost nearly double traditional roads.
SPARK roads undergo strict quality control before government acceptance. Consultants and asphalt experts inspect the work, including drainage and curbs. There have been cases where contractors had to redo entire sections due to poor quality. Liguanea Avenue is cited as an example where the road did not meet SPARK standards, unlike the adjacent SPARK road. The National Works Agency is tasked with enforcing these quality standards.
SPARK Quality Control and Warranty Process
The SPARK program ensures that contractors not only deliver quality roads but also maintain a warranty period of about one year during which they must repair any defects caused by their work. This approach guarantees good roads lasting about 10 years, allowing the government to plan and budget for future road maintenance efficiently. By the end of March, the government plans to have instructed work on 401 roads, significantly increasing infrastructure development.
Within roughly 1 year and 4 months since SPARK started in December 2024, 401 roads will have been initiated, an unprecedented achievement in Jamaica’s history. Additionally, by summer, the program will begin repairing 63 main roads across the island, including key roads in Kingston and other parishes. The government is committed to enforcing high standards and ensuring no compromised infrastructure, demonstrating responsible use of public resources.