Speeches by the Prime Minister

Keynote Address By The Most Hon. Andrew Holness, ON, MP At the Build Jamaica Expo & Conference June 9, 2017   I am here to endorse the Build Jamaica Expo. It is good for Montego Bay, it is good for Jamaica. I know very little about construction except to say that it is one of the most important sectors in Jamaica. Minister Samuda will not agree with me on this because obviously agriculture for him is the most important sector in Jamaica but the construction industry beside agriculture would be the industry wherein we could absorb very quickly the unemployed labour force.   It is also the industry that can change the face of Jamaica and we have for decades built Jamaica using conventional technology which is by now outdated and when I heard about this expo and I saw the lineup of speakers, it became very clear that this is a great opportunity to introduce to the wider Jamaican population new technology for construction that can radically change the face of Jamaica and so I’m here to endorse that.   The technology that is available for construction these days it is just simply amazing. I've seen the cutting edge…

Address by The Most Hon. Andrew Holness, ON, MP at the Official Re-launch of Sir Richard Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship June 6, 2017   Thank you very much madam master of ceremonies.   Entrepreneurs are the agents of growth in any economy and the government recognizes this and I’ve been having many discussions. I see Milverton nodding his head in approval because I keep harping on this point. What are we doing to support new entrepreneurs? What are we doing to create the ecosystem to support young minds who are creative.   I know that the DBJ has been sponsoring many projects to support young entrepreneurs. I know that the IDB has been supporting the development of small, micro, medium sized businesses. I know that the United States Embassy through various projects have been supporting and as I look around I see the business development center. I see people from the University of Technology. I see many persons here gathered who are part of the Jamaican very sincere attempt to create an ecosystem for entrepreneurs, but I’m particularly pleased that Richard has decided to move this very important business development strategy to Kingston. I know you've done great work in…

Keynote Address By The Most Hon. Andrew Holness, ON, MP At the Jamaica International Exposition (JIE) Opening Ceremony June 1, 2017   Thank you very much master of ceremonies. The Honourable Karl Samuda Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture, Fisheries, my parliamentary colleague Mr. Anthony Hilton; Spokesperson  on Industry and Commerce, members of the diplomatic corps; the mayor, councilor Homer Davis; Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries Mr. Donovan Stanbury; Mr. Metry Seaga president of the JMA; Mr. Richard Pandohie Deputy President of the JMA; other members of staff of the JMA; exhibitors; buyers; heads of agencies and departments; members of the private sector; sponsors; distinguished guests; members of the media; ladies and gentlemen and I’m certain I’ll be forgiven if I have forgotten anybody but good afternoon or rather good evening.   I'm very happy to be here today for this Inaugural Jamaica International Exhibition showcasing brand Jamaica to the world. Maximum visibility will be achieved over the next few days to enable the necessary linkages and connections essentially matching opportunities with resources. I think you call it Mr. President B2B - Business to Business engagement.   This event organized by the Jamaica Manufacturers’ Association…

Address By The The Most Hon. Andrew Holness, ON, MP At the INDECOM’s Caribbean Use of Force Conference May 31, 2017   Thank you madam chairperson.   Mr. Terrence Williams Commissioner of INDECOM, The Honourable Mrs. Justice Zaila McCalla Chief Justice of Jamaica, The Honourable Mr. Justice Dennis Morrison, president of the Court of Appeal, Excellences and members of the diplomatic corps, Mr. Bruno Pouezat, UN Resident Coordinator, Mr. Peter Bunting Opposition spokesperson on National Security, Major General Rocky Meade Chief of Defense staff, The commissioner of police Mr. Quallo, custodes, Regional participants, Members of staff of INDECOM, Heads of agencies and departments, Distinguished guests, Members of the media, Ladies and gentlemen, good morning.   I hope I did the salutations justice. Jamaica spends quite a bit of time ensuring that protocol is observed and I’ve said at several of these events that I’m going to give a direction to my protocol office that once the protocol list is observed, it need not be observed again.   It is my great pleasure to join you here this morning for the opening of this Caribbean Use of Force in law enforcement contracts. Now my presence here is not just ceremonial, more…

Presentation By The Most Hon. Andrew Holness, ON, MP At the Kingston Container Terminal May 19, 2017   I'm very pleased with what I saw today on the tour.   The Government of Jamaica made an investment in building out this port close to thirty years ago. At that time there was no consideration about post Panamax vessels. There wasn't even a consideration about the widening of the Panama Canal but a lot has changed in thirty years and not only has the shipping industry changed and the size of ships that can carry cargo changed, but in the course of time the asset would have depreciated and needed reinvestment.   The way in which this would have been done was that it would have been the government again to have found the resources to make the investment in expanding and in refurbishing/ rebuilding. It is quite a significant undertaking. This is somewhere in the region of four hundred and fifty- six million US dollars’ worth of investment. We would not at this time be in a position to find those resources with all that the government has to do. We could not leave the asset there to further deteriorate…

Presentation By The Most Hon. Andrew Holness, ON, MP At the UN Road Safety Week Launch May 10, 2017   I don't want to sing or be in the music video sir with advocates and ambassadors like Zoleka whose presentation almost caused me to reach for my handkerchief. Given that this is a formal event I controlled my emotions but you're very moving and I’m certain that the listening world has heard your message and has taken it to heart and with performers like Tessane Chin and Agent Sasco who have volunteered their time to make a video like this which I think needs to be circulated widely.   As Yohan has said he should see it a million times on his TV. I think you should circulate that video as much as possible and I know that we have partnerships with the media but in today's world of social media circulation is even more possible so we should increase our efforts in that regard. As Yohan has said leave the speed to him and Usain Bolt and Shelly and all the others and I do pause to recognize the passing of our Olympian; it's a great loss to the…

Induction Ceremony for The Most Honourable Andrew Holness, ON, MP at the University of the West Indies, Mona May 3, 2017     Introduction of the Prime Minister   Camille Bell-Hutchinson and other members of the UWI, Mona administration, other members of government, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, good morning.   “Dreams and resolutions are meaningless until we open our eyes and convert them to a vision through strategic planning and into the reality we want by disciplined effort, diligent work and faith in god” - quote from a visionary leader and true inspiration for the youth of Jamaica who I am honoured to introduce to you today.   The Most Honourable Andrew Holness was first elected as Member of Parliament to represent the constituency of West Central St. Andrew in 1997 at the age of twenty-five. Now in his fourth consecutive term as MP, Mr. Holness became Jamaica's ninth prime minister on February 25, 2016.   Andrew Holness was born to working class parents on July 22, 1972 in Spanish Town, St. Catherine. At age forty-three Mr. Holness is Jamaica's youngest prime minister to date and the first born after national independence.   He is married to Juliet who…

Address By The Most Hon. Andrew Holness, ON, MP At the Groundbreaking Ceremony for JPSCO Old Harbour Bay Power Station April 7, 2017  I am extremely pleased to be here for this long anticipated groundbreaking Old Harbour Bay Power Plant. Last night I received a frantic telephone message. “Prime Minister, I hear you’re not going to be here today,” I said, “I wasn’t planning on coming but I had another engagement to deal with; another very important matter of state and I expected that that engagement would last for about three or four hours which would mean that I wouldn’t be able to make it for your 4 o’clock start and by the time I was finished with that engagement you probably would have been finished with the groundbreaking.” Of course there were several email exchanges back and forth, back and forth, and then Minister Wheatley came to see me and he said “I think you really should come. This is such an important milestone for Jamaica” and so I know you’ve all forgiven me for being here approximately two hours after your planned start. Having reflected on it, I thought it was important to be here because this marks…

Address By The Most Hon. Andrew Holness, ON, MP at the Tour of Monymusk Sugar Factory, Clarendon March 31, 2017 I want to first of all thank Minister Samuda for the invitation to come here. He didn't persuade me; actually that was Minister Spencer who persuaded me because he said after this I’m going to be feted in his constituency where I will have fish and lobster and all kinds of things but I decided to come because Minister Samuda has been a faithful advocate for the sugar industry. Indeed one of the very first crisis that we faced as a new government was the prospect of the closure of Monymusk. I recalled distinctly, vividly, the panic in the voice of Minister Samuda when he called me on the phone that Sunday morning and he said “there is a problem Prime Minister". He said "I’m about to meet with the workers and the mangers and the operators. What am I going to tell them because if we don't act, if we don't do something…" - and you know Minister Samuda, has in his DNA what you call a proclivity for being hyperbolic. I wouldn't really say to exaggerate but he…