Speeches by the Prime Minister

We happily welcome 2017. As we embrace the New Year for all the potential and promise it holds, we give God thanks for sparing our lives to see yet another year. We thank God for sparing us from what appeared to be imminent natural disasters. We spare a thought for our loved ones, heroes and benefactors who left us last year. And we collectively give God thanks for all our achievements and successes last year and particularly, note with great pride the incredible accomplishments of our athletes and highlight the superhuman feats of Usain Bolt. We reflect as well on our experiences last year and the lessons we take forward to manage the challenges and opportunities this New Year will bring. Personally, my own experiences have reaffirmed that with goals, a smart plan, faith in God and the willingness and commitment to hard work, you can achieve your dreams, even when there is doubt and the odds are stacked against you. The New Year is a time of setting new dreams and making resolutions to achieve them. I encourage all Jamaicans not to be afraid to dream big and set ambitious goals. In particular, I urge parents not to limit…

Fellow Jamaicans: I bring you greetings of peace hope and goodwill on this Christmas day. Christmas fills a deep yearning in the human spirit: A yearning for togetherness, harmony, peace, love and unity. Human beings were designed for fellowship and friendship.  Christmas takes us back to those true values; to the real meaning of life. It clears away the clutter and noise of our everyday live and focuses our attention on the things that really matter: A right relationship with our Creator; Bonding with our family and friends; caring for those less fortunate and, cherishing the weak and vulnerable. It is so easy in the cut and thrust of life to get absorbed in ourselves and in our own pursuits. Sometimes family and friends are sacrificed on the altar of our quest to get ahead. Sometimes we forget the kindnesses, the acts of graciousness and the compassion which should really characterize our lives. Christmas reminds us of all of this and gives us an opportunity, yet again, to recommit to the things of lasting value. Occasionally,   we become nostalgic and talk about old time Christmas in Jamaica.   But today  I want to  tell you  about my  vision of  Christmas  in…

Main Address The Most Honourable Andrew Holness, ON, MP Prime Minister of Jamaica at the Ceremony of Appointment for Chief of Defence Staff   Thursday, December 1, 2016 3 p.m. King’s House       SALUTATIONS:   Today is a significant day for the JDF and Jamaica, as the baton of Chief of Defence Staff is passed from Major General Antony Anderson to Major General Rocky Meade.   I extend my most sincere congratulations to Major General Rocky Meade; our new Chief of Defence Staff (CDS).   This transition speaks to the excellence of the JDF’s succession planning and I know that Major General Anderson, after successfully carrying the mandate of CDS for over six years, will confidently and seamlessly hand over to his Deputy.   Major General Meade has the experience, education and training to continue building on the solid foundation and development trajectory that has been set by his predecessors.   I have confidence that the legacy of the JDF and its value and relevance to Jamaica will continue, as new demands and new circumstances arise.   The Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) is an organization known for its discipline, commitment and values. It plays a critical strategic role in the…

  JAMAICA’S NATIONAL STATEMENT TO THE HIGH-LEVEL SEGMENT OF THE TWENTY SECOND SESSION OF THE MEETING OF THE CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES TO THE UNITED NATIONS FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE 15TH NOVEMBER 2016   Salutations Mr. President, Please accept Jamaica’s heartiest congratulations and best wishes on your chairmanship of this Conference. I also express our sincere appreciation to the Government and people of the Kingdom of Morocco, for the excellent facilities and warm hospitality afforded us. As a small island state, Jamaica finds itself looking ahead each year with some trepidation, to the anticipated hurricane season.  We do so because, increasingly, these occurrences are more threatening and more damaging in impact.  Against this background, we are in deep sympathy with the governments and peoples of Haiti, Cuba, The Bahamas and the United States of America, for losses sustained as a result of the passage of Hurricane Matthew this year. These developments are potent evidence of the negative impacts of climate change.  Like other small island developing states, Jamaica is vulnerable to the effects of sea-level rise, severe weather events, changes in rainfall patterns and increases in temperatures. In addition to experiencing more intense tropical storms and hurricanes, our countries…

Address by The Most Honourable Andrew Holness Prime Minister Joint GOJ/IMF Press Conference October 13, 2016                    OPM Lobby ______________________________________________________________________________ Thank you very much Ambassador Clarke. I want to associate myself with the salutations you gave earlier and get straight down to business. I’m very pleased to announce that we have reached a staff level agreement on a new economic program with the IMF that would be supported by a three year IMF stand-by agreement with potential support equivalent to US1.7 billion dollars, which upon approval will replace the existing program. Given the Bank of Jamaica’s comfortable foreign reserves position the government has indicated Jamaica’s intention to treat the stand-by agreement as precautionary that is effectively an insurance policy against unforeseen economic shocks that are beyond the control of Jamaica. Let me emphasize that Jamaica by its policy credibility and discipline has reaped a 1.7billion dollars insurance dividend which gives confidence to any investor that Jamaica is serious about reform and will be able to withstand any exogenous shocks whether by way of natural disaster, commodity priced volatility or otherwise. The new proposed program and the large and important commitment of IMF resources that it entails is a firm vote of…

Address by The Most Honourable Andrew Holness, ON, MP Prime Minister of Jamaica at the Opening ceremony of 14th annual OOCUR @ 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, October 26, 2016 Secrets Hotel and Spa Montego Bay “Regulation: Creating a Spectrum of Opportunities for the Caribbean” Salutations   The Most Reverend Kenneth D.O Richards – Roman Catholic Archbishop of Kingston Andrew Wheatley, Minister of Science, Energy, and Technology Hilary Alexander, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Science, Energy, and Technology Other Permanent Secretaries present Albert Gordon, Chaman of OOCUR Joseph Matalon, Chairman of the Office of Utilities Regulation in Jamaica Distinguished Guest Speakers Heads of Government Department and Agencies Members of the Private Sector including utility companies Members of the media Ladies and gentlemen   Good morning!   It gives me great pleasure to speak with you at this the start of the 14th annual conference of the Organisation Of Caribbean Utility Regulators, OOCUR as we begin our conversations of how do we get the right mix to ensure all stakeholders are fully served.   I know that this conference is a signature event for regional regulators, the industry and service providers.  Let me welcome all participants from across the Caribbean region…

Address by The Most Honourable Andrew Holness 5th Annual Anti-Money Laundering/ Counter-Financing of Terrorism Conference October 10, 2016              Jamaica Pegasus Hotel We’re very grateful that we’ve been spared the hurricane. I had conversations with the President of Haiti and the devastation there is just simply phenomenal; it’s really sad that they have been hit twice but we should help and I’m in the company of bankers and so I make the appeal that we should help. I also spoke with the first vice president of Cuba and they too have been hard hit and again we should help. Cuba has been very good to Jamaica and so I think it is only appropriate that where we can, we should help.   I’m very pleased to be here with you this morning and I wish to express my sincere appreciation to the Jamaica Bankers Association, The Jamaica Institute of Financial Services and all the speakers and moderators for their willingness to share knowledge and views on this important matter.   The theme of this conference underscores our continuing efforts and the critical unified approach that must be taken to tackle and mitigate the threats of money laundering and financing of terrorism.…

STATEMENT BY THE MOST HONOURABLE ANDREW HOLNESS, PRIME MINISTER OF JAMAICA DELIVERED AT THE 71st SESSION OF THE (UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY) 23RD SEPTEMBER 2016   Introduction & Context   Mr. President, I am honoured to join fellow leaders at this 71st session of the United Nations General Assembly, which affords us an opportunity to undertake the most effective global response to the challenges for which the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was elaborated.   I congratulate you on your assumption of the Presidency of this session, and I am particularly pleased that the representative of a small, island-developing state  is presiding over our assembly. I am confident that our deliberations will translate into meaningful commitments and actions under your able leadership.   Let me thank the Secretary-General for his contribution to the work of the United Nations over the past 10 years. He is to be commended for his tireless efforts in guiding the Organisation, allowing it to remain at the forefront of international dialogue, consensus building and cooperation.   Mr. President, With the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in September last year, we as a global community have committed ourselves to securing the well being of…

      Speaking Notes by The Most Honourable Andrew Holness, Prime Minister of Jamaica at the International Conference on Sustainable Development,   Conference Theme: Moving Forward: The SDGs in Practice   Columbia University USA   21st September 2016     Salutations   Dr. Jeffrey Sachs,   Excellencies,   Ladies and gentlemen     In my first campaign I used the title of his book, the “End of Poverty” and in fact, a signature photograph featured a copy of me holding his book.   It is therefore a privilege to address this symposium being organised by Prof Sachs.     Reaffirmation of commitment to the SDG’s Jamaica is naturally and irrevocably aligned to the sustainable development goals and at every opportunity we reaffirm our commitment to achieving them. Furthermore Jamaica will play its part in regional and international fora to promote attainment.   The goals are self-reinforcing. Strategies to achieve one have the achievement of others as byproducts. Our focus is on economic growth and job creation the gains of which will be used to advance health, education and ending poverty.   Historical perspective After approximately 54 years of independence Jamaica has recorded impressive improvements in the human development index,…