Speeches by the Prime Minister

Address By Dr the Honourable Andrew Holness ON, PC, MP Prime Minister of Jamaica At the Special Press Briefing: Preparedness for Tropical Storm Melissa On October 24, 2025 _____________________________________________________________  Thank you, Minister. Thank you, everyone, for joining us. Someone sent me a message which I thought was interesting enough to share, and the message read, Prime Minister, we haven't seen you in all that have been said. Well, let me say it in this way, there is a government that is made up of ministers, heads of entities, permanent secretaries, various public officers and administrators, and they all must do their jobs. And my job at times is to ensure that they are all well-coordinated and that they're all doing what they're supposed to be doing. Sometimes you are leading from the front and sometimes you are quarterbacking, as the Americans would say, but there is never an absence of leadership, and I'm certain that you would've seen on display the ministers taking responsibility for their various portfolios as it relates to preparedness for the approaching weather event. This is a good segue because during this administration, you would've seen the country at risk at several weather events and other…

My fellow Jamaicans, on this Heroes’ Day, we stand as one people - proud and free - to celebrate the spirit that built our great nation. Ours is a story written in courage and conviction, a heritage born of struggle, guided by faith, and carried forward by generations of Jamaicans who refused to give up on the promise of this blessed island. When we speak of a proud and bold heritage, we speak of men and women who changed the course of history. We think of Paul Bogle, whose courage in the face of injustice taught us that freedom demands sacrifice. We remember George William Gordon, whose faith in fairness and good governance reminds us that leadership must serve the people, not power. We honour Nanny of the Maroons, whose resilience and strategic brilliance showed that freedom must be defended with wisdom and unity. We celebrate Sam Sharpe, who rose from bondage to become a symbol of moral conviction, proving that liberty begins in the mind. We revere Marcus Garvey, whose vision of black pride and self-reliance gave us confidence in our own worth as a people. We salute Norman Manley, who believed that discipline and education were the foundations…

Remarks By Dr the Most Honourable Andrew Holness ON, PC, MP Prime Minister of Jamaica At the NSHP Ribbon Cutting Ceremony, Brandon Hill, Clarendon On October 10, 2025 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We have another 86 units that are currently under construction and further 65 that will begin construction this year. The programme is moving a pace. We want to increase the speed at which the houses are delivered so we are going to contemplate some new building technologies and some new housing products that are, by virtue of the advance in housing technology, now more accessible and affordable and the only challenge we have is that the programme is site specific. We build the houses in almost any area where the land is available once we can get the material to the site and the site does not pose an environmental hazard or risk. Right here, it's a good piece of land, but it's literally almost inaccessible. We had to make a pathway and cut a road to actually build here so those solutions that we're thinking of which are prefabricated housing solutions that come ready built and with amenities that you load on a flatbed and deploy with a crane, possibly…

Address By Dr the Most Honourable Andrew Holness ON, PC, MP Prime Minister of Jamaica At the NSHP Ribbon Cutting Ceremony, Lime Tree Gardens, St Ann On October 10, 2025 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------  We have 304 units completed under the New Social Housing Programme; that's 697 rooms benefiting over 1,500 individuals so that's a massive impact on homelessness and persons who don't have shelter in the country. We have another 86 units that are presently under construction, that's 186 rooms and we have 65 units that will start construction this year so that would be another 173 rooms. The New Social Housing Programme has picked up pace and Jamaicans are benefiting from it. The programme in my estimation is a success. Jamaicans understand the programme, they see the benefits, they identify with the programme and persons who are now currently either homeless or in really deplorable shelter conditions, they have hope they can look forward to this programme. The objective now is to expand the programme and increase the pace of delivery. Today, we're merely just handing over houses that were already entrain, already being constructed, but for the next budget year, we're going to revise the programme because we want to…

Keynote Address By Dr the Most Honourable Andrew Holness ON, PC, MP Prime Minister of Jamaica At the Groundbreaking Ceremony for BOOT 2 Commercial Complex Drax Hall, St Ann On October 10, 2025 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It gives me great pleasure to join you this afternoon to break ground for the construction of Boot 2, a modern service complex which will become the hub of this area and will redefine the experience that residents and visitors have along the North coast. Today, is about the continuation of a Jamaican vision for growth, for innovation, and self-reliance. I met Mr Boothe somewhere around 2019, or maybe before that, maybe about 2017, but in 2020, I visited. At that time, you were just doing the development for Ibex, if I recall, but it was right during the period of COVID and I was questioning the wisdom of his intense investment at the time and I recall in the tour, he said to me that he was serious about Jamaica. He is going to invest in his country. I was taken by his very high level of patriotism and optimism about his country and here we are today making another major investment. I accepted the…

Remarks By Dr the Most Honourable Andrew Holness ON, PC, MP Prime Minister of Jamaica At the Tour of St Catherine Police Divisional Headquarters On October 8, 2025 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   Thank you, minister. Let me thank the various teams that have organized this tour, the St Catherine North Police Division, and the leadership of the JCF, DCP Clarke who is here. Let me also thank the team from the Ministry of National Security and Peace, our Member of Parliament and her team, and of course our contractors. Let me start with a few words on the contractors. This project is being undertaken at a cost of approximately 2.3 billion Jamaican dollars. It is, by any measure, a significant expenditure in the capital budget. It is being undertaken by a local contractor that has very strong roots and history in Jamaica, WIHCON Construction, and they are indeed one of our premier contracting houses in Jamaica and we have had a very good relationship with WIHCON over these many years. Their reputation is solid, and they have been involved in many signature infrastructure and capital projects for Jamaica, and we are confident that this project will be finished in a timely fashion…

Statement By Dr the Most Honourable Andrew Holness ON, PC, MP Prime Minister of Jamaica During his visit to the grieving families in Commodore, Linstead On October 6, 2025 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   I'm here to personally express to the family members my own personal and sincere and deep condolences on this very tragic incident, which has taken the lives of four innocent Jamaicans and has threatened the lives of members of the community, and I am hoping for the speedy recovery of those who were injured in this gruesome unwarranted attack. I'm also here to assure the families and loved ones of the victims that the Jamaican state and government will support them through this very difficult time, whether it is with support in counselling or in supporting any other needs that may arise. As I have met with some of the family members, I'm seeing where there are needs and some have even expressed particular support that they would require so the entire government will be mobilized to give support to the victims and the loved ones of the victims. Now, I'm also here to highlight a few other important facts that should give context to the Jamaican discourse on…

Address By Dr the Most Honourable Andrew Holness ON, PC, MP Prime Minister of Jamaica at the United Nations Climate Summit On September 24, 2025 ____________________________________________________________ Excellencies, I wish to extend Jamaica's support for the work of the COP presidency of Brazil and the UNFCCC ahead of COP30. Climate change is an existential threat to both the livelihoods and environments of communities worldwide, but disproportionately so to SIDS and LDCs. Sobering reports and assessments globally of the current state of the climate have increased the necessity for enhanced adaptation and mitigation measures to confront the challenges and bolster resilience. In Jamaica, the nation is contending with intensifying adverse effects of climate change. Droughts, floods, tropical storms, and hurricanes have already impeded Jamaica's development. 90% of our GDP is generated in close proximity to coastal regions. Robust adaptation measures are not merely preferable, but are imperative. Over the past decade, Jamaica has made steady progress in climate action. Yet as we know, global climate ambition remains below what is required, and countries like ours must lead with both credibility and innovation. Jamaica's journey with our nationally determined contributions reflects this leadership. Our first NDC focused primarily on the energy sector, targeting…

Address By Dr the Most Honourable Andrew Holness ON, PC, MP Prime Minister of Jamaica At the Consulate General of Jamaica New York Reception On September 26, 2025 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  Thank you very much, minister. And everyone should know that is not why you have been reappointed as minister. Allow me to again, acknowledge our hardworking Minister of Foreign Affairs, our newly appointed Ambassador to the United States, a man with so many titles; major general, former commissioner of police, former chief of defence staff, a fantastic Jamaican who has contributed so much to development of Jamaica. I just call him Tony. Ambassador Brian Wallace, our permanent representative to the UN, someone who I've known for many years, and who is making his own mark in the UN as a well-respected voice. I am going to acknowledge in her absence Alsion, our Consular General and of course, the incredible staff of the consulate who made all of these arrangements and for the great hospitality. Let me acknowledge members of the global Jamaica Diaspora Council and Youth Council who are here. Members of clergy, civil society, academia and private sector who are here. My Jamaican family and friends, one love. It is…