Speeches by the Prime Minister

Keynote Address By Dr the Honourable Andrew Holness ON, PC, MP Prime Minister of Jamaica at the HAJ Handing Over of Titles to Residents, Savanna-la-Mar, Westmoreland On July 18, 2025 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Thank you everyone. I want to thank Doreen for playing the role of Master of Ceremony. Of course, you know that Doreen Prendergast is the Managing Director of the Housing Agency of Jamaica; and you also prayed. Yes, you seem to be very active in your church. I could tell. It was the sincerity in the prayers, and I'm sure all of you would've heard it. She's well practiced in interceding on our behalf. Thank you very much, Doreen. May I also acknowledge your Members of Parliament: Daniel, George and Morland. I am happy to be in your parish gentlemen, and to be amongst your constituents. His Worship the Mayor Councillor Danree Delancy Mr Norman Brown, Chairman of the Housing Agency of Jamaica, And Ms Simone Miller. I haven't met Simone as yet. Simone is representing the beneficiaries and the most important people in the room, the members of the Llandilo, Seaton Crescent, Whitehall, White House, Galloway, and Bethel Town. Representatives of the media, Members of the security forces who are here. And before…

Keynote Address by Dr the Honourable Andrew Holness ON, PC, MP Prime Minister of Jamaica At NSHP Handover Ceremony; Whitehall, St Thomas Eastern On June 19 ,2025 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   Thank you very much, PS Williams. I want to have everyone's attention for the next one hour, but if I can't have it for one hour, I will settle for 10 minutes. Do I have your attention for 10 minutes? Undivided? I promise I will not keep you longer than that. I have some points that I wish for you to hear, internalize and to carry into the rest of the community. The main problem of housing in Jamaica is the supply of houses. How are houses built in Jamaica? Well, we have private housing development. As I look in this community, I would say almost all of the houses here in Holland are privately built. You may have inherited a piece of land, or you may have purchased a piece of land, and you took your time, block on top of block each year you build a room until it is completed. Some persons may have gone and borrowed a mortgage either to buy an existing private house or to…

Keynote Address by Dr the Honourable Andrew Holness ON, PC, MP Prime Minister of Jamaica At the MJS Industrial and Technology Park Opening, Fairymead Farm, Angels, St Catherine On June 24, 2025 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   Thank you very much, Khalila, for your usual masterful master of the ceremony. Allow me to stand on the protocols established. You are all important, nice and decent people. I have a prepared text, but as I sat reflecting on my own journey along the train line from St John's Road going to visit friends in Linstead, taking the train after school, and I would pass by here. I've always wondered why this factory was abandoned and I also reflected on the Goodyear factory in St Thomas, which suffered a similar faith. The Rice Mill in Spanish Town as well and you could go right through the island and see Jamaica's industrial ambitions laying idle in waste. In about 1949 or 1947, the government of Jamaica passed legislation to support the development of pioneer industries and that relied heavily on incentives. The policy direction of government then was largely protectionist as well and several pieces of legislation would've been passed to protect, for example, the textile…

Remarks by Dr the Honourable Andrew Holness ON, PC, MP Prime Minister of Jamaica At A Night of Excellence for Shelly-Ann Pryce On June 23, 2025 ____________________________________________________________  Thank you, Yendi, for your masterful mastery of the ceremony. And I stand on the protocols already established, except to acknowledge maybe the queen of track and field, Dr the Honourable Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce, the pocket rocket. This evening, we honour the incomparable Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce, one of the greatest sprinters the world has ever known. Her achievements are legendary: Olympic medals, World Championships, and an unparalleled legacy in the women's 100 meters. But what makes Shelly truly exceptional it's not just the number of records, but the way she has achieved them with dignity, humility, and an unwavering commitment to representing Jamaica with pride and honour. Whenever I see you appear on my screen, whether it is during the World Championships or the Olympics, I feel proud. Tonight is a celebration of values that define greatness, perseverance, grace under pressure, humility, and victory and a commitment to something greater than oneself. These are the values that Shelly had embodied and that have shaped her remarkable journey. Shelly's journey began on the streets…

Keynote Address By Dr. the Most Honourable Andrew Holness, ON, PC, MP Prime Minister of Jamaica Chairman of CARICOM At the  49th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government CARICOM On July 6, 2025 ________________________________________   Thank you, colleagues. Let me acknowledge Senator Janice Allen, representing the Leader of the Opposition, Dr. Carla Barnett, CARICOM Secretary-General, Chief Ministers and Ministers of Government, Members of the Judiciary, The newly installed president of the Caribbean Court of Justice, the Honourable Mr. Justice Winston Anderson, Members of the Diplomatic Corps, Representatives of regional and international organizations, Distinguished delegates, Specially invited guests, Members of the media, Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Jamaica! We are delighted that you have joined us on my assumption of the chairmanship of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) for the remainder of 2025. I thank my colleague and friend, the Honourable Mia Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados, for ably steering us through the first six months of the year, and she has done so with the fervor, determination, and eloquence for which she is well known and admired. I want to thank you, Mia, because we started out at the same time. I was a bit worried when you…

Keynote Address by Dr the Honourable Andrew Holness ON, PC, MP Prime Minister of Jamaica At the Launch of the Solidarity Programme On June 25, 2025 ______________________________________________________________ I've often said that poverty has several dimensions to it. The ones that we pay attention to would be the lack of income, so we would say that people are income poor, they just don't have money to purchase the basics. The other dimension is information, and in today's world, there's so much information, but there is really not much knowledge, and you have to go through a process to convert information into knowledge and so the lack of that process, which is usually described as education, but it could be exposure, training, good developmental circles in your family to help you to contextualize, there's usually an absence of that. People who are poor usually have an information deficit, so they make poor decisions. And then there is the access to amenities, proper healthcare, water security, and therefore, persons who are poor usually don't have access to good amenities and social services and government policy is directed at trying to improve those. We have been absolutely very successful in giving people income by…

Remarks by Dr the Honourable Andrew Holness ON, PC, MP Prime Minister of Jamaica At the Official Commissioning of Carib Cement’s Debottleneck Project, Rockfort Facility On June 26, 2025 ___________________________________________________________   Thank you, everyone. Thank you very much, Chad. I'm going to be economical and efficient with time, so let me greet everyone. I must make mention of the mayor, who is the first citizen of our lovely capital. Today, we take another crucial step in Jamaica's pursuit of industrialization, self-sufficiency, and sustained economic growth. I was pleased to be here in August 2022 at the groundbreaking for this project, and today I'm even more pleased to be back for the commissioning. At that time, the member of parliament for the area, which is a little bit under dispute because the speaker of the house, who is someone I know very well and the member of Parliament for the adjoining constituency both claim the factory, the Caribbean Cement Plant, but you know where I would side with. I'm noticing that MP Paulwell is not here, so I take that he has conceded to MP Juliet Holness, Speaker of the House. But at that time, both were here, and they were…

Keynote Address by Dr the Honourable Andrew Holness ON, PC, MP Prime Minister of Jamaica At the Groundbreaking Ceremony for Port Antonio Bypass On June 26, 2025 _______________________________________________________________   We're gathered here to celebrate, to mark a major achievement. This is a civic function. This is a function for the entire Jamaica and particularly for the people of Portland because I preside over the government as Prime Minister, but I administer the government on behalf of all the people of Jamaica. Whether you voted for me or not, whether you're a part of my political organization or not, every Jamaican is served by the government I administer, is served fairly, equally and we are broadcasting today for those Jamaicans who may not be under the stent, but who are equally interested in the infrastructure development of their country. This is for them as well, including those who may not want this government to do it, may want another government to do it, but that's fine. We are the ones doing it now, but it's still for your benefit. I acknowledge all Jamaicans who are in this room, under this tent with us. I like to say my government is a…

Keynote Address by Dr the Honourable Andrew Holness ON, PC, MP Prime Minister of Jamaica At Youth Summer Employment Programme (YSEP) Launch On June 17, 2025 ____________________________________________________________   Allow me to stand on the protocols already established. Safe to acknowledge, especially the Minister of Local Government, The Mayor of Kingston and St Andrew and his colleague mayors and members of the system municipalities of the KSAMC who are here Members of the public service who are here in support And of course, you, the young people who are participants and beneficiaries of this amazing programme. The minister of local government has explained that this year's programme involves 10,000 youth being employed, but that is not the extent of the government's summer employment programme. There is a cohort of youngsters being employed through HEART. I don't have those numbers with me, but I'm certain it is in the thousands and of course, today is not their day. I know that the Ministry of Science, Energy and Transportation now also has a special programme. But right across the government, all ministries have their own little programme that they employ students and youngsters in the summer, and I would venture a guess that…