PM pledges first-class status for Jamaica despite missed targets
News

PM pledges first-class status for Jamaica despite missed targets

NEW YORK, USA — Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness, acknowledging that Jamaica’s lofty goal of achieving First-World status by 2030 would not be realised, has pledged to ramp up efforts to set the Jamaican economy on a sustainable long-term growth trajectory that will ensure the country get to the stage of a first-class developed country, without setting a new deadline.

In 2015, Jamaica, as part of the 193 member states of the United Nations (UN), adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Vision 2030 Jamaica is the country’s first long-term strategic development plan and covers the 21-year period, 2009-2030, according to the programme’s website. It embodies the plans and processes for the realisation of a collective vision, encapsulated in the statement: “Jamaica, the place of choice to live, work, raise families and do business.”

Speaking at a town hall in the Bronx, New York, on the weekend, Dr Holness sought to assure Jamaicans that despite the fact that the 2030 goals would not be achieved, “the country is doing well as we are the best in the region in this regard”.

He outlined a number of programmes he said the Government had embarked on to secure growth in the economy, noting that the Jamaican economy “has been faced with challenges dating back to 1865 which led to the Morant Bay Uprising and the events of 1938 which led to the trade union movement and the emergence of the political parties”.

“We have not been able to have an economy that addressed the social need of our people. The issue for Jamaica is that there is always cries for better roads, water and health-care service, but nobody has ever asked for a better economy,” the Jamaican leader argued.

“Instead, the political pressures have been on promises to the people rather than building a sound economy. This is something we are trying to change,” said Dr Holness.

Supported by his Foreign Minister Kamina Johnson Smith, the prime minister outlined a number of development projects that had resulted in the economy being the most stable “it has ever has been”.

For first time since Emancipation, for example, Jamaica has “a solid economy, the lowest level of unemployment, while we have been able to present nine consecutive budgets without raising new taxes”.

“The next level is now how to achieve growth in the economy for the long term, and to this we are committed,” he said, adding that as part of measures to achieve that growth level, “the Government intends to focus on a massive investment in education as it is imperative that we develop a labour force that underpins the development of the future”.

The country would also be embarking on significant long-term investments in improving Jamaica’s road infrastructure.

“It is going to be a 20-year journey for us to get all our roads into the conditions where we can drive in comfort on all of them. Going forward, the Government is making the commitment, with the budgetary allocations from our positive economic performance, to build new roads, improve those roads and maintain them. For the first time, we are in a position that we can project to be able to do this,” he disclosed.

Dr Holness said that emphasis would also be placed on reforming the public service to reduce the bureaucracy in order to make the sector more responsive to development needs of the future.

Both the prime minister and the foreign minister avoided the vexed question of the rival Global Jamaica Diaspora Council and the bitter feud which has resulted in a split in its ranks, causing an untenable situation within the Diaspora.

The prime minister was in New York to address the United Nations “Summit of the Future” at UN headquarters on the same day as the town hall. He will also address the 79th session of UN General Assembly later this week when the high level debates of the world body begins.

Members of the team of the Jamaican Consulate in New York as well as representatives from Jamaica Promotions Ltd (Jampro) were on hand at Saturday’s town hall.

Off Canvas Menu