On Thursday, KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Governor-General Sir Patrick Allen pointed to Jamaica’s economic performance, stating that it has been exemplary and has caught the world’s attention.
In delivering the Throne Speech at the ceremonial opening of Parliament on Thursday, he said the country has had ten consecutive quarters of economic growth since the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Every Jamaican should be proud that Jamaica is now recognized globally for the vibrancy of our music and culture, the speed of our athletes, and for the strength and speed of our economic recovery,” he said in the speech delivered under the theme ‘Towards a Peaceful Productive and Prosperous Jamaica.’
“Our unemployment rate is at 4.2 percent, the lowest in the history of independent Jamaica. We recorded a Balance of Payments Surplus on our Current Account for the first time since 1966,” said the Governor-General, who noted that in September 2023, global rating agency Standard and Poor’s (S&P) upgraded Jamaica’s credit rating to double B minus (BB-), the highest level ever. As of December 31, 2023, the Net International Reserves (NIR) were at a record high.
“In November 2023, the Government issued the first-ever Jamaican Dollar-linked bond on the international market for $46.6 billion or US$300 million,” he said.
The Governor-General advised that in 2024, the Government will further strengthen Financial Sector Regulations and critical legislation, including the Customs Act and the Private Sector Pensions Act, which forms part of the pension reform process.
Further, amendments will be made to the Financial Services Act to develop a regime for the consolidated supervision of non-deposit-taking institutions and facilitate the Regulatory Framework for the Twin Peaks Model of Financial Regulation.
The Income Tax Relief (Large-Scale Projects and Pioneer Industries) Act will make provisions under one legislation for fiscal incentives for large-scale projects.
He also said that the Government prioritizes sustainable development and has begun to build resilience to natural disasters.
“The National Natural Disaster Risk Financing Policy, which was approved through Parliament, will guide disaster-risk financing to ensure adequate financial resources for relief, recovery, and reconstruction,” he noted.
The governor general also said that the Government’s planned legislative agenda for 2024/25 should see the enactment of a Mediation Bill, a Restorative Justice Bill, and a new Justice of the Peace Jurisdiction Act to further enhance the role of Lay Magistrates.
“We will continue improving access to justice, expanding alternative justice services, and enhancing legal aid services for vulnerable groups,” Sir Patrick said.
He told the Parliament that the Government continues to promote healing, reconciliation, and mutual respect “in our journey towards a peaceful, productive, and prosperous Jamaica.”
“In the financial year 2023/ 2024, the Restorative Justice Programme facilitated 1,792 referrals, with 82 percent resulting in agreements between parties,” he shared.
Also, the Child Diversion Programme transferred 764 children (ages 12 to 17) from the formal court systems in conflict with the law, providing them with treatment plans. Nearly 100 youths deemed high-risk were assigned mentors.
In the meantime, the governor-general said significant progress had been made in the parish courts, reducing the overall net criminal backlog to less than two percent. He said infrastructural upgrades continued, and public-private partnerships for new judicial complexes are planned in selected parishes.
Sir Patrick also referred to “critical aspects” of the Road to Republic Public Education Programme.
He disclosed that more than 70 stakeholder meetings and five town halls were held in St. James, Westmoreland, St. Elizabeth, Manchester, and Portland parishes.
“The Government continues with the preparation of the Constitution of Jamaica (Amendment of Section 61) Bill to modernize the Words of Enactment as the first legislative step in a proposed series of amendments intended to give effect to a Constitution enacted by the Parliament and approved by the people of Jamaica,” the Governor-General said.
He noted that the Bail Act of 2023 came into force on November 15, 2023, highlighting that the new law is grounded in the entitlement and exception to bail provided by the Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms.
“Bail may now be granted or denied pre-charge, post-charge, and post-conviction,” he explained.
The Governor-General advised that the legislative priorities for 2024/25 will focus on amendments towards establishing the Republic of Jamaica, accelerating the pace of law reform, and improving the quality of legislation promulgated.
The Throne speech also stated that the Government continues to progress in implementing the recommendations of the Jamaica Education Transformation Commission (JETC).
Some 365 recommendations are contained in Professor Orlando Patterson’s chaired commission report.
The governor general said the multi-year, wide-ranging transformation exercise should enable the success of every learner.
“Dialogue, partnerships, and feedback are essential to the success of this process and, as such, the TREND – Transforming Education for National Development initiative, to include a robust communication campaign, was launched with the tagline ‘For a brighter tomorrow,'” the Governor-General noted.
Launched in July 2020, JETC was mandated to comprehensively review and assess Jamaica’s education system, including its structure, operation, and processes, and to recommend an action plan for change.
Before that, the last central comprehensive review of the national public education system was undertaken in 2004 by the Task Force on Educational Reform.
The Governor-General noted that a peaceful, productive, and prosperous Jamaica is predicated upon the quality of the education system.
The legislative program for the 2024/25 financial year will focus on The Jamaica Teaching Council Bill, amendments to the Education Act and Regulations, as well as The Overseas Examinations Commission (Amendment) Bill.
Concerning the health sector, he said among the laws to be revised are the Tobacco Control Bill, which will enable Jamaica to comply with its obligations under the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control of the World Health Organization, and the Food and Drugs (Amendment) Bill, for the “effective regulation of natural health products, including nutraceuticals,” the Governor-General said.
Amendments will also be made to the Nurses and Midwives Act and the Pharmacy Act to “legalize” the role of Advanced Practice Registered Nurses and enable family nurse practitioners and mental health psychiatric nurse practitioners in government health centers and the University Hospital of the West Indies, to prescribe a list of pharmaceuticals, he said.
The Governor-General added that the Government is committed to the prevention program for non-communicable diseases and will continue its ‘Know Your Numbers’ campaign to provide 500,000 screening tests to the population.
“This is also being supported by the continuation of the Jamaica Moves Campaign in schools, communities, and workplaces. As we seek to improve our productivity and expand service delivery, we must look closely at our human resources,” he said.
Sir Patrick noted that the Government has provided more than 2,500 posts for physicians to expand primary healthcare, increase service quality, eliminate employment by contract, and improve working arrangements.
With ground broken for the redevelopment of the Spanish Town Hospital in the central parish of St.Catherine, the Governor-General said other hospitals and health centers are also being undertaken with the St. Jago Park and Greater Portmore Health Centres – in the same parish, being upgraded to Comprehensive Health Centres, and the May Pen and St. Ann’s Bay Hospitals to Regional Hospitals.
Concerning the tourism sector, the governor-general said that the administration is moving to upgrade eight additional public beaches across the country, and eight beaches are at various stages of the design and approval process.
“The provision of greater access to suitable public beach facilities to all Jamaicans remains a priority,” he noted.
He said Jamaica’s tourism industry continues its incredible post-pandemic rebound as one of the world’s fastest-recovering countries and the Caribbean’s fastest-growing tourist destinations.
“Our warmth and hospitality have kept visitors returning at a 42 percent repeat rate,” he noted.
In 2023, Jamaica welcomed a record 4,150,000 visitors, comprising 2,890,000 stopover visitors and 1,260,000 cruise passengers, with US$4.2 billion generated in revenue.
The Governor-General said that focus is being placed on strengthening tourism linkages through the Agri Linkages Exchange (ALEX) platform.
The collaboration between the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) and the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) generated $1 billion in sales by small farmers in 2023.
In addition, in line with the vision of building a resilient sector, investment has been made in certification and skills training to ensure that Jamaicans are not spectators but active contributors to the country’s tourism success.
“Our tourism workers are a core part of our growth strategy, and we are committed to providing housing for them through partnerships with the private sector. We also welcome the pledge by four major international hotel investor groups, which have committed to constructing over 2,000 residential units for industry employees,” Sir Patrick said.
Turning to Agriculture, he said that under the legislative program for 2024/2025, several critical pieces of agricultural legislation would be amended.
He said these include the replacement of the Animals (Diseases and Importation) Act with the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2024, the replacement of the Plants (Quarantine) Act with the Plant Health Act 2024, and Amendments to The Praedial Larceny (Prevention) Act.
In addition, the Governor-General highlighted that the agriculture and fisheries sector achieved a sustained positive trajectory with eight consecutive quarters of growth up to the final quarter of the 2022 calendar year.
“In 2023, however, Jamaica experienced its hottest and driest year on record, which inevitably posed severe challenges for the sector. The Government’s interventions in 2023 sought to mitigate losses, increase the sector’s resilience, and ensure the country’s food security,” he pointed out.
The Governor-General noted that the Government provided J$1.13 billion to advance growth in the sector through the Production and Productivity Programme, which yielded production of 777,000 tonnes up to the end of December 2023.
This is the second-highest level of domestic crop production in the country’s history.
In the future, the Government will be placing a specific focus on the rehabilitation and expansion of orchard crop production of mango, breadfruit, and ackee.
Other initiatives have included the prioritization of the small ruminants development program to boost the country’s self-sufficiency in meat production.
“GCT has been temporarily waived on live animal imports to further drive improvement of our local herd populations. A dedicated aquaculture agro park is being targeted through the National Fisheries Authority. The Government is investing $2.6 billion in key irrigation projects that are expected to result in over 2,433 hectares of additional irrigated lands for production,” the Governor-General outlined.
Regarding mining and quarrying, the sector recorded a 25 percent increase in the total equivalent of dry bauxite shipped (inclusive of alumina production) in 2023.
The exportation of high-purity limestone also increased by 77 percent.
and then 