( Photo Derrick Scott)
By Derrick Scott
New York – Jamaica’s Prime Minister, Hon. Andrew Holness has lamented that the greatest hindrance to Jamaica’s development and job creation remains citizen security.
Addressing the Jamaica 55 Independence Gala at the New York Hilton in Manhattan on Saturday night, Prime Minister Holness said in order to reduce the level of criminal activity, government “has passed a groundbreaking piece of legislation which, with others to come, and other initiatives to be announced, will, for the first time since our independence empower the Government to confront the breakdown in law and order and public safety in our country and to return Jamaica to a safe and secure place of choice.”
( Photo Derrick Scott)
The Prime Minister assured members of the Diaspora of his government’s commitment to continued engagement with them in an effort to secure the legacy of sustained growth and development.
“I am very cognizant of the fact that you, our Diaspora members, are amongst our “best assets” and are indeed our “national treasures,” PM Holness declared.
He said Jamaica was committed to building on the legacy gained by its achievements aimed at transforming the nation into “a peaceful and orderly society with access to world-class education and training; high quality health care; sustained, inclusive economic growth, development; job and wealth creation, and an end to poverty, particularly intergenerational poverty.”
(Photo Derrick Scott)
Prime Minister Holness commended the members of the diaspora for their overwhelming support of the recently held Jamaica 55 Diaspora conference in Kingston.
He pointed out that some 60 % of the attendees were first time conference participants, which he said indicated that the government’s reach continue to be expanded.
