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Cabinet Decisions Must Be in Jamaica’s Interest – PM

By: , March 16, 2016

The Key Point:

Prime Minister, the Most. Hon. Andrew Holness, says all the decisions of the Cabinet, must have at the forefront, the interest of the Jamaican people.
Cabinet Decisions Must Be in Jamaica’s Interest – PM
Photo: Michael Sloley
Prime Minister the Most. Hon. Andrew Holness (left), engages in conversation with Minister of Finance and Public Service Hon. Audley Shaw. They were at the first official meeting of the Cabinet held today (March 15) at the Office of the Prime Minister, 1 Devon Road.

The Facts

  • He also encouraged the Ministers to have the most vulnerable members of the society uppermost in their minds.
  • The Prime Minister was giving his opening remarks at the first official meeting of the Cabinet held today (March 15) at the Office of the Prime Minister, 1 Devon Road.

The Full Story

Prime Minister, the Most. Hon. Andrew Holness, says all the decisions of the Cabinet, must have at the forefront, the interest of the Jamaican people.

He also encouraged the Ministers to have the most vulnerable members of the society uppermost in their minds.

The Prime Minister was giving his opening remarks at the first official meeting of the Cabinet held today (March 15) at the Office of the Prime Minister, 1 Devon Road.

He noted that unlike Parliament, deliberations of the Cabinet are not public.

“This makes it more critical that the persons, who sit around this table (should) always bear the public’s interest forefront in their minds….that there are no other interests that guide our deliberations other than the public’s interest. That places on me an even higher duty to ensure that the Ministers who sit around this table are all acting in the public’s best and sole interest,” Mr. Holness said.

The Prime Minister further told the Cabinet Ministers that decisions must be taken quickly, while “examining all the perspectives of the matters before us.”

“We must be the cascading example for efficiency in the public sector. I encourage all Members, that when we deliberate,…. place on the table innovative out of the box thinking, because it is through his infusion of creative thinking, that we will bring solutions to the challenges and the problems of Jamaica,” Mr. Holness stated.

Meanwhile, Mr. Holness informed that all the Cabinet Ministers have been given a copy of the Code of Conduct for Ministers.

“I encourage you to become familiar with its content and to abide by the Code. The country has high expectations of our new government; we cannot disappoint. We must be committed and remain focused on our commitments to the people of Jamaica as they want to see a government that is delivering on their commitment,” he stated.

The Cabinet deliberations were preceded by prayer from Bishop Herro Blair, who asked for God’s guidance of the proceedings.

He prayed that God will give the Prime Minister and the Cabinet Ministers the “intellect to understand, reason to discern, diligence to seek, wisdom to find, a spirit to know and a heart to meditate upon you.”

Members of the Cabinet include: Prime Minister, Hon. Andrew Holness; Minister of Finance and Public Service, Hon. Audley Shaw; Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Karl Samuda; Minister of National Security, Hon. Robert Montague; Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator the Hon. Kamina Johnson Smith; Minister of Justice, Hon. Delroy Chuck; Minister of Energy, Science and Technology, Hon. Andrew Wheatley; Minister of Local Government, Hon. Desmond McKenzie; Minister of Transport and Mining, Hon. Mike Henry; Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid; Minister of Health, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton; Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett; Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Shahine Robinson; and Minister of Entertainment, Sport, Culture and Gender Affairs, Hon. Olivia ‘Babsy’ Grange.

Other Cabinet Ministers are: Hon. Horace Chang, Hon. Derrick Smith, and Hon. Daryl Vaz, who are Ministers without Portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM); and Hon. JC. Hutchinson, Minister without Portfolio for Industry, Commerce and Agriculture and Fisheries.

Last Updated: March 16, 2016

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