Business Continuity Must Be Priority for All Public-Sector Entities – Finance Minister

Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Hon. Fayval Williams, says business continuity must be a priority for all public-sector entities, with resilience embedded into the design of every service.

Business continuity is the capability of an organisation to maintain or quickly resume essential functions and deliver products or services at acceptable levels during and after a disruption.

“It must be planned for, it must be tested and it must be continuously improved. With the clear linkage between service delivery and crisis resilience, public-sector leaders must build systems that are not only efficient in normal times but capable of performing under pressure,” Mrs. Williams said.

She delivered remarks on behalf of Prime Minister, Dr. the Most. Hon. Andrew Holness, during the Government of Jamaica (GOJ) Service Excellence Conference 2026, held at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston, on Wednesday (May 13).

Mrs. Williams pointed to Hurricane Melissa last October as a recent example of the importance of resilient public services.

“Devastated citizens in western Jamaica still needed to access critical services, they needed medical care, they needed to replace lost documents and get reliable information. Undoubtedly, our public-sector systems came under significant strain. We saw where some systems held up and, regrettably, we also saw many that did not,” she said.

Mrs. Williams said Hurricane Melissa highlighted the progress that the public sector has made, and also exposed the gaps that remain in maintaining service delivery during periods of crisis.

“In those moments of crisis, our citizens were not thinking about policies, frameworks or procedures. They were asking a simple question. Can government still serve me when I need it most? And that’s why service delivery matters,” she reasoned.

The Minister argued that improving service delivery is essential, pointing out that it is the difference between stability and uncertainty, between confidence and frustration and, ultimately, between trust and doubt in public institutions.

“Service excellence is no longer a nice-to-have. It is a resilience imperative,” she emphasised.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Williams shared that public-sector entities are guided by the GOJ Service Delivery Minimum Standards, which establishes five key service dimensions identified by citizens.

“These are standards that must be met. Public-sector entities must maintain communication with customers. They must prioritise access to service, whether online or in person, and public-sector entities must sustain efficiency without compromising quality, reliability, transparency or fairness,” she said.

The Minister added that leaders across the public sector have an obligation to evaluate their organisations and strengthen the factors that most directly influence customer satisfaction and public trust.

“We’re no longer simply building systems for efficiency. We are building systems that must perform under pressure, adapt in real time and continue to serve our citizens regardless of circumstances. This requires a shift in how we lead,” Mrs. Williams said.