Diaspora Encouraged to Invest in Jamaica’s Rapid Development

Jamaicans living abroad are being encouraged to invest in the nation’s rapid development.

Prime Minister, Dr. the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, underscored major milestones in real estate growth, public safety, and the modernisation of healthcare infrastructure.

Speaking during the Ceremonial Opening of the 11th Biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St. James on Tuesday (June 16), Dr. Holness highlighted the transformation of Jamaica’s national security operations, noting a 67 per cent cumulative decline in homicides over the past four years.

Providing a breakdown of the statistics, he reported that homicides declined by eight per cent in 2023, 19 per cent in 2024, and 42 per cent in 2025.

Dr. Holness further indicated that, as of May 2026, murders are down by 22.5 per cent, compared to the same period last year.

The Prime Minister attributed this success to a near-tripling of the national security budget over the past decade, which enabled the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) to reach its full established strength of more than 14,000 personnel, while the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) has nearly doubled in size.

With crime increasingly under control and infrastructure rapidly improving, the Prime Minister is inviting members of the diaspora to invest in Jamaica’s housing market, presenting it as an opportunity to secure a first or second home in the country.

“The housing market in Jamaica is expanding, and it is expanding rapidly, particularly in the private sector. I encourage all Jamaicans overseas to participate in the real estate market in Jamaica,” Dr. Holness said.

He emphasised that diaspora investment in the private real estate sector will allow the National Housing Trust (NHT) to refocus its resources on delivering affordable housing solutions for citizens who are priced out of the private market.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister emphasised that the reduction in homicides is not merely statistical, declaring, “these are not just numbers… they are lives saved.”

“It’s a child who did not lose their father, communities where people are beginning to breathe a little easier, businesses that can now open later, young men who are alive today because violence did not take their lives,” he outlined.

Dr. Holness, acknowledging that criminal networks are interconnected, affirmed that the Government has intensified its security cooperation with international allies.

“We have especially increased our cooperation with the Government of the United States… and recently you would have seen some very high-profile arrests taking place, both on the lottery scamming front and interdictions for the illegal importation of weapons into Jamaica,” he said.

The Prime Minister noted that the Government’s ultimate goal is to reduce Jamaica’s murder rate to the regional average of 15 per 100,000 – approximately 500 or fewer homicides per year – with the long-term ambition of eventually reaching zero.

Dr. Holness cautioned that as security operations intensify across the Eastern Caribbean, criminal networks may attempt to divert their activities to the Northern Caribbean. Consequently, he warned, “We are preparing, and we are prepared for them.”

Addressing other major areas of concern for the diaspora, Dr. Holness highlighted extensive healthcare investments being undertaken through the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA).

These projects include the reconstruction of four hospitals, most notably the transformation of Kingston Public Hospital (KPH) into a modern, state-of-the-art health facility.

He also noted that the newly refurbished Cornwall Regional Hospital, along with the Western Children and Adolescent Hospital, will be opened soon.