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Government Focused on Boosting Public-Private Partnerships

By: , April 13, 2018

The Key Point:

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, says the Government remains focused on building greater public-private partnerships (PPP) as it works to achieve economic growth.
Government Focused on Boosting Public-Private Partnerships
Photo: Contributed
Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, addressing the third Chief Executive Officers (CEO) Summit of the Americas in Lima, Peru, on April 13.

The Facts

  • The Prime Minister was speaking at the Third Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) Summit of the Americas in Lima, Peru, on Friday (April 13).
  • This, partnership, he argued, is crucial as the Government works to quicken the pace at which it delivers jobs, improves infrastructure, and increases training opportunities that match labour market demands.

The Full Story

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, says the Government remains focused on building greater public-private partnerships (PPP) as it works to achieve economic growth.

“PPPs have emerged as an important commercial modality to secure economic growth. The mutual benefit that public-private partnerships offer is of great value,” he said.

The Prime Minister was speaking at the Third Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) Summit of the Americas in Lima, Peru, on Friday (April 13).

Mr. Holness noted that a robust PPP allows for unlocking the value of assets; reducing debt; and mobilisation of local and foreign direct investments in the economy.

This, partnership, he argued, is crucial as the Government works to quicken the pace at which it delivers jobs, improves infrastructure, and increases training opportunities that match labour market demands.

In recognition of the PPPs’ significant role, Mr. Holness said the Government is cognisant that it “must act as the enablers of growth by making it easier to do business, supporting private sector-lead entrepreneurship and partnering with the private sector for greater utilisation of public assets and provision of public goods and services”.

The Prime Minister said the Administration has been working to improve this arrangement through several measures.

These include Jamaica’s Privatisation and Public-Private Partnership Policy, which seeks to facilitate increased private-sector participation in economic development activities by utilising private-sector skills, innovation and capital to create more competitive and efficient enterprises and provide critical infrastructure or services.

Mr. Holness pointed out that Jamaica has undertaken several structural reforms to address its macroeconomic vulnerabilities, noting that strengthening of the country’s economic institutions “is one of the ways we are able to engage in PPPs that promote fair risk-sharing and enhance accountability and transparency”.

Additionally, the Prime Minister said that Jamaica is the only Caribbean country with a legally binding fiscal rule.

“This and other related reforms aimed at improving our economic institutions have all contributed to increased business confidence in the Jamaican economy. Sound institutional reforms are critical for economic independence,” he further stated.

Mr. Holness also informed that Jamaica was ranked fourth in the 2017 Infrascope PPP Programme Index for Latin America and the Caribbean.

“This index demonstrates that Jamaica is among the best prepared for PPP in Latin America and the Caribbean,” he said.

The Prime Minister said the Government now has a different type of relationship with the private sector that allows for open, transparent processes for engagement, and a level playing field and fair competition.

He noted that the goal is to transform the public sector, so that it is able to facilitate the private sector as the main organ of growth.

“By utilising partnerships, we signal that all partners are committed to upholding accountability, transparency and integrity as the hallmarks of well-designed institutions and democratic governance,” Mr. Holness said.

The Summit is the most important business forum of the Americas and brings together leading CEOs and Heads of State from the region to analyse the opportunities to promote economic growth and investment, through unprecedented public-private interaction under the Americas Business Dialogue mechanism.

Last Updated: April 13, 2018

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