Government Implements Policies That Advance Mental Wellness and Address Root Cause of Violence

The Government remains steadfast in its commitment to implement policies and strategies that advance and prioritise mental wellness, while directly addressing the root cause of violence in the society.

Prime Minister, Dr. the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, said this is a critical component of a comprehensive strategy to foster peace and effectively resolve conflicts within the society.

“The Government is, as we have announced previously, seeking to instrumentally and strategically integrate peace building within government policy for the individual, for the community and for the country and the Art of Living Foundation and other such strategies work to support the group thoughts, to determine and help to determine policies that impact the root cause of violent behaviour through the promotion of peace in communities, helping us to resolve conflicts through dialogues, the ability to reason things out before resorting to violence, and of course mutual respect,” he said.

Dr. Holness made the remarks during a meeting with internationally revered spiritual leader, humanitarian, and a peace ambassador, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, at Jamaica House on December 13.

The meeting also included members of the peace ambassador’s delegation, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Amber Group, Ambassador and Special Investment Envoy for Technology, Dushyant Savadia; Senior Advisor/Consultant, Office of the Prime Minister of Jamaica, Alok Jain and other critical stakeholders.

The Art of Living Foundation is a volunteer-based, humanitarian and educational non-governmental organisation (NGO).

It was founded in 1981 by Ravi Shankar.

The Art of Living Foundation has centres in 180 countries.

Dr. Holness said the Government continues to invest in the national security apparatus of the country, which is yielding positive results.

“As a government, we are making significant strides in combating crime in Jamaica through equipping and strengthening our security forces, as well as through community development,” he said.

He pointed out that the long-term sustainable solutions to the issue of crime requires addressing the root cause of violence in the society.

“It requires deliberate social intervention, training in dispute resolution and initiatives to improve mental wellness. So, as part of the government’s strategy of a pivot, we have invested heavily in our national security apparatus. We have invested heavily in improving our ability to investigate, detect and deter criminal activity. Now it is time to focus on actually building peace, and building peace starts with the individual. It’s about getting the person right, getting their mental state correct, getting them to live at one with the environment, with their neighbours and with themselves,” he said.

Meanwhile, Dr. Holness said it was a profound honour and a personal privilege and a pleasure to welcome to Jamaica the globally renowned humanitarian, spiritual leader and peace ambassador, whose work has positively impacted millions across the world.

He argued that his visit reflects the shared commitment to fostering peace, unity, and social development through compassion and service.

“Through the Art of Living Foundation, Gurudev has championed personal and social transformation, focusing on mental wellness, stress management, and community upliftment,” he said.

The Prime Minister further noted that Gurudev’s visit also highlights the deepening ties between Jamaica and India.

“My recent official visit to India further strengthened this partnership through people to people exchanges, trade and collaboration in areas such as help, education, agriculture, and technology.

As our nations work together, we create opportunities for shared growth and development, guided by a shared vision of global peace and prosperity,” he said.

In his remarks, the global peace Ambassador expressed delight in visiting the country and reiterated his commitment to make the world a better and happier place.

“Yesterday we had discussion about… a violence free society with the thought leaders of this country (and) so our commitment is to make the world a better place, a happier place,” he said.

“So here we would like to bring more and more Art of Living teachers, create more and more Art of Living volunteer teachers who can uplift the happiness index of the country, which is very doable,” he added.

He noted that Dr. Holness has a “wonderful vision” for advancing the country as well as addressing the mental and emotional wellness of Jamaicans.

“Hon. Prime Minister, you have a wonderful vision, you have a great vision…of building a new parliament, a robust democracy and a happier society, taking care of the mental physical and emotional health of the population. This is very important. It’s not just enough to give bread and butter but also take care of their emotional resilience, and their wellness,” the Peace Ambassador said.

He said peace and prosperity go together.

“When there is peace, there is prosperity and when there is prosperity, peace will start coming,” he said.

The Peace Ambassador is slated visit medical facilities as well as the Tower Street Adult Correctional Facility during his visit to the country.