Mr. Speaker, a good leader is a good listener. The people speak and you listen.You listen, you reflect and you respond. Sometimes that reflection requires a change but that is par for the course, adaptability is a law of life. After the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) meeting and the ensuing media reports about my Ministry, I listened carefully. I heard...

Mr. Speaker, let me begin the closing presentation for the 2015/2016 Budget Debate by again thanking the staff of all of the Ministries, Departments and Agencies across Government and, in particular, the Financial Secretary and the other members of the team at the Ministry of Finance and Planning; the Governor and staff of the Bank of Jamaica; the Director General...

Mr. Speaker,   I thank my Maker and Master for His direction and guidance along this journey.   As I stand in this House today, I can truly say the words of the Psalmist, “The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and He helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song...

Mr. Speaker, members of this Honourable House, Members of the Diplomatic Corps, visitors in the gallery - (and let me specially recognise students from my alma mater St. Catherine High School); my fellow Jamaicans listening and watching on TV, radio, and the internet, I must give thanks to God for sparing us as a nation and as a Parliament, that...

This year the Budget Debate discussions can be safely described as ground-breaking. For the first time we have carried out the functions within the context of the recently updated fiscal governance framework. The enhanced framework, established through amendments to the Financial Administration and Audit (FAA) Act and the Public Bodies Management and Accountability (PBMA) Act and Regulations in March 2014...

Notes of Opening Contribution to the House of Representatives Debate on the Dangerous Drugs (Amendment) 2015 Act by the Minister of National Security   Introduction It is with a sense of being on the right side of history that I rise to open the debate on the Dangerous Drugs (Amendment) 2015 Act, a very significant piece of legislation, which has...

Honourable Members: Our meeting today is historic. It marks the earliest start to our new parliamentary year and the presentation of the annual Budget.  It is taking place well before the start of the new Financial Year in April. For the first time, the tabling of the Estimates of Expenditure will be accompanied by the Revenue Measures for the Budget. This...

It is an interesting coincidence that the debate on the three Bills to establish the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) as Jamaica’s final appellate court and the debate on the Reparations motion are occurring contemporaneously, because both address the impact of slavery and colonialism on the societies of Jamaica and the wider Caribbean. While the Reparations debate focuses on receiving...