Gov’t Taking Disaster Resilience Seriously – PM

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, says the Government is taking seriously its responsibility to build the country’s resilience against disasters.

He said focus is being placed on the implementation of mechanisms and measures for disaster-risk reduction and strategic disaster financing planning.

He noted that the Government continues to assess vulnerability and risks in critical sectors, including energy.

“We have made significant progress in planning the use of our resources and identifying investment needs. We are now more than ever challenged to get fully onboard with energy transition,” the Prime Minister said.

He noted that the private sector has a key role to play by investing in energy infrastructure that will bring energy access to more Jamaicans at a fair cost.

Prime Minister Holness was addressing the opening ceremony of the fourth Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas (ECPA) Ministerial Meeting, which was held at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St. James on Thursday (February 27).

This two-day meeting, under the theme ‘Energy resilience and investment opportunities’, seeks to foster policy dialogue between business and government leaders in the Americas on priorities, challenges, and opportunities for economic growth and development.

Minister of Science, Energy and Technology, Hon. Fayval Williams, in her address, noted that the staging of the ECPA Ministerial Meeting is a signal that Governments across the region are united in the pursuit of renewable energy for all.

“The achievement of clean, safe, affordable and reliable energy is at the heart of that agenda,” she noted.

Mrs. Williams said that the Governments also “have unfinished business to make good on our commitments through various declarations, conventions and national goals and agendas”.

“We are in the last decade to fulfil the great promise of no poverty, of gender equality, clean water and sanitation, decent work and economic growth, industry, innovation, infrastructure, sustainable cities and communities, climate action and partnerships to achieve the sustainable development goals,” she noted.