PM Says Vision 2030 Needs National Effort To Succeed

Prime Minister, Hon Bruce Golding, has said that if “Vision 2030 Jamaica” is to be effective, as many Jamaicans as possible need to “take ownership of the plan”.

The Prime Minister singled out students, suggesting that Minister of Education, Hon Andrew Holness, ensure that students from high school level up get a copy of the newly published popular version of the book, “Vision 2030 Jamaica – National Development Plan (Popular Version)” to take home and read.

“Let them familiarise themselves with it, because much of the implementation of this plan is going to rest in their hands and it is important to get them engaged, even from this early stage,” Mr. Golding said.

He was delivering the main address at the official launch of the concise, synthesized and easy-to-read version, of the 400-page “Vision 2030 Jamaica-National Development Plan”, designed to provide a quick grasp of the issues.

“Vision 2030 Jamaica” is focused on guiding the country’s development over the next 20 years, making Jamaica a developed country by the year 2030 and promoting the idea of Jamaica as, “the place of choice to live, work, raise families and to do business’.The Prime Minister emphasized that the plan must become the subject of national conversation, right across the country.

“I am asking all of you who may get a copy of the plan today, and all of you to whom I hope the plan will be distributed; I urge you study it, don’t just study it, but have discussions about it through your parent teachers’ associations, through your citizens’ associations, through your neighbourhood watch, through whatever organizations such as your youth clubs and community development councils, sit down and have discussions about the plan,” he said.

Mr. Golding urged the churches to have a special day, and get the PIOJ to send persons to discuss the plan with their congregations and to clarify points in the plan. He also expressed the hope that by 2030 the country, having embraced the plan, would become so well advanced that whatever is still left to be achieved would be within its grasp.

“The journey may still be long, the destination may still seem to be far away, but with every step that journey is one step shorter and that destination is one step nearer, and the courage that we have to keep on that journey and the energy that we will find to make that journey will be enhanced and will be boosted”, The Prime Minister noted.

Mr. Holness whose Ministry will be integrally involved in the dissemination of the new version of the plan, said that Jamaica’s development must have a solid investment in education.

‘The development strategy of Jamaica must be on investing heavily in people. If we solve the knowledge problem, we solve the income problem’, Mr. Holness said.

Deputy Director of the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ), Dr. Pauline Knight, gave an overview of the Vision 2030 Plan, indicating that the Institute came to the conclusion that there was need for a popular version of the original document of 410 pages. The new version more concisely captures the essence of the plan and is more easily understood.

The popular version has a special place in the scheme of things. It will be a ready source of information and will inspire you with pride, confidence and resolve to play an active role in creating a better future for ourselves and our country,” Dr. Knight pointed out.