Public Service Must Facilitate Investment and Development – PM

Prime Minister, Dr. the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, says the public service must increasingly position itself as a facilitator of investment and development as Jamaica competes globally for capital, technology and talent.

He said the speed and quality with which Government agencies process approvals and other regulatory requirements, can influence Jamaica’s competitiveness as an investment destination.

Dr. Holness was addressing the Permanent Secretaries’ Board Retreat at Sandals Ochi Beach Resort in St. Ann on Friday (August 14).

“Our civil service must, therefore, increasingly see itself as a facilitator of development rather than a gatekeeper of development. That distinction is important,” the Prime Minister said.

He emphasised that this approach does not mean lowering standards or disregarding regulations.

“It doesn’t mean we’re going to ignore regulations. It doesn’t mean we’re going to create special treatments for particular interests. Facilitation is not favouritism. Speed is not recklessness,” he stated.

The Prime Minister said the relationship between the public and private sectors is critical to Jamaica’s development, noting that private enterprise encompasses businesses of varying sizes.

“The public service does not exist without the private sector,” he said.

Dr. Holness noted that much of the investment and economic activity required for Jamaica’s continued development, will be generated by private capital.

“Government does not create development alone. Much of the investment, employment, housing, tourism development, manufacturing capacity, technology and economic activity that Jamaica needs will come from private capital,” he said.

“So, our job is to work closely with private capital to make sure that we are growing the economy,” the Prime Minister added.

Dr. Holness said Jamaica is competing with countries around the world for investment in areas such as manufacturing, logistics, tourism, data centres, energy and emerging industries.

He pointed out that major investments generally require interaction with the State through planning and environmental approvals, licences, permits, land matters, utility connections or tax administration.

“The quality and speed of those interactions therefore become part of Jamaica’s comparative position as an investment destination,” he said.

The Prime Minister noted that international investors have several countries from which to choose and will not necessarily wait indefinitely for decisions.

“They can invest in Jamaica, but they can also invest in the Dominican Republic, in Costa Rica, in Mexico, Colombia, the United States, South Africa, Africa as a whole,” he said.

“Their investment committees are considering multiple opportunities, and their capital is finite. They will not wait around for Jamaica to make decisions,” Dr. Holness added.

He told the Permanent Secretaries that their work consequently has a direct bearing on Jamaica’s economic prospects.

“So, like it or not, the public sector or permanent secretaries, you are part of Jamaica’s economic prospects. You are an asset for our economy, if it is that we can say that Jamaica’s public bureaucracy is efficient,” the Prime Minister said.