Signatories to Partnership Agreement Assure PM of Support

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, has been assured of support from signatories to the agreement for the Partnership for a Prosperous Jamaica, which the Government will implement over the next four years.

They include the Jamaica Environment Trust (JET) Chief Executive Officer, Diana McCaulay, on behalf of civil society; Jamaica Civil Service Association (JCSA) President, O’Neil Grant, representing the Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions (JCTU); and the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) President, Paul B. Scott.

They represent three of the four key stakeholders, which also include the State comprising the Government and Parliamentary Opposition, which constitute the Partnership Council that will administer the agreement.

All three representatives gave their endorsements during Wednesday’s (December 7) signing ceremony at King’s House.

Welcoming the renewed agreement, Mrs. McCaulay said the Partnership Council represents an “important opportunity” to build a better future for all Jamaicans, as it brings together leaders from critical sectors for discussions on development challenges and imperatives.

“It is entirely up to us to make the best use of the time we spend around the partnership table,” she said.

Noting that the agreement is not the “perfect document”, Mrs. McCaulay said it nonetheless demonstrates the stakeholders’ joint intention to ensure that the interests of all sectors are considered in national discourse and decision-making.

Lauding the work done over the years by former Prime Ministers and other interests to facilitate social partnerships, Mrs. McCaulay said civil society looks forward to working with Mr. Holness to further advance and consolidate this engagement.

“We, the civil society representatives, claim being part of the Partnership Council as a right, as a privilege and as a solemn responsibility. We pledge to hold ourselves to the commitments outlined in the agreement and to hold other members to account as well,” she emphasised.

Mr. Grant, in his endorsement, stressed the importance of “efficient cooperation” involving the Government, business and society in order to ensure that Jamaica advances and achieves its ultimate potential.

“Jamaica is a country of immense potential, and from time to time when all parties come together, we have demonstrated that potential. This partnership is an extension of that, and the Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions affirms its role in the partnership. We will hold to (its) tenets. We will do all that is in our power to ensure that this partnership is a success,” he assured.

For his part, Mr. Scott said that as partners, “we can affirm and recommit to the framework that will direct the paths and deepen relations between all the stakeholders over the next four years”.

He noted that over the last 40 years, the various private stakeholder organisations have been the sector’s “unifying voice” at the forefront of advocacy targeting public policy implementation, as part of efforts to generate sustainable private sector-led economic growth and development.

The entities include Jamaica Chamber of Commerce, Jamaica Manufacturers’ Association, Jamaica Exporters’ Association, and the PSOJ.

Mr. Scott said each partner in the Government’s current undertaking has a role to play in ensuring that the programmes and principles implemented are consistent with the five key focus areas outlined in the agreement.

These include inclusive economic growth and job creation, public sector transformation, adherence to the rule of law and timely justice outcomes, national debt
reduction and enhanced macroeconomic stability, and enhanced tourism flows and inter-sectoral linkages.

“We, therefore, welcome the continuation of the partnership, and we are pleased to continue to play our part… that will see our country grow and develop in the next four years,” Mr. Scott said.

The Partnership for a Prosperous Jamaica aims to significantly improve the country’s record of economic growth over the duration of its implementation from 2016 to 2020.