My fellow Jamaicans at home and in the diaspora, I warmly greet you. Our celebration of National Heroes Day this year is unique. We continue to deal with the impact the global spread of the COVID-19 pandemic has had on our country. So many of you are dealing with the illness or death of family and friends Too many of...

Mr. Speaker this has been a period like no other in Jamaica’s history. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a severe impact on the Jamaican economy. Six Month Revenue Performance Despite that Mr. Speaker, the preliminary numbers for the six months ending September 30, show that overall revenues were $8 billion or 3% higher than budgeted in the First Supplementary Estimates...

Madame Speaker, we have seen over recent weeks the detrimental impact that COVID-19 can have on our mental health and overall sense of wellbeing. In the general population, we hear of the elevated levels of fear, anxiety and loneliness from children and parents who access the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Clinics. They admit to feeling overwhelmed and not being...

Madame Speaker, yesterday Oct 5 was the first day of the new school term for 2020/2021. I take this opportunity to provide this Honourable House with an update on the official reopening of schools. So Madame Speaker, I gave a national broadcast on Sunday night ahead of schools reopening to welcome back students and teachers to the remote environment and...

Madam Speaker, let me begin with a situational analysis of the pandemic in Jamaica. On the graph displayed, the solid black line which is now appearing shows the cumulative number of cases (7,109) as at yesterday, October 5, 2020.   Unfortunately, since our first case, we have had one hundred and twenty three (123) deaths, as depicted by the red...

Madam Speaker, the country has made a significant transition to a new phase of the COVID-19 challenge. This phase is defined as community transmission that has resulted in: 1. Higher numbers of persons being infected with the virus (without a direct link as to where they would have contracted the virus); 2. Higher numbers of severe cases that are in...

Madam Speaker, according to the World Bank (2020), the massive shock of the coronavirus pandemic and the associated containment measures have severely contracted the global economy - the worst since World War II. Madam Speaker, industries have been disrupted, and businesses that require face-to-face interaction are struggling to keep afloat. The traditional way of doing commerce has proven to be...