More Speeches

Jamaica is honoured to be hosting this 31st regular meeting of the Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community, in Montego Bay, a city whose links with the Caribbean integration movement go back to that historic conference in 1947, when British colonies of the Caribbean met here to chart a course for the region as the world emerged from the...

The National Transformation Programme (NTP), known as "Fresh Start Jamaica", is a Civil Society led, value based, socioeconomic programme with the State as a major partner along with Church and the Private Sector. Its intent is to trigger a process of positive transformation for all Jamaicans. As National Director of the programme, I am taking a leave of absence for...

Mr. Speaker, permit me to thank this Honourable House for allowing me a third opportunity to speak on the state of agriculture and fisheries in these sectoral debates. Please allow me to thank the Honourable Prime Minister for his confidence in my stewardship and my Cabinet colleagues for their support. My team at the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries headed...

The security forces wish to confirm reports that Christopher Lloyd Coke, in respect of whom the police are holding a warrant of arrest for the commencement of extradition proceedings, was arrested this afternoon at four. He was arrested by a party of policemen manning a vehicle checkpoint along the Mandela Highway and they were acting on intelligence. Coke is being...

The House is aware of the joint police/military operation carried out in West Kingston following the declaration of a state of emergency in the Corporate Area on Sunday May 23rd. The security forces were engaged in intense gun battle with criminal elements resulting in a large number of casualties. One soldier was killed and 30 others injured. The bodies of...

The Security Forces are reporting that investigations into the operation in East Kirkland Heights, St. Andrew, which resulted in the death of businessman Keith Clarke, are progressing well. The Bureau of Special Investigations (BSI) has been tasked by the Commissioner of Police to conduct the investigation and has assigned the head of the BSI, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Granville...

Commissioner of Police, Owen Ellington briefed the media on the operation which started in Kingston Western since Monday (May 24). At the centre of this operation is the effort by the Jamaica Constabulary Force supported by the Jamaica Defence Force to execute a warrant of arrest on an individual, Christopher Coke, who is wanted in the United States of America...

The Cabinet took the decision on Sunday to advise the Governor-General to issue a proclamation declaring a state of public emergency for the parishes of Kingston and St. Andrew effective 6:00 p.m. that day. This decision was taken on the advice of the security forces that action had been taken and further action was likely to be taken to endanger...

This afternoon, the Cabinet, in emergency session, took the decision to advise the Governor-General to issue a proclamation declaring a state of public emergency for the Corporate Area effective 6.00 PM today. This decision was based on information and advice provided by the security forces that actions were being taken which pose significant threats to law and order in the...

Acknowledgements and ThanksMr. Speaker, it is indeed an honour to stand here this afternoon and give an account of my stewardship in this my third sectoral presentation as Minister of Water and Housing. I want to start by expressing my sincere gratitude to all those who have helped and supported me over the past year. I must first thank my...

Mr. Trevor Alleyne, chief of the Caribbean division of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and head of the mission to Jamaica, issued the following statement today in Kingston: "An IMF team visited Kingston during May 4-18 to conduct the first review of the economic program under the Stand-By Arrangement (SBA) approved by the Fund's Executive Board on February 4, 2010....

My fellow Jamaicans..I have spent the last several days in deep contemplation about the issues that have caused so much anxiety throughout the society including the reaction to my statement in Parliament last Tuesday and the events and circumstances that led up to it. I have listened very carefully to the views expressed by members of the public. I have...