Acknowledgement
Excellencies of the Diplomatic Corps, Jamaicans at home and in the diaspora, listening, watching, and following on various media platforms, Distinguished ladies and gentlemen in the gallery, Madam Speaker, Honourable Members, Senators and Former Members seated in the well. I also join in welcoming the Ministers of Education from across the region who are here today. They are in Jamaica for the CXC Conference, but they wanted to witness our budget debate.
Madam Speaker, I stand before this Honourable House with a heart full of profound gratitude and profound resolve — and I consider it a singular privilege to do so for the eleventh time, as Prime Minister for a third consecutive term.
I give thanks, first and foremost, to Almighty God for His grace and mercy upon this nation through the passage of Hurricane Melissa, for sparing us the full measure of what that storm was capable of, and for the strength He has placed in the hearts of our people — farmers, parents, small business owners, first responders — who rose from the rubble with a dignity and a determination that humbled me. I thank Him equally for ordering my steps across 29 years of public service: as Member of Parliament for West Central St. Andrew; Minister of Education; Leader of Government Business; Prime Minister; Leader of the Opposition; and now Prime Minister once more. He has been my protection, my compass, and my constant.
I thank the Jamaican people for the confidence they have reposed in me and my administration, by re-electing us for a third term to form their government. I thank the many prayer warriors for their fervent intercessions, the well-thinking citizens for their private words of encouragement, and our party workers and activists for vocal public support.
I want to express my deepest appreciation to the international community that stood with Jamaica in our hour of need — the Heads of Government and Heads of State who called, who came, who committed resources; our multilateral development partners whose swift and decisive response produced the largest development financing package in Jamaica’s history; and the many nations that sent personnel, supplies, and
solidarity. Let me single out our CARICOM family, who reminded us once again that in the Caribbean, we donot let each other fall.
To the men and women of the Jamaica Defence Force, the Jamaica Constabulary Force, and the Jamaica Fire Brigade — you walked into devastation on foot when that was the only option, airlifted patients when roads had ceased to exist, and distributed care packages to communities no one else could reach. You made every Jamaican proud, and this nation owes you a debt of gratitude.
