Vale Royal Talks to Resume in January
By: , January 3, 2023
Photo: Yhomo Hutchinson
Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, addresses a press conference at the Office of the Prime Minister recently to announce states of public emergency (SOEs) in several parishes islandwide.The Full Story
The Vale Royal Talks are expected to resume in January 2023 as part of efforts to build consensus on issues of national importance between the Government and Opposition.
Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, made the disclosure while addressing a recent press conference at the Office of the Prime Minister where he declared states of public emergency (SOE) in several parishes.
“I do intend to, once more, in early January… invite the leader of the Opposition under the established umbrella of the Vale Royal Talks. Maybe the church could… host us and see if we can broker some understanding,” the Prime Minister said.
The Vale Royal Talks are a mechanism for members of the two major political parties to have bipartisan discussions on critical issues of national importance and find solutions to Jamaica’s common social problems.
SOEs have been declared in St. Ann, Clarendon, St. Catherine, Kingston, St. Andrew, St. James, Westmoreland, and Hanover and are intended to curtail increased criminal activities and bolster public safety.
The Government and the Opposition have disagreed over the use of the enhanced security measure to deal with the rising level of crime.