Prime Minister Dr. the Most Hon. Andrew Holness is calling for a more efficient and responsive public sector, arguing that government services must be delivered with greater urgency to better meet the needs of Jamaicans.
Speaking during a tour of hurricane-affected communities in Westmoreland on July 31, Holness said longstanding bureaucratic delays continue to slow the implementation of critical public projects, leaving vulnerable citizens waiting too long for assistance.
“We have to look closely at how we operate, because six months is simply too long for a family to wait for a roof over their heads,” the Prime Minister said. “The machinery of governance must move faster to serve the public.”
Holness pointed to the ongoing recovery from Hurricane Melissa, noting that while the Government has maintained its response efforts, some affected families have had to wait more than six months for customised container housing solutions.
He said these challenges demonstrate the importance of the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA), which was established to lead and accelerate reconstruction and resilience projects following major disasters.
According to the Prime Minister, NaRRA is intended to reduce bureaucratic delays, improve coordination among government agencies, and speed up the delivery of large-scale recovery and development programmes.
Holness also referenced the rapid pace of development in several emerging economies, saying their progress is driven by systems designed to deliver results quickly.
“When you look at modern development globally, cities are practically being built in a year because their systems are built for momentum,” he said, adding that Jamaica has the talent and capacity to achieve similar progress if administrative barriers are addressed.
The Prime Minister stressed, however, that improving efficiency should not come at the expense of transparency or accountability.
“I am absolutely not advocating for sidestepping our legal processes, nor am I suggesting any lack of transparency or accountability,” Holness said. “What I am calling for is empathy in administration; we can be thorough while still moving with the urgency that our citizens deserve.”







