Jamaica’s Prime Minister, Andrew Holness, says the government’s collaboration with the private sector for growth, progress, and prosperity is working and benefits everyone, including the poor.
He made the remarks at the Carib Cement Company Packing Plant in Kingston during the groundbreaking ceremony for the Kiln 5-Expansion Project and the unveiling ceremony for the Mexico Jamaica Friendship Mural Project.
The prime minister said poverty politics is dangerous and the argument that the initiatives spearheaded by the government benefit only the “big man” is incorrect.
“It does pain my heart when I hear persons trying to drive a wedge in this partnership for growth and prosperity that somehow the poor will not benefit from the partnership for growth, progress, and prosperity,” he said.
He added: “That is absolutely not the case. The partnership is working, and the greatest symbol of the partnership’s success is that we now have the lowest level of unemployment in the history of Jamaica.”
The prime minister stated that his administration believes in creating economic growth, which leads to job creation rather than giving handouts. “A job is the greatest way to treat with poverty. When you give people employment, you give them the independence to create income for themselves and you increase their freedom. That is the philosophy of this government,” he said.
“We create an economic environment where all people can flourish as free economic agents to make decisions for themselves. We create the economic environment where people can, through their own labour, their own intellect, and creativity, pull themselves out of poverty,” he added.
Mr. Andrew Holness explained that economic growth is critical for fiscal sustainability and raising the standard of living for all citizens, who want good health, a decent and safe place to live, access to quality education, jobs, good nutrition, and a healthy environment.
However, he said, “What we have learned is that if you exclude the private sector from the growth and progress and prosperity of the country, you will not achieve growth, progress, and prosperity. As a result, he said, the government has always sought to foster collaboration among government, labor, civil society, and capital owners.
In the meantime, he said, while investors in the region are retreating, others, including CEMEX, the parent company for Carib Cement Company, are investing in the country because of Jamaica’s solid, fiscal, and macroeconomic performance.
The six-billion-dollar expansion project, which is set to begin later this year, will increase the cement company’s production capacity by 30 percent.
