#Kingston, June 24, 2019 – Jamaica – The Government is working assiduously to ensure Jamaica is able to exploit the potential opportunities anticipated with the onset of the technologically driven fourth industrial revolution, says Member of Parliament for East Rural St. Andrew, the Most Hon. Juliet Holness.
Noting that
activities linked with this development are “rapidly changing [the] world in
which we live”, Mrs. Holness said the Administration has been taking steps to bolster
investments in education; boost capital expenditure, particularly targeting
infrastructure development; and undertake institutional strengthening.
These,
she pointed out, “are some of the strategic areas of focus that we believe will
enable us to thrive in the fourth industrial revolution”.
Mrs.
Holness, who is also wife of Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, was
speaking at the opening session of the 37th annual Caribbean
Conference of Accountants, at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston, on
Friday (June 21).
The
two-day event is being staged by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of the
Caribbean (ICAC) under the theme ‘Navigating Global Disruption; Creating
Opportunities’.
Mrs.
Holness noted that global technological developments have, in less than two
decades, advanced from conceptualisation and experimentation to practical
implementation of engagements.
“This
signals that Jamaica, and the Caribbean in general, must be prepared for the opportunities
today that do not exist,” she added.
To this
end, Mrs. Holness said the Administration has moved to advance the teaching-learning
process at the early childhood, primary and tertiary levels.
“The
global disruptions that are taking place require people who are emotionally
intelligent, agile and critical thinkers. We have had to make a shift. We
believe that the investments that we are making, primarily in our young people,
will enable Jamaica to take full advantage of the new emerging world,” she argued.
Mrs.
Holness also noted that significant investments have been made in
infrastructure, citing this as key to Jamaica’s ongoing growth and development. She said while expenditure in this area has
been constrained in the past due to the extent of Jamaica’s indebtedness,
programmed allocations have doubled over the last four years, moving from $30
billion to some $72 billion earmarked in the 2019/20 Budget.
Meanwhile,
Mrs. Holness said the Government has embarked on a programme of institutional
strengthening and development, designed to help in sustaining the turnround in
Jamaica’s economic fortunes.
These,
she noted, include enhancing the Bank of Jamaica’s independence, in keeping
with monetary policy implementation, and plans for adequate provisions to
minimise the country’s financial vulnerability to risks associated with natural
disasters.
“Through
the work of both the Government and members of the private sector, we have seen
our environment booming. We each have a role to [play] to make [Jamaica]
stronger,” Mrs. Holness added.
Nearly
600 participants from 22 countries in North and South America, the Caribbean
and Asia are attending the conference, which concludes on Saturday (June 22).
Contact: Douglas McIntosh
Release: JIS
Photo Captions:
Header: Member of Prliament for East Rural St. Andrew, the Most Hon. Juliet Holness, addresses participants at the opening session of the 37th annual Caribbean Conference of Accountants, at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston, on Friday (June 21). The two-day conference is being held by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of the Caribbean (ICAC) under the theme ‘Navigating Global Disruption: Creating Opprortunities’.
Insert: Member of Parliament for East Rural St. Andrew, the Most Hon. Juliet Holness, converses with New York Times and Wall Street Journal best-selling author, Stephen Covey, at the opening session of the 37th annual Caribbean Conference of Accountants, at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston, on Friday (June 21). The conference is being held by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of the Caribbean (ICAC) from June 20 to 22, under the theme ‘Navigating Global Disruption: Creating Opportunities’.
Adrian Walker Photos