Prime Minister Andrew Holness’ New Year Message: A Call to Remember, Rebuild, and Reimagine Jamaica
As Jamaica enters 2026, Prime Minister Andrew Holness has issued a reflective New Year’s message that honours lives lost, acknowledges national hardship, and outlines a forward-looking vision for recovery and resilience.
The Prime Minister began by giving thanks to God for life while pausing to remember those who perished during Hurricane Melissa, the most destructive storm in Jamaica’s history. He described 2025 as a year that tested the nation deeply—one marked by grief, sacrifice, and endurance.
Holness noted that climate change is no longer a distant threat but a lived reality for Jamaica. With weather events becoming more frequent and more intense, the country has now faced major climate-related shocks in consecutive years, including two historic hurricanes back-to-back. Despite these challenges, he emphasized that disciplined economic management and national resolve allowed Jamaica to respond decisively.
According to the Prime Minister, essential services were restored to most communities, schools and hospitals were repaired, and thousands of affected families received support. Targeted home-rehabilitation programmes are now being prepared for those hardest hit, ensuring that recovery efforts reach the most vulnerable.
Looking ahead, Holness said the crisis also creates an opportunity to “build forward better.” As part of that approach, the Government plans to establish a National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority, which will coordinate recovery efforts while strengthening infrastructure and safeguarding key economic sectors against future shocks.
Even as rebuilding continues, the Prime Minister highlighted signs of national progress. Murders have declined for three consecutive years, employment and debt reduction have reached historic milestones, and investments continue across security, roads, housing, education, agriculture, and sanitation.
Holness concluded by reminding Jamaicans that resilience is not accidental but deliberately built. He urged the nation to use this moment not only to recover, but to reimagine a Jamaica that is safer, stronger, cleaner, and better prepared for the challenges ahead.
He closed with a message of unity and hope, expressing confidence that 2026 can be a year of steady effort, shared purpose, and renewed belief in Jamaica’s future—ending with well wishes for the New Year and blessings for the nation. 🇯🇲