Partnership with private sector benefitting poor - Holness

Prime Minister Andrew on Wednesday maintained  that the Government's  partnership with the private sector for growth, progress and prosperity is working and is befitting all, including the nation's poor.

He said Jamaica's record low unemployment rate provides further proof.

“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.

“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,” Holness said.

The Prime Minister said that while some people's idea of protecting the poor is to give them constant handouts, his administration believes in creating economic growth, which provides for job creation.

“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.

“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 can pull themselves out of poverty,” he added.

Holness made the comments during his address on Wednesday at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Kiln 5-Expansion Project and unveiling ceremony for the Mexico Jamaica Friendship Mural Project at Carib Cement Company Packing Plant in Kingston.

The prime minister also stated that the politics of poverty is dangerous and that the argument that the initiatives that are being spearheaded by the Government are only beneficial to the “big man” is  erroneous.

He explained that growth in an economy is important for fiscal sustainability and for raising the standard of living for all citizens whose desires include good health, a decent and safe place to live, access to quality education, jobs, good nutrition and a healthy environment.

However, he said, “There are those who believe that, somehow, government alone can fulfil all these things. There are those who literally believe this."

“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,” Holness said.

For this reason, he said the Government has always sought to develop a partnership among government, labour, civil society and the owners of capital.

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.

“Investors can properly balance and weigh the risks and they have made the investment in this country," he said.

The $6 billion expansion project, which is slated to start later this year, is expected to increase the cement company's production capacity by 30 per cent.

-Tanesha Mundle

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