Wheatley announces The House of Innovation - Jamaica’s National STI Strategic Plan 2026–2035

Minister without Portfolio with responsibility for Science, Technology and Special Projects, Andrew Wheatley, has announced the establishment of the House of Innovation, which is the governing framework for the Jamaica National Science, Technology and Innovation Strategic Plan 2026 to 2035.

Making his contribution to the Sectoral Debate in Gordon House on Tuesday, Wheatley presented the strategy, which he said he would be taking to Cabinet soon for review and approval in the shortest possible time.   

“The House of Innovation is not a building,” he explained.  “It is a blueprint – Jamaica's first unified, mission-driven framework for converting knowledge, research, and innovation into national development outcomes. And it is the governance model and operational vision for a transformed Science and Technology ecosystem”

Wheatley said the House has four structural components:, the roof, the pillars, the floor, and the foundation.

“The Roof – governance. A revamped National Commission on Science and Technology, operating with political legitimacy, commercial speed, and delivery accountability. A three-layer structure, chaired at the apex by the prime minister himself, through a Ministerial Innovation Council.

 “The Pillars – seven nationally determined strategic priorities, each anchored to a pressing national challenge: food security, climate resilience, biotechnology, the creative industries, circular economy, digital transformation and AI, and innovation ecosystem development. Seven problems. Seven mandates.

 “The Floor – financial sustainability. A blended finance architecture, targeting USD $350 million over 10ten years – secured through multilateral partnerships, private sector co-investment, and Government of Jamaica commitment – designed to raise Jamaica's research and development investment from 0.07% to 1.5% of GDP by 2035.

 “The Foundation – our human- capital pipeline. From the Nurturing Early Scientific Thinking (NEST) programme in early childhood institutions, through the secondary and tertiary pipeline, to entrepreneurship and commercialisation training. Because every Jamaican child deserves to grow up thinking like a problem-solver.”

The minister noted that the threshold for brain- drain reversal is investment of 1.5 per cent of GDP (gross domestic product) in research and innovation investment, and this is the target set to be reached by 2035.

At this point, knowledge output becomes exportable, and “Jamaica earns its position as the undisputed Science and Technology Hub of the Caribbean.”.

“This plan was developed through rigorous national stakeholder engagement, culminating in the Ministerial Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation for National Development held in March 2026. It is aligned to Vision 2030, to our National STI Policy, to the AI Task Force's recommendations, to the UNESCO AI Readiness Assessment, and to our UNESCO GO-SPIN commitments,” Wheatley disclosed.

Wheatley said full details of the strategy would be made available to the public as soon as Cabinet approves revamping the National Commission on Science and Technology.

“The House of Innovation requires a transformed institution to drive it. The National Commission on Science and Technology will be revamped – legislatively and operationally – to serve as the executing authority for this plan at scale.

“What Jamaica needs is not another advisory body. We need an institution with the speed of a commercial enterprise, the accountability of a public body, and the authority to convene government, universities, private industry, and the research community around common national missions. The governance design is complete. The legislative work is in progress. A dedicated Cabinet submission will follow.”

carl.gilchrist@gleanerjm.com