Gov’t to continue big spend on infrastructural development, legislative reforms

Durrant Pate/Contributor

Governor-General Sir Patrick Allen delivered a placid Throne Speech; one in which there were very few new government initiatives announced for roll-out during the upcoming 2024/2025 financial year.

The Holness administration will continue its focus on Jamaica’s infrastructural development, financial sector strengthening, more accessible social benefits and new energy capacity, which are among the main highlights of this year’s Throne Speech, which signals the start of the new parliamentary year.

Among the infrastructural projects being targeted this year are the new entry to Portmore from Mandela via Municipal Boulevard, widening of the Sandy Gully Bridge on Washington Boulevard, and upgrade to the Arthur Wint Drive/Tom Redcam Drive and Camp Road.

These projects are currently undergoing Public Investment Management Systems review, with construction set to commence in the 2024/2025 fiscal year. Sir Patrick further highlighted that under the Special Capital Expenditure Programme, construction of the first road project at Grange Lane commenced in December 2023, while the feasibility studies for Road/Hellshire and the East King’s House Road/Lady Musgrave Road projects have completed and are now undergoing evaluation.

Infrastructural development are also coming for national security assets, including the renovation of 26 police stations to date and the construction of the National Forensic Pathology Autopsy Suite, which is near completion.

Investing in police facilities

Sir Patrick outlined: “The Government will break ground for the construction of the Westmoreland Divisional HQ and the St. Catherine North Divisional HQ within this financial year – a major milestone in our reform agenda. The Government continues to outfit our security forces with additional resources, to maintain law and order so that all citizens can play their part in building a peaceful, productive and prosperous Jamaica.”

Still on the national security front, he advised that amendments to the Immigration Restriction (Commonwealth Citizens) Act and Aliens Act, which are now at advanced stages, will strengthen Jamaica’s national border management framework and support the wider territorial and sovereign protection reforms. The governor general told the Parliament that the Government’s crime-fighting strategy has yielded notable success, with Jamaica recording a 7.8 per cent reduction in homicides and an aggregate 11 per cent reduction in all crime categories for 2023, compared to 2022.

The Government, he stated, continues to make significant progress in modernising the anti-crime legislative framework through the passage of the Law Reform (Zones of Special Operation and Special Community Development Measures) Amendment Act.

Financial sector strengthening

During this year, the Government will further strengthen Financial Sector Regulations and key legislation, including:

· Customs Act, which, having gone through a joint select committee, is expected to be taken shortly.

· Private Sector Pensions Act, which forms part of the pension reform process.

· Income Tax Relief (Large-Scale Projects and Pioneer Industries) Act, which will make provisions under one legislation for fiscal incentives for large-scale projects.

· Amendments to the Financial Services Act to develop a regime for the consolidated supervision of non-deposit taking institutions and facilitate the Regulatory Framework for the Twin Peaks Model of Financial Regulation.

Turning to social services, the governor general pointed to Jamaica’s social welfare initiative, the Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH), which is being overhauled, disclosing that stakeholder engagement has commenced, as the first step in the overhaul to make it more accessible and responsive.

In the area of energy, Sir Patrick mentioned that “efforts to secure private sector interest in renewable energy generation, took a significant step forward, with the Generation Procurement Entity inviting tenders for the supply of up to 100 megawatts of electricity generation capacity for the national grid. Another Request for Proposal for a further 168 megawatts will be launched later in 2024/2025.”

Constitutional reform

On the matter of Constitutional reform, he said the Government continues with the preparation of the Constitution of Jamaica (Amendment of Section 61) Bill to modernise the Words of Enactment, as the first legislative step in a proposed series of amendments, intended to give effect to a Constitution enacted by the Parliament and approved by the people of Jamaica.