Prime Minister Sets Target of Ending Absolute Poverty
Jamaica’s Prime Minister, Dr Andrew Holness, has announced that his new administration will be taking decisive steps to eradicate absolute poverty from the country.
Making the statement during his inaugural address on Tuesday, the Prime Minister reminded the nation that he is beginning his third consecutive term in office.
Dr Holness outlined that the path to achieving this objective will rely heavily on a strategy of accelerated economic growth.
He explained that growth in the economy, if sustained, could bring widespread benefits to multiple sectors, including healthcare, agriculture, and tourism.
Absolute poverty, which is the focus of his pledge, refers to the condition where individuals or families cannot afford the basic necessities of life, such as food, clean water, shelter, clothing, and access to essential healthcare. Unlike relative poverty—which compares income levels within a society—absolute poverty sets a fixed standard of deprivation below which survival becomes extremely difficult.
By targeting the removal of this level of hardship, the Prime Minister signalled that his government intends to prioritise policies that directly improve the living conditions of Jamaica’s most vulnerable citizens.
Despite the bold promise, concerns were raised about the lack of detail in the address.
Public commentator Granville Knight, speaking on Radio Jamaica’s Beyond the Headlines, argued that the Prime Minister should have gone further by presenting clear growth projections and measurable outcomes.
According to Mr Knight, citizens need to understand exactly how the government intends to generate the levels of growth that will make poverty eradication possible.
The commentator stressed that greater clarity and precision were necessary when making such a significant pledge as eliminating absolute poverty.
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