PM Holness Says COVID-19 Containment Measures to be Withdrawn

KINGSTON, Jamaica – Prime Minister Andrew Holness has announced that all measures under the Disaster Risk Management Act (DRMA) – including curfews and gathering limits,  will be withdrawn on Friday.

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, speaking during his contribution to the 2022/23 Budget Debate in the House of Representatives on March 17. (PHOTO: DONALD DE LA HAYE)The prime minister made the announcement on Thursday in his contribution to the 2022-2023 Budget Debate in Parliament.

Noting that the island’s COVID-19 deaths per million of population is 13 percent below the world average, excluding India and China, the Prime Minister touted his government for keeping the country safe.

“After two years of dexterously balancing lives and livelihoods with executive powers under the DRMA, the measures would come to an end since citizens now know what to do to protect themselves and their families”.

Although the measures have been lifted, he acknowledged that the pandemic is not over so “continued vigilance is necessary”.

“It is no longer sustainable to manage the pandemic as a “special project” by Executive Order, through the Disaster Risk Management Act. However, risks still remain and continued vigilance is necessary, especially for vulnerable populations. For this reason, some measures, such as the requirement for people who test positive for COVID-19 to isolate as well as handwashing and sanitization rules, will be retained and subsumed into the Public Health Act.”

Other rules that will now fall under the Public Health Act include laboratories protecting the privacy and identity of people testing for COVID-19, and mask-wearing in enclosed public spaces – such as supermarkets, banks and tax collectorates.

The Prime Minister stated that the mask-wearing requirement will remain in place until April 15th, after which it will no longer be mandated but recommended for places like restaurants and bars.

He also announced that pre-testing as a requirement for travel to Jamaica will also remain in place until April 15th, following which an assessment will be done thereafter to determine whether this can be discontinued.

In addition, physical distancing will also be “highly recommended” but not mandated. The same will be true for general infection prevention and control protocols for workplaces.

While curfews will come to an end, Holness urged the public to “use discretion” regarding how late they stay out to ensure their safety and security.

Concerning the entertainment industry, the Prime minister said the prohibition on entertainment events will also be lifted on Friday. 

However, the Prime Minister reminded the public that events are regulated under various laws and administered by different entities including the municipal corporations and the Jamaica Constabulary Force, from whom permits must be sought and licenses paid.

Meanwhile, following backlash and outrage from the general public about giving special preference to Romeich Major, five ministers of Government who attended the launch of an album by dancehall artist Shenseea have each been charged J$100,000.

Dubbing the minister’s present at the launch as ‘starstruck’, the Prime Minister has appointed Entertainment Minister Olivia Grange to collect the fines and donate it to a worthy charity.

“Some people were starstruck and forgot their senses, I believe they should be fined. And so Minister Grange, who is used to being among stars and kept her mask on, I am appointing you Minister to collect $100,000 from every minister who was there and make a donation to a worthy charity.”

Those who attended the album launch were Minister of Finance, Dr Nigel Clarke, Minister of Health, Dr Christopher Tufton, Minister of National Security, Dr Horace Chang, Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sports, Olivia ‘Babsy’ Grange and Minister without portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), Floyd Green and State Minister Alando Terrelonge. 

They were all photographed, sometimes without masks, hugging and defying social distancing orders. 

Concerning national security – the Prime Minister said Jamaica Defense Force [JDF] army bases are to be established in remote areas across the country to flush out criminals who feel they are out of reach of the law.

The first such base is to be established in Wareika Hills, in the eastern parish of St Andrew. 

Holness said that the move was part of a strategic plan by the Government to increase security in the country’s land domain. He said it was also “in response to the growing trend of criminals creating hideouts and camps in very remote and uninhabited areas, from which they launch attacks on communities and then escape back into these areas”.

“The JDF will be expanding its patrol, surveillance and presence in our remote and inaccessible regions across Jamaica,” the prime minister said. He noted that where feasible, permanent presence will be established.

“This will assist not just in detecting criminals and illegal activities, but it will also help in the conservation of the country’s natural resources in these areas,” he explained. He disclosed that last Thursday, he approved the transfer of over 100 acres of hilltop land from the Windsor Farm property in Wareika Hills to the JDF for the creation of a special operations base.

“This is a strategic location from which the JDF can take control of the mountain range and conduct a range of operations in support of the JCF [Jamaica Constabulary Force] and other national security programs,” said Holness. He told the House that the Wareika Hills base is the first of many such bases to come.

“We will not cede one inch of land to criminals to feel that they have control and are out of reach of law enforcement and the Jamaican state,” he remarked.

The Prime minister also announced that the Cockpit Country Protected Area in the interior of the island,  has been given legal protection under the Natural Resources Conservation Authority Act. The protected area is approximately 3,292 hectares larger than the 74,726 hectares announced in 2017.

Concerning the the conflict between Russia and Ukraine the Prime Minister started that this has further disrupted the already fragile global supply chains and worsened high inflation levels through spikes in global commodity prices, particularly the price of oil and gas; casting a shadow over global economic confidence, just at the moment optimism about the post-pandemic recovery was beginning to take hold.

“This geopolitical crisis, thousands of miles away, is of macro-critical importance to Jamaica. The cost of energy is now a fiscal risk and likely to become our most significant growth impediment. The cost of imported crude and refined oil products in 2021 was over US$1 billion, an increase of 77% relative to 2020. The increase in the volume of imports between 2020 and 2021 was approximately 13%. The current levels of global oil prices are 40-50% higher than the average levels prevailing in 2021.

“This illustrates the extent of oil price volatility and our vulnerability. Volatile oil prices immediately have an effect on the transport sector and on the cost of electricity. This then ripples through all segments of the economy affecting inflation and impacting our balance of payments and therefore the exchange rate. We have been monitoring the world oil prices and have been seeing some recent corrections in the spike. We expect that this down- ward settling will continue as the markets adjust, however prices are likely to remain high and in the long term the fundamental volatility will continue,” he said. 

“There are calls from certain quarters to give up revenues, while at the same time calling for in- creased expenditure. The two things are not sustainably possible without increasing borrowing. While the Opposition can make these calls without any political accountability, it is the Government that must balance the books of the country so that all Jamaican households can in turn balance their books.

He noted that his administration has presented seven budgets with no net new taxes and five budgets without any new taxes at all. 

“In addition, we have removed taxes such as the Minimum Business Tax and in- come tax for over persons earning less than J$1.5m. We reduced taxes such as GCT and Transfer Taxes. I am sure every Jamaican is quite appreciative of the fact that in the midst of the economic fallout from the pandemic which was the worst global crisis in 100 years and now exacerbated by oil price increases, factors outside of our control, our Government can come to the people and say, “NO NEW TAXES”. 

Holness noted that as Jamaica celebrates 60 years as an independent state,  he said the country’s also celebrates with pride, 78 years of being a democratic nation as marked by Universal Adult Suffrage in 1944. 

“We have made significant strides as a nation. Jamaicans continue to excel in various fields of endeavor and wave the black, green and gold high. However, we are yet to scratch the surface of our tremendous potential as a country. We are a people richly blessed with strength, wisdom, courage and creativity. I have a firm and abiding belief that our best days are ahead of us.’

“Though the road may be rocky and the hills steep, I have unshakeable faith in the goodness of my country and the resilience of my people. As we move into the next phase of our journey as an independent nation, we are determined to sow the seeds for a bountiful harvest of Peace, Opportunity and Prosperity for every citizen. Our best days are ahead of us,” the Prime Minister said.