Holness: Gov't aiming to end absolute poverty

 

The total eradication of absolute poverty is high on the government's development agenda.

 

That's the declaration from Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holness, who says building on historic reductions in the poverty rate and securing major gains in employment and education are components of his administration's new national mission.

 

The 2023 Prevalence of Poverty data released by the Planning Institute of Jamaica on Wednesday revealed that poverty declined from 16.7% in 2021 to a record low of 8.2% in 2023, the lowest level recorded since measurements began in 1989. 

 

The report says nearly half of people living below the poverty line in 2021 successfully transitioned out of poverty two years later.

 

Speaking at Thursday morning's post-Cabinet press briefing, Prime Minister Holness, who sought to dismiss detractors, credited the sound fiscal planning and policies implemented by the government for the gains.

 

"This massive reduction in poverty is a big deal. There are those who would want to make light of it, but I would quickly remind that were the data pointing in the other direction, much heavy weather would have been made of it. We have implemented policies that are directly crafted to treat with the specific elements of poverty. 

 

"You can see that the government took a deliberate decision to increase the minimum wage, meaning the earning capacity of the lowest wage earners in the society. The government increased the public sector salaries and wage bill; the reduction in unemployment, putting in place things like the social pension. We are now looking at unemployment insurance. Now, what's the next step of the government? To end absolute poverty in Jamaica," he declared.

 

Dr. Holness said the government will be revising its flagship social intervention programme, PATH, to allow for a more efficient system to assist the needy.