By Sean Hunter

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Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator the Hon. Kamina Johnson Smith, says Jamaica will be deepening engagement with international partners and members of the diaspora for national development.

She was speaking with JIS News at the swearing in of the 18 Cabinet Ministers at King’s House on Wednesday (September 18).

Senator Johnson Smith, who was first appointed to head the Ministry in 2016, said she is grateful for the opportunity to continue to serve as Minister.

She noted that over the past nine years, the Government has kept “a steady ship sailing” through some “very choppy geopolitical waters” and managed to ensure that there was not only significant widening and deepening of engagement with the diaspora, but the country also improved and enhanced its international ties.

“We did that in times of crises, like in COVID and Hurricane Beryl, and other disasters,” she said, noting that the Ministry team is proud of its role in this regard.

Going forward, the Minister said the experience gained and partnerships that have been forged will be leveraged “to help us to ensure that we position Jamaica as efficiently and as effectively as possible to achieve our goals”.

“The next chapter must be about ensuring we leverage all of the foundational achievements that we have laid,” she stressed.

Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, said that his work will be focused on the continued expansion and improvement of healthcare infrastructure and services, and engaging additional staff.

Minister of Justice, Hon. Delroy Churck, in highlighting achievements, including court improvements, said there are areas that will be expanded on, including mediation and expungement.

He urged persons to use the services of the Ministry to resolve conflicts and build a more peaceful society.

Minister of Water, Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Matthew Samuda, for his part, said the provision of water to Jamaicans remains paramount.

“We are midway in several projects that we need to bring to completion to bring resilience to the existing network. But we also have several projects that will extend to communities that have waited for [water] for decades,” he told JIS News.

For his part, Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., said that the Social Protection for Increased Resilience and Opportunity (SPIRO) Project will be ramped up.

The six-year initiative, launched in 2024, aims to strengthen Jamaica’s social protection programmes and systems to improve the population’s resilience, and increase labour market and social protection opportunities.

Among the components is the establishment and implementation of a contributary unemployment insurance scheme.

“It is going to see us digitising the work permit system for greater efficiency. It is going to see us focusing on senior citizens, focusing on persons,” the Minister said.