Anthony Hylton, Opposition Spokesperson on investment and global logistics, has for some time now called on Jamaica to look to a knowledge-based economy.

He returned to that theme at the launch of the People’s National Party (PNP) manifesto held at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel.

Below is his full address: 

Ladies and gentlemen, imagine for a moment that you’re standing at a crossroads. Behind you lies a path we’ve walked for 63 years, a path paved with bauxite dust and tourist footprints on the sands of our seashores.

Ahead of you stretches a new highway, one that we must build together. The question isn’t whether change is coming to Jamaica. The question is, will we lead that change, or will we be swept along by it? 

The only certainty in today’s world is uncertainty. Global disruptions have become our new normal. But here’s what I know about us Jamaicans…. we don’t just survive disruption; we dance with it. We turn crisis into creativity, challenges into championships. 

The reality we face 

Let’s be honest with ourselves. Our bauxite reserves won’t last forever. Tourism, as wonderful as it is, leaves us vulnerable to every hurricane, every global pandemic, every economic shock that comes our way.

Our overreliance on remittances now is under significant threat and has undermined economic resilience, and is stifling domestic productivity. This leaves our nation vulnerable, limiting long-term development. 

We’ve built our house on shifting sands, and it’s time to pour a new foundation. 

But here’s the beautiful thing about this moment….with every disruption comes an opportunity for reinvention. Think about it: the same digital revolution that threatens traditional industries is the same force that can connect a young programmer in Spanish Town to clients in Silicon Valley. The same climate change that challenges our agriculture can drive us toward becoming the Caribbean’s first truly green economy. 

Our vision for Jamaica 4.0 

This is why we must embrace the PNPs 4.0 initiative not as a slogan, but as a movement, a whole nation approach. Jamaica 4.0 means building a knowledge-based economy where a brilliant mind in Mandeville is just as valuable as one in Manhattan. It means creating tech innovation zones in Montego Bay, Kingston, Mandeville, and Port Antonio…. It means creating industrial parks in St Thomas, St Catherine, Clarendon, Trelawny and St. Mary—places where our young people don’t have to leave home to change the world. 

Picture this: Jamaican farmers using Al to predict weather patterns and optimise crop yields. Our musicians not just creating the soundtrack of the world… but owning the digital platforms that distribute it. Our manufacturers not just assembling products…. but designing them with smart technology that makes ‘Made in Jamaica’ a mark of innovation, not just pride. 

I met a young woman last month….let’s call her Keisha…. who created an app that helps small farmers connect directly with restaurants in Kingston. She didn’t need a million-dollar loan or a foreign partner. She needed what Jamaica 4.0 will provide: reliable internet, access to training, and a government that says “yes” instead of “wait.” 

How we get there together 

But transformation isn’t magic….it’s policy….it’s method…it’s strategy…. it’s all of us working together. 

We will modernise our existing trade agreements and widen our market access and reduce trade friction, and boost Jamaica’s competitiveness. 

We will develop our modern industrial strategy to help us seize the most significant opportunities and create the most favourable conditions in key sectors for the companies of the future to emerge here. 

A PNP government will revamp Jamaica’s global image….damaged over the past nine years…. to promote ‘Made in Jamaica’ as a badge of quality and reliability and launch an aggressive country branding and investment promotion campaign. 

Logistics is the lifeblood of modern commerce, and Jamaica is uniquely positioned to be its beating heart in the Americas. We will build logistics hubs that position Jamaica as the gateway between the Americas and the world. 

We will create over 100,000 direct jobs and 400,000 indirect jobs, not in five decades, but in the next decade, anchored in a bold SEZ Infrastructure strategy. 

We will modernise agriculture, so our farmers don’t just grow food, they grow opportunity, wealth and food security for all. 

We will establish a National Logistics and Supply Chain Council and National Innovation Fund because every breakthrough starts with someone who dares to dream differently. We will reform our education and workforce development system because you can’t build a 21st-century economy with 20th-century skills. 

This is our moment. This is our choice. This is our Jamaica 4.0. We won’t just extract, we’ll create. We won’t just survive, we’ll thrive. We won’t just participate in the global economy; we’ll help shape it. 

Call to action 

Some 63 years ago, our parents and grandparents chose independence. Today, we must choose innovation. They chose to govern themselves. We must choose to grow ourselves. They dreamed of a free Jamaica. We must build a sustainable economy with inclusive growth and opportunity for all. 

Jamaica 4.0 isn’t just our economic plan. It’s our promise to every child who dreams of building something great without leaving home. It’s our commitment to every entrepreneur who sees opportunity where others see obstacles. It’s our covenant with generations yet unborn. 

Ladies and gentlemen, the era of extraction is ending. The age of innovation has begun. And it starts with us, here, today. 

Welcome to Jamaica 4.0. Let’s build our future together.