The Government of Jamaica (GOJ) and the World Bank on Tuesday signed a loan agreement for US$20 million to support the Jamaica Social Protection for Increased Resilience and Opportunities (SPIRO) Project.

Representatives from the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service, Ministry of Labour and Social Security and the World Bank participated in a signing ceremony for the loan agreement at ministry’s office to highlight the partnership.

The SPIRO Project, which will conclude in January 2030, aims to increase Jamaica’s Social Protection (SP) coverage by establishing a national unemployment insurance (UI) programme, which will make workers and their families more resilient to shocks. It will also expand employment services (ES) coverage, linking these services to the UI system to serve more vulnerable job seekers, increase system capacity and develop strategic partnerships.

Minister of Finance and the Public Service Nigel Clarke highlighted the Government’s commitment to improving Jamaica’s social protection system.

“Jamaica’s social assistance programmes have significantly contributed to poverty reduction over the last 20 years. Despite this progress, our social protection system faces several challenges including outdated delivery systems which struggle to adapt to economic shocks including climate-related events. These adversely affect the livelihoods of the most vulnerable population and as such, there is a need to build greater capacity to ensure enhanced shock-responsiveness,” he explained.

“The Government of Jamaica is therefore pleased to enter into this strategic partnership with the World Bank to expand our social protection coverage and strengthen our social protection delivery mechanisms,” Minister Clarke further stated.

Permanent secretary in the Ministry of Labour and Social Security Collette Roberts Risden explained during the ceremony that the SPIRO Project will expand the current social insurance provisions.

“Over the next six years, SPIRO will be implementing a comprehensive Social Protection Information System to significantly enhance service delivery to our social welfare beneficiaries. In particular, we look forward to the significant reduction in the waiting time between application and payment from 90 days to 30 days,” she pointed out.

Directly benefiting at least 290,425 people, including 155,719 women, the programme will support formal workers covered by UI, vulnerable job seekers, and beneficiaries of various social assistance programmes. Additionally, the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, the Planning Institute of Jamaica and other government stakeholders will benefit from system upgrades and diagnostic studies.

Lilia Burunciuc, World Bank country director for the Caribbean countries noted, “The project’s development objective, which is to “expand coverage of social protection in Jamaica and to strengthen its social protection delivery system, particularly its capacity to respond to shocks” demonstrates our collective vision to improve the lives of the most vulnerable by increasing resilience and economic opportunities.”