Prime Minister Andrew Holness has reaffirmed his commitment to national development, stating that his deep connection to the Jamaican people and their struggles continues to drive his political leadership.

Holness declared that his involvement in politics is not motivated by personal ambition, but by a dedication to service. “You understand that I stand here not to seek power for power’s sake… I have spent more than half my life in politics. I don’t do this for pay. I don’t do this for titles. My journey in leadership is such that I have passed those things. I have dedicated my life to the transformation of Jamaica,” Holness said.

He emphasised that his leadership stems from personal experience with hardship, which allows him to relate to the everyday challenges Jamaicans face. “Because my journey started here with you, I can identify with you. And you can identify with me. So you know that I am genuine. My quest to continue to lead the country comes from a genuine place that cannot be questioned. My loyalty to this country cannot be questioned. My commitment and dedication cannot be questioned. My allegiance to this country cannot be questioned.

“I have chosen to give my life in service to Jamaica. It was not a second thought. It was not to put on my resume. It is because I love, care for and respect the people of this country. Because I, like you, went through the struggle,” Holness added.

However, the prime minister expressed that he doesn’t try to wear struggle as a badge but to help citizens recognise that he understands their needs and ambitions and aims to make it a reality. “I am not saying that because I went through the struggle like all of you, I should be elected. That is not my point. My point is that I have a very deep and personal understanding of what you desire, of what you aspire to be, of what your ambitions are for you and your family, and of what you would like to see materialise, transform, or emerge in your community, in your town and in your country.

“But more than that, more than just having faith and hope, you can see that my government, your government, which I administer on your behalf, has delivered many of the things that you have dreamt about, that other governments have not been able to do. So, you have a government; you have a leader who comes from you, who understands your dream, your ambition, who can put it into a vision that creates a plan, and the plan is working day by day, delivering for you, the people of Jamaica,” Holness added.

Holness stated that the Jamaica Labour Party represent citizens’ vision and what they want to achieve. “The JLP is your voice that speaks on your behalf and represents you, and you are the voters who turn the vision into reality. We have a vision of what we would like to see for our country. The JLP is the voice that articulates it, that speaks about it, and you are the people who vote to support it so that the vision can materialise, and when you put those together, you get the victory.”