Will deliver tangible outcomes within specified timelines

Durrant Pate/Contributor

Prime Minister, Andrew Holness has announced the launch of a Streaming Processes for Efficiency and Economic Development (SPEED) Task Force, as part of his government’s thrust to improve and ease the process of doing business in Jamaica.

The Prime Minister made the announcement delivering the keynote address at the Jamaica Stock Exchange 2025 Regional Investments and Capital Markets Conference at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in Kingston last night said the SPEED Task Force will be unveiled next month. 

Speaking on the topic, ‘Fuelling Economic Development by Fostering a Pro-Business Environment’, Holness articulated that the SPEED Task Force is being mandated to drive business transformation under the ASPIRE growth policy he launched last November.

To much applause, Holness told the large audience of financiers and capital market players, business moguls and corporate leaders, “We are determined to end the outdated notion that efficiency compromises quality. We are the country of the fastest man alive. We must translate that speed on the track to the SPEED of doing business….” 

Primary mandate of SPEED Task Force

Noting that many of Jamaica’s current approval and regulatory processes are outdated and were designed during a period of fiscal constraints, Holness said that “the task force will identify bottlenecks, recommend actionable solutions and deliver tangible outcomes within specified timelines whether through a single team or rotation group of focused individuals within specific areas, the mechanisms will ensure Jamaica’s business environment meets world-class standards. We are aiming for business at the speed of thought.”

He told the audience that his government is determined to end the outdated notion that efficiency compromises quality, highlighting that with Jamaica’s debt to Gross Domestic Product significantly reducing, it is now time to streamline these systems of business processes. 

The prime minister committed to simple approvals, reduced wait times and eliminating outdated barriers and unnecessary layers of bureaucracy. He said this effort benefits not only large investors but also micro small and medium-sized enterprises. 

Efficiency in government processes, Holness admitted, will also make it easier and faster for citizens to interact with public agencies. He spoke about the phased process of digitizing government services that interface with businesses and citizens. 

“The days of standing in long lines, navigating through mountains of paperwork will come to an end. We will be rolling out an end-to-end digital system, business registrations, tax filing. Our e-government platform will be designed that e-services are accessible, anytime, anywhere. The foundation on which all these services will be built is the National Identification System (NIDS), which will be rolled out this year,” Prime Minister Holness said.