The People’s National Party (PNP) shadow Cabinet — which had been in retreat since Friday — says its focus over the three days is on developing a policy framework for achieving growth in the society, based on equity and the desire of the majority of the Jamaican people to be included in mainstream Jamaican life.

The party says it is committed to deliberate actions to eliminate the blight of inequality that has continued to plague the Jamaican society. According to PNP President Dr Peter Phillips, one of the ways to achieve this is by unlocking the nation’s reserves of land so that the growth capacity of agriculture can be fully unleashed.

“It is also critical that decent housing is provided and that there is focus on broadening the economy through the massive expansion of small and medium-sized businesses,” Dr Phillips said.

Taking into account the challenges facing the education sector, the hopelessness among the nation’s youth, landlessness, stagnant rural development, and skyrocketing crime and violence, the shadow ministers brought to bear extensive research and best practices to define solutions to the ills that have kept Jamaica from advancing in critical areas.

Central to the discussions were the findings of the Commissions on Land Ownership, Education and Youth Employment and the New Economy. The commissions, which were launched last year, focused on the main platforms for inclusive growth under a PNP–led Government. They were tasked to develop new ideas and proposals that would inform and drive party policies in these critical areas, in line with the PNP’s consistent commitment to social justice and equality.

Yesterday’s final day of the retreat focused on building on the solutions to crime violence, which the PNP has put forward over the past month, the party said in a statement.