KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) says it has noted with satisfaction the evident priority that Prime Minister Andrew Holness has given to the establishment and implementation of governance protocols for public bodies.

The PSOJ comment comes on the heels measures announced by Holness during his contribution to the 2019/2020 Budget Debate.

Holness told the nation that the Government is implementing measures to ensure that the boards of public bodies are appointed in a transparent manner, as the administration seeks to clamp down on the mismanagement of state-run entities.

The PSOJ said that the prominent placement and detailed commitments that Holness has made signifies that he is “fully seized of the critical necessity for the management of public assets to be above reproach and transparent and that persons entrusted with that duty be held accountable”.

PSOJ President Howard Mitchell congratulated Holness “on his apparent commitment to this process” and has promised the PSOJ’s full support “in monitoring the process of implementation of the governance protocols and in the enforcement of the law supporting those protocols.”

Mitchell added that “trust and integrity are essential elements of the path to mature development and we are convinced that the prime minister is making every attempt to ensure that his government follows that path including making the hard decisions required to enable results”.