AN officially gazetted summary of the statutory declaration of Prime Minister Andrew Holness and his family, released yesterday, showed total Jamaican dollar assets of just over $161 million and some US$28,272.11, for a total asset value of $164,929,430.19 (J$130:US$1).

The declaration showed that they shared liabilities of J$1,949,102.34 and other accounts payable of J$20,269,080.27. No US-dollar liabilities were noted.

The declaration for the period January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2018 shows earnings of $15,567,477.41 in local currency and an additional US$8,125.

The summary of income, assets and liabilities of the declarant (Holness) and his wife, fellow Member of Parliament Juliet Holness (St Andrew East Rural) and two sons — Adam and Matthew — highlighted $1,163,244.47 held in local savings accounts, plus current accounts totalling $16,338,970.46. This is in addition to securities totalling $10,642,081.92; real estate valued at $7 million; real estate mortgages, receivables and business investments of $125,674,523; and accounts receivable of $435,236.04. The report revealed zero balances for automobiles and cash value of life insurance.

The total US-dollar denominated assets of US$28,272.11 was noted as savings.

Holness, who was born to working-class parents on July 22, 1972 in Spanish Town, St Catherine, became Jamaica’s youngest prime minister at 43 — the first born after the nation gained Independence in 1962.

He has been the Member of Parliament for St Andrew West Central since 1997, while his wife, a first-term Member of Parliament, represents St Andrew East Rural. She is a chartered accountant and real estate developer.

The prime minister has a Master of Science in Development Studies and a Bachelor of Science in Management Studies from The University of the West Indies, Mona campus.

There have been anxious moments in political circles leading up to Thursday’s assurance from Integrity Commission chairman, Retired Justice Karl Harrison, that Holness had submitted all the information requested of him by the commission to pave the way for the publication of his statutory declarations.

Executive drector of the Integrity Commission, Colonel Daniel Pryce said the Holness family had been very cooperative in responses to requests from the commission. However, the commission confirmed that the prime minister was late in making the submission — an admission which had been made by Holness.

Statutory declarations are required to be filed by March 31 following the year being reported.

The Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) had threatened to take the matter to court if the release of the declaration had been delayed much longer.

Last night, PNP General Secretary Julian Robinson, in a release, said: “The Parliamentary Opposition welcomes the publication of the prime minister’s integrity report which, though late, fulfils the Integrity Commission’s obligation under law.”

Leader of the Opposition Dr Peter Phillips released his declaration in late July, showing a family value totalling roughly $185 million last year. The family had no liabilities and personal debt denominated in Jamaican dollars.

It included $819,550.08 in the family’s savings account and $770,074.37 in the current account. Some $26,385,315.83 was declared as being held in securities and $3.6 million in real estate. Phillips also reported that his family had motor vehicle assets of $28,731,018.00, as well as $169,948.92 in “other personal property”.

The family earned $16,464,652.96 in salaries and $37,337,760.00 as “other income”, bringing the total close to $54 million for 2018.