KINGSTON, Jamaica — Prime Minister Andrew Holness has welcomed the recently announced drop in the poverty rate which he says is a result of targeted policies by the Government, validating its economic programme.

“This remarkable reduction in poverty is a direct result of our deliberate policies aimed at empowering Jamaicans through economic opportunity, education, skills training and social support. We have stabilised the economy after the COVID-19 pandemic, and now we have created an environment where more Jamaicans are participating in economic activity and moving towards true independence,” Holness said.

The Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) on Wednesday revealed findings that Jamaica achieved a historic low incidence of poverty in 2023 at 8.2 per cent, just more than half or 50.8 per cent below the 16.7 per cent at which it stood in 2021.

This is the lowest incidence of poverty since measurement began in 1989.

PIOJ Director General Dr Wayne Henry, in presenting the findings, said the decline in 2023 was largely driven by the country’s strong post-COVID recovery, increased employment levels, a near 86 per cent growth in the national minimum wage, the implementation of strengthened social protection programmes and robust remittance inflows.

READ: Poverty in Jamaica falls 50% to record low in 2023 – PIOJ
Likewise, Holness cited increased jobs and income, free training, social interventions and increased agricultural output as factors driving the decrease.

The Government says the announcement comes at a time when many countries are facing economic uncertainty due to global disruptions, but highlighted that notwithstanding the external challenges, Jamaica’s economy is estimated to have grown in the first quarter of 2025, driven by resilience in key sectors as well as the continuation of fiscal discipline.

Strict fiscal discipline has been a key talking point for the Holness-led administration, and the prime minister said the mission is to foster prosperity and eventually “end absolute poverty in Jamaica”.

“While we celebrate this historic achievement, we recognise that there is more work to be done. Our mission is to ensure that every Jamaican, especially our most vulnerable, has access to opportunities and pathways to prosperity. My administration will continue to make the right policy decisions. We will continue to invest in our people and our institutions to secure a brighter future for every Jamaican,” he said.