PRIME Minister Dr Andrew Holness has lamented what he says is a lack of national pride among some Jamaicans, criticising the growing habit of littering along roadsides and in public spaces.

He also warned that with the start of the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season only days away, Jamaicans should take practical steps such as clearing drains, trimming overgrown trees, and securing properties — rather than waiting until after a disaster to “quarrel with the wind”.

Holness was speaking at Sabina Park, one of two National Labour Day projects, on Monday, after working at the other national project at Lewis Town Early Childhood Institution in St Elizabeth.

He questioned why some Jamaicans continue to dispose of garbage irresponsibly despite repeated appeals for greater civic responsibility and cleaner communities.

“As you travel and you look on the side of the highways, you see the travel waste and you wonder what has gone wrong in the country. Where is the national pride? Why would someone drink their juice and feel that it’s okay to throw the plastic bottle through the window? Why?” Holness questioned with visible concern as he addressed volunteers at the island’s premier cricket venue.

He argued that Jamaica’s development challenges cannot be solved by infrastructure projects alone, insisting that citizens must also change their attitudes towards public spaces and community upkeep.

“So it’s not that we only need to build great infrastructure, we also need to change the minds of the people who occupy that infrastructure. So on this Labour Day, as we labour to preserve this wonderful piece of infrastructure, we also contemplate these things,” he said.

Holness made the remarks as Government ministers, Opposition representatives, municipal officials, and volunteers participated in painting and clean-up activities at Sabina Park, which is expected to host several major cricket events in the coming months, including Caribbean Premier League (CPL) matches.

The prime minister said Labour Day should not merely be treated as a day off from work, but rather as an opportunity for Jamaicans to strengthen communities and prepare for the challenges that often accompany the hurricane season.

“So I encourage all Jamaicans, ‘It’s not too late to use this time to walk around your house and look for the trees that are a threat to your roof… check your generator, re-heat it; put together your emergency stock of food and other items. Look for that drain or culvert that may be blocked in your community and help to clean it,” he said.

Holness stressed that hurricane preparedness requires collective action from citizens at every level of society, noting that small individual efforts can have a significant national impact when combined.

“Do something! Every individual taking action in their own sphere together can synergistically change the nation, so I urge all Jamaicans to bear that in mind,” the prime minister added.

He also pointed to the inclusion of the Lewis Town Early Childhood Institution project in St Elizabeth as part of the Government’s effort to keep attention focused on communities still recovering from Hurricane Melissa, which hit sections of Jamaica on October 28, 2025.

Holness, who had earlier travelled to St Elizabeth to participate in roofing, painting, and clean-up activities at the school, said several residents in hurricane-affected communities are still facing serious hardship months after the storm.

“But there are still many Jamaicans without roof, without amenities, without livelihoods that are affected,” he said.

Opposition Leader Mark Golding, who also participated in activities at Sabina Park, welcomed the decision to make the historic venue one of the country’s featured Labour Day projects this year.

“It’s a legendary facility around the world, and we have to keep it at a standard that is befitting of its tremendous legacy,” Golding said as he reflected on his childhood memories of attending cricket matches at the venue.