House sectoral debate focuses on science, agriculture, cyber security and AI plans

Jamaica’s House of Representatives used the June 2, 2026 sectoral debate to set out competing priorities on science, technology, agriculture and national resilience, with Government ministers defending new programmes and Opposition members pressing for faster execution.

Dr. Andrew Wheatley, minister without portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for science, technology and special projects, said Jamaica would pursue “growth through research, innovation and technology”. He announced a House of Innovation framework to connect research, finance, governance and human capital, with a target to lift research and development spending from 0.07 per cent of GDP toward 1.5 per cent by 2030.

Wheatley said the Scientific Research Council would have a central role in the plan, citing work in tissue culture plants, food product development, laboratory testing and science education. He also said the Government would review the 1960 SRC Act and roll out the NEST early-science programme to 500 early childhood institutions across all parishes by the end of 2026.

The minister also addressed nuclear energy, stressing that Jamaica was not building a nuclear plant now but was developing technical knowledge, regulation and partnerships. He referenced a 2024 memorandum of understanding with Canadian Nuclear Laboratories and Atomic Energy of Canada Limited covering civil nuclear cooperation, small modular reactors and nuclear applications in medicine, industry and agriculture.

On digital policy, Wheatley said full enforcement of the Data Protection Act had been delayed by institutional capacity issues at the Office of the Information Commissioner, but that its requested budget had been approved. He also announced work on data embassies, cyber security coordination, a new cyber security law, AI literacy for the public sector and the GAINS programme to train young Jamaicans in artificial intelligence.

Opposition MP Dr. Dayton Campbell used his agriculture and fisheries contribution to call for a permanent disaster recovery fund, a food import reduction plan, stronger support for youth and women in agriculture, better farm roads, more irrigation and clearer reporting. He said Jamaica’s food import bill had risen sharply since 2016 while agricultural exports had declined.

Christopher Brown, MP for St. Mary South Eastern, said Jamaica’s digital transformation agenda had produced too many announcements and too little delivery. He called for urgent cyber security legislation, an updated national cyber strategy, a binding AI policy and stronger support for workers facing automation.