Sectoral Debate resumes with focus on local government, productivity and justice reform

The House of Representatives resumed its sitting on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, moving directly to public business to continue the Sectoral Debate with contributions from Local Government and Community Development Minister Desmond McKenzie, Manchester Southern MP Peter Bunting and St. Elizabeth North Eastern MP Zelica Jess.

McKenzie said his ministry’s work was central to Jamaica’s post-Hurricane Melissa reconstruction, pointing to building approvals, debris removal, shelter planning, infirmary upgrades and fire service improvements. He reported that 3,764 building applications, valued at $46.1 billion, were submitted between January and September 2025, with 81 per cent approved within 90 days. He said the new building code would require structures to withstand Category 5 hurricanes and strengthen enforcement against illegal construction.

The minister said Hurricane Melissa left 4.8 million tonnes of debris across the south-western parishes, with more than 48,000 truckloads removed under cleanup phases funded at $500 million and $1 billion. He also announced further spending for shelters, drain cleaning, road patching, water trucks and expanded disaster staffing.

Bunting used his presentation to argue that Jamaica had achieved economic stability without enough transformation. He said weak productivity, outdated bureaucracy, low skills attainment, limited digital-payment adoption and declining foreign direct investment were holding back growth. He called for workforce training to be more closely tied to employer demand and criticised new taxation on short-term rentals.

Jess focused on justice, arguing that court infrastructure in St. Elizabeth and Westmoreland remained in poor condition seven months after Hurricane Melissa. She criticised the lack of running water and security at the Santa Cruz courthouse, delays affecting Westmoreland’s court operations, limited civil legal aid, the absence of expense support for justices of the peace, and mandatory firearms sentencing provisions affecting imitation weapons. She also raised concerns about police fatal shootings, disaster relief delays, and road allocations in St. Elizabeth North Eastern.

After the presentations, the House suspended the Sectoral Debate, recommitted agenda items and approved referral of the Bank of Jamaica monetary policy statement and related reports to the Standing Finance Committee before adjourning to a date to be fixed.