Andrew Holness - New Jamaican Prime Minister and Leader of JLP Party

Photo of Andrew Holness

The Honourable Andrew Holness, is the new Prime Minister of Jamaica. He was sworn in as Prime Minister on Sunday, October 23rd 2011, and he is Jamaica's youngest and ninth Prime Minister. Mr. Holness emerged as the ideal person for the position after his parliamentary colleagues put aside their own ambitions to endorse his candidacy to become leader of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP).

This was after former Prime Minister Bruce Golding decided to resign from the leadership as Prime Minister.

Andrew Holness: An Introduction

Hon. Andrew Holness (Born July 22, 1972) is a past student of the St. Catherine High School and the University of the West Indies. He is married to Juliette Holness and the couple has two sons, Adam and Matthew

Video: Inaugural Address

Andrew Holness Career:

Mr. Holness served as Executive Director in the Voluntary Organization for Uplifting Children from 1994 to 1996.
He joined the Premium Group of Companies and functioned as a special assistant to Most. Hon. Edward Seaga.
In 1997, he became Member of Parliament for West Central St. Andrew and served as Opposition Spokesperson on Land and Development from 1999 to 2002.
In 2002, he switched portfolio to Housing and then Education in 2005. He was sworn in as Minister of the same in September 2007.
On October 5, 2011, he was declared and supported by the senior members of the JLP as the most suitable candidate to succeed the Prime Minister following is resignation.
He was sworn in as Prime Minister of Jamaica on October 23, 2011.
He choose to continue with his portfolio of Minister of Education after the forming of his new cabinet.

Last updated: November 17, 2011