New electricity licence, Portmore parish status, and ride-hailing policy among priorities for new legislative year

Negotiating a new all-island electricity licence, Portmore parish status, tougher penalties for sexual crimes, and advancing a ride-hailing policy are among the key priorities for the Holness-led administration in the new legislative year.

In the 2026/2027 parliamentary year, the government will also take steps to implement electricity (wheeling) regulations.

Wheeling is the transmission of power from one system to another through a third-party interconnecting network.

In delivering the Throne Speech to mark the beginning of the new parliamentary year on Thursday, Governor-General Sir Patrick Allen said the administration would also advance a ride-hailing policy, procure 150 additional school buses, and finalise the national emergency telecommunications plan.

Turning to the health sector, the governor-general said the Cornwall Regional Hospital is now 85 per cent complete.

It is not clear when the rehabilitation works will be fully completed after missing several deadlines in the past.

As anticipated, the government will restart the stalled constitutional reform process.

Allen said one of the legislative priorities of the administration is to advance constitutional reform toward a republic.

This means that the constitutional bill, which fell off the order paper in the last parliamentary term, will have to be re-tabled during the new legislative year.

Tougher penalties are coming for sexual crimes, with proposed amendments to the Sexual Offences and Offences Against the Person Act, including the introduction of new offences such as stalking.

Turning to infrastructure projects, Sir Patrick said the Montego Bay perimeter road is 75 per cent complete, with works scheduled for completion in September this year.

Further, the Portmore Resilience Park is also set for completion in 2026/2027.

After years of gestation, the government has once again pledged to proceed with the Occupational Safety and Health Bill during the legislative year.

When introduced, the bill will repeal the Factories Act (1943), which is limited in scope and excludes vital industries and groups such as the financial, agricultural, and public sectors, as well as shops and offices.

The proposed statute will set and improve standards for safety and security in the workplace for employees and employers.

A bill will also be introduced this year to amend the Dangerous Drug (Cannabis Licensing) (Interim) Regulations, 2026, to provide for ease of entry for traditional small-scale farmers.

Plans to make the Sunshine City a parish will be revisited during the parliamentary year with the proposed passage of the Counties and Parishes (Amendment) Act, granting Portmore parish status.

For 2026/27, Sir Patrick said the government will implement procurement system reforms through the Public Procurement Commission and secure passage of the Customs Bill.

Recovery efforts have now moved decisively into shelter restoration with the launch of the Shelter Recovery Programme, the governor-general reported.

He said $2 billion has already been disbursed under the Restoration of Owner and Occupant Family Shelter (ROOFS) Programme.

The governor-general said ROOFS is the largest housing-recovery initiative ever undertaken in Jamaica, with more than J$10 billion initially allocated.

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