Holness seeks Suriname oil expertise as Jamaica adds flights, hospital gear and municipal funds

Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness held bilateral talks with Suriname's President Jennifer Simons on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, centred on sharing expertise in oil and gas exploration as Jamaica develops its offshore petroleum programme.

Holness is in the South American country for the sixth Suriname Energy Oil and Gas Summit and Exhibition. At a morning press briefing with President Simons, he pointed to Suriname's more than 40 years of experience moving from initial discovery to commercial production, and said Jamaica wants to learn from that journey to shorten its own timeline.

"You know the experience. You have been developing your gas and oil fields for over 40 years. So, from the point of discovering potential to discovering that there are commercial quantities, to be able to exploit those, it's a long time. And we are interested in learning from your journey to shorten ours. So, a part of our bilateral discussion was to cooperate on the exchange of learning, exchange of knowledge and information," Holness said.

He also updated reporters on Jamaica's exploration efforts. "So far, the results have shown that there is the possibility of an active petroleum system offshore in some of the areas of exploration. We have not confirmed anything yet. There is no confirmation of any commercial quantities, but it is promising," he said.

Addressing the second day of the summit, Holness congratulated Suriname on its latest oil discovery, estimated at more than one billion barrels of oil equivalent. "This is the largest investment in your nation's history. But, it is more than just a Surinamese milestone. When one of our nations in the region rises, the entire region rise. So, on behalf of Jamaica, I say to Suriname, congratulations. We are proud of you and we stand with you," he said.

Officials also discussed partnerships in tourism, agriculture, trade and investment, and the movement of skilled labour.

In Parliament on Tuesday, Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett announced airline agreements expected to take effect by January 2027. Virgin Atlantic will expand to seven weekly flights from Heathrow, British Airways from Gatwick will rise to four per week, and Copa Airlines from Panama will increase to 14 weekly. New and enhanced services will also include Wingo from Medellín, Breezes from Tampa, Porter from Toronto, Ottawa and Hamilton, Air Canada from Halifax, Ottawa, Edmonton and Winnipeg, and regional connectivity through Guadeloupe linking to Paris.

Through public-private partnerships, Spanish Town Hospital's urology department has received an ultrasound machine from department head Dr Elon Thompson, prostate biopsy equipment and a biopsy gun from I-Write Medical Supplies, and a sequential compression device from Sunrise Medical Limited to improve circulation and reduce clot risk in patients with limited mobility.

The Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation has increased allocations under its Divisional Allocation Fund to $13 million for urban divisions and $13.5 million for rural divisions. Mayor Councillor Andrew Swaby said the adjustment, approved by the finance committee, will support road repairs, mitigation initiatives, employment programmes and emergency response across the municipality.

Assistant General Manager for Corporate Communications and Public Affairs at the National Housing Trust, Dwayne Blake, urged Jamaicans at home and abroad to explore property investment opportunities, noting roughly 15,000 acres available for development, including land along the corridor earmarked for highway expansion from Mandeville into St Elizabeth and western Jamaica.

Four HEART NSTA Trust teams are preparing to represent Jamaica at the 48th World Skills Competition in Shanghai, China, in September following a five-day international training camp focused on autonomous mobile robotics and unmanned aerial systems.