House resumes sectoral debate with local government, productivity and justice in focus

The House of Representatives resumed its sitting on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, continuing the sectoral debate with presentations from Local Government and Community Development Minister Desmond McKenzie, Manchester Southern MP Peter Bunting and St. Elizabeth North Eastern MP Zelica Jess.

After the roll call, the House agreed to suspend earlier agenda items and move straight to public business. The Speaker welcomed constituents in the gallery from the constituencies represented by the three MPs and reminded visitors not to disrupt proceedings.

McKenzie said his ministry was focused on Jamaica's post-Hurricane Melissa reconstruction, including building approvals, stronger enforcement of building standards, waste removal and support for infirmaries, shelters and homeless persons. He reported that pre-hurricane building applications had increased, that the building code would require structures able to withstand category five hurricanes, and that cleanup work had removed tens of thousands of truckloads of debris. He also announced plans affecting infirmaries, homeless shelters, fire stations, disaster preparedness, drain cleaning, water trucks and youth support for the hurricane season.

Bunting used his presentation to argue that Jamaica had achieved macroeconomic stability but had not transformed productivity. He said long-term growth remained weak, labour productivity had declined, and bureaucracy, weak systems and skills gaps were holding back businesses and workers. He criticised aspects of tax policy, including the treatment of short-term rentals, and linked institutional trust to investment and competitiveness.

Jess focused on justice, saying damaged court infrastructure in St. Elizabeth and Westmoreland, limited civil legal aid, lack of support for justices of the peace, firearm sentencing issues, police fatal shootings, disaster relief spending and road allocations showed that Jamaicans were being denied fair treatment.

After the sectoral debate was suspended, the House tabled the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development's 2025-2026 annual performance report and Cabinet agenda papers. A motion was approved to send the Bank of Jamaica monetary policy statement and related quarterly reports to the Standing Finance Committee before the House adjourned to a date to be fixed.