Prime Minister Holness advances Caribbean energy and trade cooperation in Suriname and Guyana

Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holness completed official duties abroad last week after attending the sixth Suriname Energy, Oil and Gas Summit and Exhibition and undertaking a two-day state visit to Guyana. The programme focused on Caribbean energy security and deeper bilateral cooperation across exploration, trade and regional development.

On Wednesday, Dr. Holness met Suriname President Jennifer Simons, followed by a press briefing. Jamaica and Suriname have opened bilateral talks to exchange knowledge on oil and gas exploration, with Kingston looking to draw on Paramaribo's more than 40 years of experience in field discovery and commercial development.

Holness said Jamaica wants to learn from that journey to shorten its own timeline, and that cooperation would centre on sharing knowledge and information. He said the country is taking greater charge of its energy future, including offshore oil exploration. Early seabed work completed earlier this year has pointed to the possibility of an active petroleum system in some offshore areas, though no commercial quantities have been confirmed.

The leaders also discussed partnerships in tourism, agriculture, trade, investment and the movement of skilled labour. Both countries will mark 50 years of diplomatic relations in November. Holness described the relationship as one with strong potential that both sides are now working to intensify through a clearer framework for cooperation.

Addressing the summit, he called for renewed regional attention to sustainable energy security, citing recent Middle East conflict and its impact on global oil and food prices. With oil-producing neighbours including Guyana, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago, he argued that closer Caribbean cooperation could help shield island states from volatile international energy markets while allowing fair, predictable supply and space to scale renewables suited to each territory.

Holness reaffirmed Jamaica's commitment to generating half of national electricity from renewable sources by 2030. The government has awarded roughly 100 megawatts of new solar generation and launched what he described as the largest renewable energy tender ever undertaken in the Caribbean — 300 megawatts of renewable generation paired with 150 megawatts of battery storage. He said energy security for a small island state requires multiple pathways rather than reliance on a single fuel or supplier.

In Guyana on Thursday, Dr. Holness received a military guard-of-honour welcome accompanied by Jamaica's national anthem. He joined the Guyana–Jamaica Strategic Partnership Dialogue, with discussion centred on regional food security, prosperity, innovation and security. Bilateral talks covered technology, education, energy, government efficiency, agriculture and housing, and concluded with the signing of four memoranda of understanding on economic, technical and cultural cooperation, agriculture, defence and security, and financial services.

While in Georgetown, he took part in the opening of the International Building Expo, toured an energy plant, held a diaspora town hall on Jamaica's development path, and visited Georgetown Public Hospital for a demonstration of the Freedom 60 robot used in cardiac surgery.

Separately, Dr. Holness expressed condolences on the death of former government minister, senator and Jamaica Labour Party member Professor the Honourable Oswald Harding, who died on 24 June at age 90. He described Harding — affectionately known as Aussie — as one of Jamaica's most distinguished legal minds, parliamentarians and public servants. Harding served as president of the Senate from 1980 to 1984 and from 2007 to 2011, and was appointed Minister of Justice and Attorney General in 1986. The Prime Minister extended condolences on behalf of the Government and people of Jamaica to Harding's family, colleagues and the many Jamaicans touched by his service.