Holness Says Jamaica and Guyana Will Explore Housing Cooperation

Kingston, Jamaica, 30 June 2026

Jamaica and Guyana are to explore working together on housing development, Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness said during a two-day visit to Georgetown last week, as he pointed to shortages of contractors, skilled labour and fast approvals as the main brakes on building at scale at home.

Dr Holness made the remarks on 25 June at the opening of the International Building Expo 2026 in the Guyanese capital, where he said there was room for the two countries to cooperate, particularly on labour and on new construction technologies. He said he looked forward to discussing the idea further with Guyana’s president.

The size of Jamaica’s gap

The Prime Minister estimated Jamaica’s housing deficit at about 150,000 units. His administration has committed to delivering 70,000 housing solutions directly through state agencies, and he said 10,000 of a proposed 42,000 solutions had already been built.

He described the availability of contractors, workers and technical skills able to handle new methods and materials as the greatest constraint on building at scale. He also identified the pace of planning and construction approvals as a continuing challenge. He had earlier told the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce that the country would eventually need to prepare for imported labour to support the major projects in its pipeline.

Lessons from Georgetown

Dr Holness praised Guyana for speeding up the processing of titles for housing land and for a one-stop system for applications, which he said had cut approval times from as long as three years to about three months.

He also thanked the Guyana Government and members of the Guyana Defence Force for helping to rebuild homes and other buildings in Jamaica after Hurricane Melissa, noting that beneficiaries had reported a high standard of workmanship.

What it means for buyers and builders

For Jamaicans waiting on a home, the Prime Minister’s comments are a frank acknowledgement that money and land are not the only obstacles. Skills shortages and slow approvals add time and cost to every project, and those costs are ultimately reflected in prices.

Any agreement with Guyana is still at the discussion stage. But if faster, simpler approvals and access to more workers do materialise, they could help schemes move from announcement to handover more quickly, improving supply for first-time buyers and easing pressure on rents.

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