By Abigail Porteous| May 7, 2025
Anthony Hylton speaking in Parliament, making his contributions to the sectoral debate, May 6, 2025.
Opposition Spokesperson on Industry, Investment, Global Logistics, George Anthony Hylton, delivered an objective critique of the government’s economic administration during the 2025/26 Sectoral Debate, on the 6th of May, 2025, while laying out an ambitious plan to transform Jamaica into a global hub “Jamaica 4.0”.
In his critique of the government’s economic administration, Hylton pointed to what he called a failure to address declining growth and lost opportunities.
“In 2024, Jamaica’s economy did not grow. It declined. Our nation experienced an economic contraction with real GDP falling by point 9 percent.” He noted that this marked the first back-to-back quarterly contraction since the COVID-19 pandemic, with key sectors such as agriculture, mining, manufacturing and construction all registering losses.
“This is not just economic turbulence,” Hylton stated. “It is the first back-to-back quarterly contraction since the global pandemic. That fact alone should ring alarm bells.” He further asserted, “Growth is not a luxury; it is a necessity.”
Hylton accused the Holness-led administration of prioritizing political theater over real economic strategy, referencing their failure to stimulate local production or develop new trade markets in the face of escalating global tensions.
At the heart of Hylton’s presentation was his “Jamaica 4.0” economic transformation plan, which seeks to align Jamaica with the global Industry 4.0 revolution by leveraging advanced technologies, strategic trade agreements, and human capital development.
Outlining the strategy’s four pillars: trade, industry, investment, and innovation, Hylton said the initiative would “transform Jamaica into the region’s global supply and value chain powerhouse” and “reposition the country’s promotion agency, JAMPRO, to spearhead a global investment campaign.”
He also promised workforce reforms under a future PNP administration. “We will implement a game-changing world force Capacity Development Program to equip Jamaicans with the skills required to thrive in high-value industries such as logistics, advanced manufacturing, digital trade and the green economy.”
Throughout his speech, Hylton stressed urgency and vision: “The global economy has changed, the regional dynamics have shifted and the future will not wait for Jamaica to catch up. We must act.”
In closing, he declared, “This is about more than jobs. It is about building a globally competitive workforce, empowering communities.”