Andrew Holness Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids The Most Honourable Andrew Holness ON PC MP
Holness in 2020

9th Prime Minister of Jamaica
Incumbent
Assumed office 3 March 2016
Monarch	Elizabeth II Charles III
Deputy	Horace Chang
Governor-General	Sir Patrick Allen
Preceded by	Portia Simpson-Miller
In office 23 October 2011 – 5 January 2012
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Deputy	Kenneth Baugh
Governor-General	Sir Patrick Allen
Preceded by	Bruce Golding
Succeeded by	Portia Simpson-Miller
Leader of the Opposition
In office 5 January 2012 – 3 March 2016
Prime Minister	Portia Simpson-Miller
Preceded by	Portia Simpson-Miller
Succeeded by	Portia Simpson-Miller
Leader of the Jamaica Labour Party
Incumbent
Assumed office 20 November 2011
Preceded by	Bruce Golding
Minister of Education
In office 11 September 2007 – 1 January 2012
Prime Minister	Bruce Golding Himself
Preceded by	Maxine Henry-Wilson
Succeeded by	Ronald Thwaites

Personal details
Born	Andrew Michael Holness (1972-07-22) 22 July 1972 (age 52) Spanish Town, St. Catherine, Jamaica
Political party	Jamaica Labour
Spouse	Juliet Landell (m. 1997)
Children	2
Education	St. Catherine High School
Alma mater	University of the West Indies, Mona (BSc, MSc) Northeastern University (DLP)

Andrew Michael Holness was born on 22 July 1972. He is a Jamaican politician. Since March 2016, he has been the Prime Minister of Jamaica. He also leads the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP).

Holness was also Prime Minister for a short time from October 2011 to January 2012. He took over from Bruce Golding. After losing the 2011 election, he became the Leader of the Opposition. In March 2016, he became Prime Minister again. In 2020, his party won another big election. He was sworn in for a new term on 7 September 2020.

In October 2011, Holness became the youngest Prime Minister in Jamaica's history at 39 years old. In March 2016, at 43, he became the youngest person to be elected Prime Minister. He is also the first Prime Minister born after Jamaica became independent in 1962. He is currently the longest-serving Prime Minister from the Jamaica Labour Party.

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Early Life and Education

Andrew Holness grew up in Ensom City, Spanish Town. He went to St. Catherine High School. At school, he was good at debating. He became the head boy and the top student. After high school, he taught there for a year.

At 19, he started studying at the University of the West Indies, Mona. He earned a degree in management studies.

After university, Holness worked for a group called Voluntary Organization for Uplifting Children (VOUCH). This was from 1994 to 1996. While there, he met Edward Seaga, who was the leader of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP). Holness also earned a Master of Science degree in development studies from the University of the West Indies. Later, he worked for Seaga as a special assistant.

In 2024, Holness earned a special law degree from Northeastern University in Boston, USA. His studies focused on how American gun laws affect violence in Jamaica.

Political Career

Holness joined the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) in 1992. He became very active in the party from 1993. In 1997, he was first elected to the Jamaican parliament. He represented the area of Saint Andrew West Central.

His first election was very close. After some legal challenges, he was sworn in as a Member of Parliament in July 1998. After joining parliament, Holness became a spokesperson for the opposition. He focused on land, development, and housing.

From 1999 to 2002, he was the Opposition Spokesperson on Land and Development. In 2002, he changed his focus to Housing. Then in 2005, he became the spokesperson for Education.

Minister of Education

In 2007, Holness became the Minister of Education. He served in the cabinet of Prime Minister Bruce Golding.

Prime Minister of Jamaica

On 23 October 2011, Holness became the leader of the JLP. He also became the Prime Minister, the ninth person to hold this job. As Prime Minister, he continued to oversee the education area. In February 2023, a group looked into some claims against him and found him innocent.

2011 Elections

On 5 December 2011, Holness called for an election to be held on 29 December 2011. The JLP talked about their achievements. They mentioned economic growth and less crime. They said the other party, the PNP, had not done as well.

However, the JLP lost the election to the People's National Party (PNP). The PNP won many more seats in parliament. Portia Simpson-Miller and the PNP then came back into power. About 53% of voters took part in this election.

2016 Elections and Re-appointment

On 25 February 2016, the JLP won the 2016 election. They won 32 seats, just one more than the PNP's 31 seats. Holness's wife, Juliet, also won a seat in parliament. This was the first time a Prime Minister and their spouse were both in parliament. Voter turnout was lower this time, at about 48%.

2020 Elections

On 3 September 2020, Holness led the JLP to win another election. This time, they won by a much larger amount. The JLP got 49 seats, while the PNP got only 14. However, fewer people voted, possibly because of the coronavirus pandemic. Only about 37% of voters took part. With this win, Holness became the youngest person in Jamaica to be elected Prime Minister twice. He started his new term on 7 September 2020.

Republicanism

In March 2022, Prince William and Princess Catherine visited Jamaica. Holness told them that Jamaica was moving towards becoming a fully independent country. He said Jamaica wanted to achieve its goals as a developed and successful nation.

Personal Life

In 1997, Andrew Holness married Juliet Holness (whose maiden name was Landell). She is an accountant. They met when they were students at St. Catherine High School in the 1980s. They have two children, Adam and Matthew.

He is a member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.