Andrew Holness Facts for Kids

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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
Member of Parliament for Saint Andrew West Central
Incumbent
Assumed office 1997
Chairman of the Caribbean Community
Incumbent
Assumed office 1 July 2025
Preceded by	Mia Mottley

Personal details
Born	Andrew Michael Holness (1972-07-22) 22 July 1972 (age 53) 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 (born July 22, 1972) is a Jamaican politician. He has been the Prime Minister of Jamaica since March 3, 2016. He is also the leader of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP).

Holness first became prime minister in 2011 but served for only a short time. He decided to hold an election to get support from the voters. However, his party lost to the People's National Party (PNP), led by Portia Simpson-Miller. After the loss, Holness became the Leader of the Opposition. He held this role until 2016, when his party won the election and he became prime minister again.

In 2020, the JLP won the election by a large amount. On September 7, Holness was sworn in for another term as prime minister.

When Holness first became prime minister in 2011, he was 39 years old. This made him the youngest prime minister in Jamaica's history. He was also the first prime minister born after Jamaica became an independent country in 1962.

Early Life and Schooling
Career in Politics
Personal Life
Honours
- National Honours
- Foreign Honours
See also

Early Life and Schooling

Andrew Holness grew up in Ensom City, Spanish Town. He went to St. Catherine High School, where he was a good debater. He became the head boy and gave the final speech at his graduation.

After high school, he studied at the University of the West Indies. He earned a degree in Management Studies. Later, he also earned a Master's degree in Development Studies.

From 1994 to 1996, Holness was the director of a group that helped children, called the Voluntary Organization for Uplifting Children (VOUCH). There, he met Edward Seaga, who was the leader of the JLP at the time. Holness later worked as a special assistant to Seaga.

In 2024, Holness earned a Doctor of Law and Policy degree from Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts.

Career in Politics

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

After being elected, he was given the role of opposition spokesperson for different areas, including land, housing, and education.

Minister of Education

In 2007, Holness became the Minister of Education. This meant he was in charge of the country's schools and education system.

Prime Minister of Jamaica

Holness became the leader of the JLP and prime minister on October 23, 2011. He took over from Bruce Golding. As prime minister, he also continued to lead the Ministry of Education.

In February 2023, he was cleared of accusations of wrongdoing by a special commission.

Elections and Leading the Country

The 2011 Election

In December 2011, Holness called for a new election. His party, the JLP, talked about the good things they had done in the past four years. They pointed to a better economy and less crime.

However, the JLP lost the election to the PNP. The PNP won 42 seats in parliament, while the JLP won 21. Portia Simpson-Miller became the new prime minister.

The 2016 Election

On February 25, 2016, the JLP won the general election. It was a very close race, with the JLP winning 32 seats and the PNP winning 31. Holness became prime minister again. His wife, Juliet, also won a seat in parliament. This was the first time a prime minister and their spouse were both in parliament at the same time.

The 2020 Election

On September 3, 2020, Holness led the JLP to another victory. This time, they won by a much larger amount, with 49 seats compared to the PNP's 14. With this win, Holness became the youngest person in Jamaica's history to be elected prime minister twice.

Jamaica's Future

In March 2022, Holness spoke with Prince William and Princess Catherine during their visit to Jamaica. He told them that Jamaica was "moving on" and planned to become a fully independent and prosperous country. This is part of a discussion about Jamaica possibly becoming a republic, which means it would have its own head of state instead of sharing the British monarch.

Personal Life

Andrew Holness meeting with United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken on April 1, 2022

In 1997, Holness married Juliet Holness. They met in high school. Juliet is an accountant and a Member of Parliament. They have two sons, Adam and Matthew.

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